The Greenman Inn, Ashbourne

Review by Susannah Marks, 2 March 2019

Driving through Ashbourne on the way to the Fleurieu is a pleasant drive and it takes you through some pleasant countryside and small towns. Instead of taking the expressway down to Victor Harbor or Port Elliot, you can drive via the Adelaide Hills for a change of scene. The Greenman Inn makes an excellent pit-stop with quaint country pub charm and a picturesque setting. Read on to find out what makes the Greenman Inn a child-friendly wine and food destination.

After a busy night (getting up to sick children, not writing playground reviews or heading to Fringe shows) I realised I was well and truly having an afternoon slump and despite having a self-imposed rule never to drink coffee after midday, I found myself parking the car at the Greenman Inn just to grab a takeaway coffee. Before I knew it I was inside perusing their beer and wine list and placing an order.

Menu

I’m so glad we did stop in Ashbourne otherwise we wouldn’t have stumbled upon this gem of a country pub. A quick look at the menu suggests the Greenman Inn serves more than just cake and coffee (although we ordered both and found them to be excellent).

They also serve:

• grazing platters including vegetarian, seafood, and ploughmans lunch options
• a full a la carte menu
• a breakfast menu including cooked options, bircher muesli and coconut and cinnamon infused chia

That’ll be a pint of beer and a couple of of cold waters in plastic cups, on the rocks please, my good man

The Greenman Inn is also a venue for live music and events. The afternoon we stopped in they had a band tuning up for an evening of live music.

In spite of it being a hot day, the Greenman Inn was cool and welcoming inside and was decorated thoughtfully with many elements of equine decor – turns out the manager of the pub loves racehorses – and the little people were delighted to find a stash of colouring pencils and drinks that arrived in plastic cups.

Seriously good coffee

Cake: now you see it now you don’t

Outdoor Spaces

In addition to some excellent al fresco dining options, the Greenman Inn also has resident chickens, a sandpit and a small cubby house. We spotted a beer barrel inside with a sign asking you to help yourself to sunblock and mosquito repellent, but there were also umbrellas and shady seating options outside.

There’s a courtyard out the back where you’ll also find the remnants of an old building which is strung up with fairy lights and presumably looks very beautiful in the evenings (in a ruined building/shabby chic sort of way); and a couple of cows lazing around over the fence.

This tree is crying out to be converted to a fairy garden

Our verdict

Not only is the Greenman Inn a great spot to enjoy decent coffee and enjoy a pub meal or a glass of wine, but it’s also an excellent place to come to with children.

Things to consider

• Signs dotted around the garden ask that parents supervise their children
• It’s not fenced and although it’s not an especially busy road, there are still cars so you’ll still want to watch kids closely
• Bring some money for the jukebox

Map link

The Greenman Inn, 1351 Bull Creek Road, Ashbourne, SA 5157

This review was written and photographed by Susannah Marks. Originally from New Zealand, she now calls Adelaide home and loves getting out and about and exploring all the fabulous things for families to do in Adelaide. See her blog Seesaws & Cellar Doors for more of her work.

For more information and all enquiries please visit The Greenman Inn’s Facebook page

What:  The Greenman Inn

When:   Closed Monday & Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 11:00-22:00, Friday & Saturday 11:00-01:00, Sunday 08:00-00:00

Where:   1351 Bull Creek Road, Ashbourne

Who:   Everyone

At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.

As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently. All photos are by Susannah Marks for Play & Go. See her blog Seesaws & Cellar Doors for more of her photographs and reviews.

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