Thelma – Amazing food in the Adelaide Hills

Posted by Sue Dyson and Roger McShane on 15 June 2026 at 5:11 am

Thelma – Tom Campbell’s wonderful food

Over the many years that we have been documenting where we eat around the world Adelaide has always been a city we return to for the interesting places to eat.

On the most recent visit we were only in Adelaide for two full days so we had to choose carefully. One restaurant that was never in doubt was Thelma in the Adelaide Hills. We also managed to eat at Esmay where we ate very well indeed and Idle Hands which was a brand new bar and coffee venue which we liked very much and returned twice to experience the vibe at various times of the day as we will discuss when we write a description of this venue on this site.

But the restaurant that we always gravitate towards is Thelma where Olivia Moore, the former owner of LOC Bottle Bar in Adelaide’s CBD, has teamed up with James Spreadbury and chef Tom Campbell. It is a great place to relax and enjoy a long lunch and there is always some natural wine jewels to accompany the delicious food.

Their Web site gives a clue about what to expect:

Our ethos is grounded in a deep respect for produce and the people who grow it. We prioritise seasonal, locally sourced ingredients from the Adelaide Hills and surrounding regions, allowing the quality of the produce to guide the menu. By working closely with farmers and small producers, we aim to create food that feels honest and connected to place, celebrating the richness of South Australia’s agricultural landscape while keeping preparation simple, thoughtful and produce-led.

A meal we had recently (May 2026) was particularly good. We had flown in from Tasmania for two days and booked to spend lunch time on a Saturday at this cozy venue.

Crafers in the Adelaide Hills, which is where Thelma is located, is a 20 minute drive from the centre of Adelaide. Once you locate Thelma there is plenty of parking if you have chosen to drive, although many customers catch an Uber so they can enjoy the wine selection which is so good.

Although the restaurant is set back slightly from the road it is easy to see the window with the Thelma sign on it.

When we entered the restaurant space one of the first things we noticed was a poster from the famous Le Doyenné restaurant that is located about 50 kilometres south of Paris and run by two very talented Australian chefs namely James Henry and Shaun Kelly.

We think that they are paying tribute to the large, impressive garden which James and Shaun have developed just outside the restaurant to ensure that fresh vegetables are always available for the restaurant no matter what time of year it is there.

Our meal at Thelma on the afternoon we were there recently certainly was replete with the freshest of vegetables with many of the dishes on the menu featuring fresh vegetables as the heroes.

As you can see from the menu for the day we were there, vegetables were apparent in neary every dish.

The raw mackerel was accompanied by turnips, kefir curd by fresh beans, the tuna carpaccio by puntarelle, the mussels by leeks, the pig’s head by salted green tomatoes, the mackerel by eggplant and chicory and the lamb rump by radicchio!

We were served bread and butter promptly – and what wonderful items these were as you can clearly see from our photo of these gems!

The dish of pork and chicken liver terrine with boozy prunes was served on a very colourful plate which enhanced the experience as did the very tasty lettuce leaves.