South Australia Guide: Heaps Good Food Legends

Haigh’s Chocolates, established in 1915, is Australia’s oldest family-owned chocolate maker. Their luscious, smooth chocolate is a result of over one hundred years of patience and love. Beehive Corner, the iconic building on the corner of Rundle Mall and King William Street, has been the flagship Haigh’s store since 1922, although now the SA great has expanded into the eastern states with a total of 15 stores Australia wide.

No smoko is complete without the classic Farmer’s Union Iced Coffee. A tradie favourite, this SA staple outsells Coca Cola almost two to one, claimed to be the only place in the world to do so! No trip to South Australia is complete without picking up a carton of this liquid gold.

The largest Australian owned brewery can be found right here in Adelaide, making ale using a recipe that’s over 150 years old. Cooper’s Brewery ales and stouts have the famous ‘Best After’ date, signalling the completion of the natural conditioning that occurs in the bottle. These ales are best enjoyed after a roll on a flat surface for 20cms, allowing the yeast sediment to move through the beer, releasing its signature flavour.

The Balfour’s Frog Cake is so iconic in South Australia that it was listed as a Heritage Icon in 2001 by the National Trust of South Australia. The fondant-covered treat first hit the shelves in 1922 and the recipe hasn’t changed since. 

Menz FruChocs are the only chocolate treat made in South Australia with its own Appreciation Society, including t-shirts. These little balls of apricot and peach smothered in milk chocolate were first produced in 1948 and little has changed since you can’t improve perfection!

From humble beginnings in the Adelaide Central Market, Charlesworth Nuts have become a household name in all things nuts and dried fruits. Their policy of never serving nuts from the previous day still stands, so their warm, roasted nuts are fresh every time.