Fresh from her debut as the first Australian queen on a global season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Logie-nominated superstar Kween Kong is here to show Time Out Australia her favourite places in Adelaide. You can’t skip out on visiting a cellar door or two when in Australia’s wine capital. And in true Kween Kong fashion, you have to swing by a show (time your visit with Adelaide Fringe which happens in February and March each year) and dance the night away at one of Adelaide’s liveliest nightclubs. Check out Kween Kong’s must-visit spots in Adelaide below.
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D’Arenberg
You can’t visit South Australia without experiencing the state’s sprawling wine country, and as per Kween Kong’s recommendation, D’Arenberg in McLaren Vale is an absolute must-visit. Renowned for its award-winning architectural design, this all-glass Rubik’s cube stands as the poster child for all South Australian regional wineries.
Ascend to the tasting room on the top level and sip your way into D’Arenberg’s dizzying array of reds and whites (the Dead Arm shiraz and Broken Fishplate sauvignon blanc are perennial faves). Then launch into lunch at the spectacular D’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant in the adjacent 19th-century homestead – still one of SA’s best regional restaurants.
Kween Kong’s insider tip: “Take a quick pee break at the campest loo in the state.” These toilets are anything but humble, filled with all sorts of quirky art and designs.
Mitolo Wines
If you’re looking to dress up and impress your date, Mitolo Wines is Kween Kong’s top pick for you. Another must-visit winery in the McClaren Vale, this cellar is indeed a beauty: picture a sleek cargo-meets-cubbyhouse architectural hybrid.
Inside, the cellar door vibe is sophisticated and formal, with tasting flights ($20-$40) taking Insta-worthy guests on a journey through Mitolo’s range of Italian varietals. It’s all very glam and classy – a mood that extends into the Little Wolf Osteria, where pasta is rolled by hand and locally sourced steak is cooked over the fire.
Adelaide Fringe
After all that wining and dining, it’s only natural to crave some entertainment, and you’ll have a whopping 1,400 shows to pick from if you visit during Adelaide Fringe. Stringing together more than 6,000 artists across 500 venues, this is the largest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere, offering a saucy mix of cabaret, theatre, comedy, circus, music and visual arts.
Adelaide Fringe is also the birthplace of Kween Kong and during this year’s Mad March, the Logie-nominated superstar dazzled crowds in Black Puddin – a drag meets dinner party experience featuring a sweet and sassy mix of drag queens, burlesque artists, cabaret singers and mystery guests.
Marys Poppin
You can’t bid Adelaide farewell without experiencing the city’s buzzing nightlife at Marys Poppin, its most vibrant queer nightclub. This is Kween Kong’s go-to spot for post-show revelry, where she can be found supporting local drag and dance until her lashes fall off.
Staying up late until 3am from Friday to Sunday, Marys Poppin spins a mix of retro ’80s and ’90s pop, disco beats and R'n'B tunes. The club’s resident divas will add some sparkle and glam to the night with nightly drag performances that’ll keep you dancing until the sun comes up.
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