Art on the menu at Topiary Dining
Local art was the final touch to an interior refresh at this bespoke hospitality venue.
Nestled in the foothills of South Australia’s Tea Tree Gully, Topiary Dining has an innovative menu and provides a unique dining experience – using only locally sourced produce with menu items made from scratch, ensuring zero waste and moving with the seasons.
“Topiary is run in a similar way to the household of our ancestors 100 years ago,” says director Adele Pollard. “Whether it’s for breakfast, a tasting menu, lunch or sourdough pizza, we aim to provide an elevated dining experience in the relaxed setting of our 140-year-old home.”
Unusual botanical patterns, edible weeds and the finer details of nature are all inspiration for the menu at Topiary, and the garden nursery surrounded by pocket-sized micro climates mean the menu will never be quite the same day-to-day. Centuries-old techniques of culturing, churning, curing and smoking also deliver unique flavours, and chef Kane Pollard ensures each dish is plated in a way that feels contemporary and reflects the local surroundings.
“We enjoyed watching the shadows and light thrown upon the walls for a while after reopening, but we left them bare as no art we had seen felt right for the space.”
When it came to selecting artwork for the venue, Adele and Kane Pollard knew that they wanted to take a local approach – much like the food.
“After being shut down for many months, we decided the interior needed a repaint. We decided a bright white on these historic walls would lift them and make them feel new again,” says Adele. “We enjoyed watching the shadows and light thrown upon the walls for a while after reopening, but we left them bare as no art we had seen felt right for the space.”
Many artists had come in to share their work, but it wasn’t until a long-term regular – the talented Lena Baumgartner – asked about displaying her work.
“I had served Lena many times before and had a connection with her; before she even finished asking me to hang the works at Topiary, I said yes. I hadn’t even seen the artwork – I just knew that whatever she did would be great. Luckily, once she showed us we were completely happy with it,” laughs Adele. “It just felt like it fit.”
Read more: How artist Lena Baumgartner juggles creative endeavours and motherhood
From the way the sunshine hits the stone walls in the morning, to the serene surroundings, there’s many favourites for Adele and Kane at Topiary, but they say it’s the people – both the team and customers – that make it so special.
“We wouldn’t be where we are without our team – most have been here for every step of the 12 years that Topiary has been running. They all contribute in their own ways and have a big impact on the way we run the business. Our customers include so many beautiful people who have watched our journey, encouraged and supported us every step of the way.
“We are very thankful to be surrounded by such positive amazing humans.”
South Australia
