From restaurateur Andre Ursini and chef Will Doak, Lost Phoenix Farm is a new destination diner and event space in the Fleurieu promising simple, delicious fare at the former home of Victor Harbor Winery.

The southern stretch of Victor Harbor Road comes with a nostalgic sense of childhood holidays, fresh air and freedom, as it snakes its way through the rolling hills between Mount Compass and the coast.

About 10 minutes before you hit Victor Harbor, you’ll find the turnoff to Lost Phoenix Farm – the new restaurant of Masterchef alum Andre Ursini and former Orso and Fugazzi chef Will Doak.

Set amongst tranquil surrounds, Lost Phoenix Farm welcomes visitors with a relaxing ambiance and the promise of an unpretentious food experience, embodying simpler times from the property’s rural heritage.

Formerly the home of Victor Harbor Winery, Lost Phoenix is Will’s first venture as an owner/operator, on the back of working in kitchens at Press* Food and Wine, Fugazzi, and having previously worked closely with Andre at Orso.

The open-plan restaurant is light and airy with green trim, indoor plants hanging from ladders below the ceiling, arched church-like doors and recycled antique furniture, including church pews.

“It’s just beautiful when the sun is setting over the white building with festoon lighting and you have the views over the hills of Hindmarsh Valley,” says Will.

Open Thursday through Sunday, Lost Phoenix is aimed at city folk making a day trip, as well as south coast locals and holiday-makers.

“People are wanting to do things on weekends and they’re happy to drive somewhere they can just sit back and chill, perhaps while the kids run around. It’s very relaxing.

Lost Phoenix’s head chef is Bridget Corver, who has worked alongside Will in kitchens at Press* and Orso.

“Bridget and I have worked together for some time and we have a good understanding of how we like to cook and serve food,” says Will.

“Lost Phoenix Farm is exactly that: simple, delicious, big, bold flavours, but no fuss.

“It’s bursting with flavour, but it’s very minimalistic, simple food.

“People are wondering if it is influenced by Orso or Fugazzi, but we left that in the city and just wanted to do something completely different.”

There is no fancy Masterchef-inspired plating at Lost Phoenix Farm, just delicious food served efficiently.

Will emphasises it is casual, not fine dining, with the option of QR table ordering.

“With this sort of venue, people don’t want to wait an hour for their meal, so all the food must be easily prepped and served quickly,” he says.

“The majority of the market in the region is cafés, bakeries and pubs, so we’ve got no reason to compete with any of those people. We just want to put something else on that map.

“We want to become a destination on the Fleurieu because there is a gap in that market here, and hopefully we can we can achieve that.”

There will be a big focus on events and weddings at Lost Phoenix, too

Having opened barely two months ago, the venue has already been inundated with wedding requests and has booked seven weddings right into 2023.

“There are daily conversations and meetings happening for more weddings, which is fantastic,” says Will.

“We settled on the name Lost Phoenix because it has a mystery about it. It begs the question – what is it? What does it mean? …People want to know about it.

“A phoenix can reincarnate to anything it wants to be… There are grand plans to hold large-scale events and concerts and food festivals here, so we’re not just a restaurant, we’re a destination and we want to explore those options.

“People come up all the time and ask, ‘What is Lost Phoenix Farm?’ and I say, ‘Look, I haven’t figured out yet either and when I do, I’ll let you know’.”