Bump along through the Oodnadatta Track, some 800 kilometres from Adelaide, while winding your way to William Creek, where the permanent population sits at around 10. Trevor Wright, publican at the William Creek Hotel, is one of the town’s long-time residents. As well as managing one of the world’s most remote pubs, Trevor runs Wrights Air Scenic Flights over Lake Eyre. The heritage-listed pub built from old Ghan Railway sleepers also has accommodation and so many artefacts and memorabilia it’s like a museum. LOT 1 Oodnadatta Track, William Creek; williamcreekhotel.com

If you’re mapping out the best pubs to visit in regional South Australia, be sure to include The Woolshed Brewery in Murtho. The brewery housed in the historic century-old shearing sheds of Wilkadene Station sits on a bend of the Murray River where you can sit under the creaking arms of large river red gums. Enjoy a brewery tour and lunch on the deck from a rotating roster of local food trucks with a Firehouse Stout in hand. 65 Wilkinson Rd, Murtho; wilkadene.com.au

Parachilna, some 470 clicks north of Adelaide, is home to one of the state’s most talked-about country pubs: Prairie Hotel. These days, The Prairie, established in 1876, is on the map for its Feral Mixed Grill – kangaroo, emu and camel – which is a draw for the culinary curious. Kangaroo schnitzel, emu liver pâté and a native citrus crème brûlée also tempt adventurous epicureans. There’s also onsite accommodation at the pub, which is near to Ikara-Flinders Ranges, one of Australia’s most significant geological landscapes. High St &, West Terrace, Parachilna; prairiehotel.com.au

The Uraidla Hotel has been pouring pints in Piccadilly Valley for about 150 years. The heritage pub serves fancified fare in space that looks like it’s been lifted from a Vogue Living feature on Flea Market Chic. Outside, trees sparkle with fairy lights. Inside, hand-hewn stone and timber beams complement vintage furniture that, like the pub, has a past. It’s among the best country pubs in South Australia thanks to its house-brewed beers and fresh-baked bread. Expect smokehouse specials and grazing boards built around Adelaide Hills produce. 1198 B26, Uraidla; uraidlahotel.com.au

A recent study conducted by Rollin’ Car Insurance found that Mintaro was one of Australia’s under-the-radar towns. Lean into the trend of ‘townsizing’ – forgoing a big city for small-town vibes – and add Mintaro as a must-stop. The scenic Clare Valley village is home to the 1851 pub, the Magpie & Stump Hotel, which you should add to your hit list of best pubs in regional South Australia. It’s the Clare Valley kids, so expect a wine list that champions local producers and artisan cheese boards best enjoyed al fresco on the lawn. Burra St, Mintaro; magpieandstump.com.au

South Australia has a lot of standout regional restaurants. But the state’s pubs also provide road trippers with a sense of purpose, with Penneshaw Pub an absolute classic on Kangaroo Island. ‘Serving beer and cheer since 1886ish’ is the pub’s slogan and reason enough for the clifftop hotel to have earned its place on our list of ‘best pubs in regional SA’. Look down over Backstairs Passage, its waters a shattered mosaic of emerald and blue, as you tuck into crisp battered fish and fries and wines you might recognise from around the state. Corner of North Terrace, Penneshaw; penneshawpub.com.au

Robe is considered one of South Australia’s best beach towns for eating and drinking. Walk along the town’s coastline until you arrive at the Caledonian Inn where you will find local #vanlifers en route to the cool kids table in the beer garden. Sit close enough to eavesdrop on their order while you drink in the view of the shifting sand and churning surf. This handsome, heritage-listed English-style pub will alter your perspective on the port town, which was established in 1847. The Cali is a top spot for crayfish and a cold ale. 1 Victoria St, Robe; caledonianinnrobe.com.au

You can arrive in style at the Victory Hotel via a scenic flight over the Fleurieu Peninsula with Helivista. Or you can Get Home with Chook, a local driver who ferries diners back down the hill after a long lunch. Either way, getting there is half the fun. Perched above Sellicks Beach and Aldinga Bay, the 1858 pub offers big coastal views and an ingredient-driven menu that champions land and sea. The wine cellar is the drawcard: head here at sunset when the ocean is like molten gold. 652 Old Sellicks Hill Rd, Sellicks Hill; victoryhotel.com.au

The incoming sea breeze whistles through the pines, funnelled from the foreshore toward the Dalrymple Hotel, about two hours from Adelaide on the Yorke Peninsula. The pub pulls in passersby strolling along the Stansbury seafront, drawn by the views over Oyster Bay and promise of a good pub feed. Like all the best pubs in South Australia, the Dalrymple Hotel is worth a detour for its local seafood such as SA flathead and Stansbury oysters. Settle on the deck with a cold one until the sky turns molten gold. 4 Anzac Parade, Stansbury; thedalrymplehotel.com

Hahndorf Inn has been pouring beers since 1863. Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement was founded by Prussian and east German Lutherans fleeing persecution. And its main street – lined with heritage buildings and cellar doors – still feels like a slice of Europe in the Adelaide Hills. The inn leans into that lineage with pork knuckles, pickled pork hocks, sauerkraut and bratwurst served alongside solid pub classics. Come winter, the log fires roar, providing another reason to bookmark the town for a cosy South Australian country pub escape. 35 Mount Barker Rd, Hahndorf; hahndorfinn.com