The Best Restaurants In Adelaide | Australian Traveller

Surrounded by rich wine regions and fertile agricultural land, Adelaide’s restaurant scene has long punched above its weight and the abundant local produce means that quality and affordability go hand in hand.

Balancing world-renowned wine with the freshest produce imaginable, South Australian chefs have long been known for making foodies’ dreams come true.

Book a seat at one of the best restaurants in Adelaide and you’ll discover kitchens working with local producers to create a distinct sense of place, resulting in memorable dining experiences that linger long after the last of the sauce has been mopped up.

The shortlist

Great for special occasions: Restaurant Botanic
Best wine list: Magill Estate
Best for long lunches: Sofia Bistro
Best for casual eats: Peel Street

1. Restaurant Botanic

With an unbeatable location in the middle of the 51-hectare Adelaide Botanic Garden, it’s no surprise that the kitchen at Restaurant Botanic makes liberal use of the many onsite plants. They find their way into everything from garnishes to garums, helping to add a hyperlocal touch to elaborate degustations that unfold over four hours and feature 20+ “flavour combinations".

the lakeside Restaurant Botanic in Adelaide — Restaurant Botanic sits by the lake in the leafy Adelaide Botanic Gardens. (Image: Jonathan van der Knaap)

The leisurely pace means that both dinner and weekend lunches see only a single sitting, allowing the kitchen and floor staff to be generous with their time.

a look inside Restaurant Botanic in Adelaide — Snag a seat with garden views. (Image: Jonathan van der Knaap)

Named the top restaurant in Australia several times over, a visit is as much about the experience as what’s on the plate, with presentation worthy of a gallerist, impeccable service and a drinks list (including a non-alcoholic “temperance" pairing) that benefits from as much care as the food.

a close-up of a dish at Restaurant Botanic, Adelaide — Restaurant Botanic cares about the experience as much as the food. (Image: Jonathan van der Knaap)

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Price: $$$$$

Atmosphere: Modern elegance

Review: 5/5

Location: Plane Tree Dr, Adelaide

2. Osteria Oggi

There are plenty of Italian restaurants in Adelaide, but this classy joint stands head and shoulders above the rest.

a female staff at Osteria Oggi arranging tables — Osteria Oggi offers intimate dining in the heart of the CBD. (Image: Josie Withers)

Whether you visit at lunch or dinner, simply follow the long marble bar through several arches into the piazza-inspired back room and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported from bustling Pirie Street to a regional Italian square.

pouring a drink into a glass alongside a dish on the table at Osteria Oggi — This classy joint serves up sophisticated Italian food. (Image: Duy Dash)

Then all that’s left to do is grab a seat in one of the arched booths and check out the menu that lives up to the restaurant’s name (“oggi" means today).

a table-top view of the Italian menu at Osteria Oggi, Adelaide — The Italian menu at Osteria Oggi stands above the rest. (Image: Duy Dash)

That means fresh pasta made every day, from classics like carbonara to tagliatelle with blue swimmer crab and campanelle with smoked eel, along with elegant piatti piccoli (small plates) and heartier offerings in the secondi section.

the dining area at Osteria Oggi, Adelaide — Grab a seat in one of the arched booths. (Image: Duy Dash)

Cuisine: Italian

Price: $$$

Atmosphere: Warm and inviting

Review: 4.5/5

Location: 76 Pirie St, Adelaide

3. Peel Street

There’s a reason this Peel Street favourite is busy every night of the week (except Sunday, when it closes its doors). The warm, personal service epitomises hospitality and the fabulously fresh plates that meld Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cuisines are generous enough that you can almost guarantee there’ll be leftovers.

friends dining al fresco at Peel Street, Adelaide — Pop by Peel Street for casual eats. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

A large blackboard menu changes regularly, but the banana blossom salad is a non-negotiable. Put it all together, and you have a people-pleasing joint that makes it easy to sit back and enjoy life, and if you fancy a post-dinner drink you can find some of Adelaide’s best laneway bars just a few metres away.

friends drinking outside Peel Street, Adelaide — Grab a post-dinner drink at laneway bars next door. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Cuisine: Modern Australia

Price: $$$

Atmosphere: Relaxed

Review: 5/5

Location: 9 Peel Street Adelaide

4. Parwana Afghan Kitchen

Since opening this labour of love in 2009, the Ayubi family have become legends in Adelaide’s hospitality scene.

the dining interior of Parwana Afghan Kitchen in Adelaide — Nab a seat in the charming and cutesy dining of Parwana Afghan Kitchen. (Image: Duy Dash)

A large part of that is the menu that packs in plenty of flavour without ever trying to be cutesy – the jewelled rice with slivers of candied orange and pistachios is justifiably famous, and the decadently gooey banjaan borani (eggplant braised in tomato sauce and served with tangy yoghurt) is to die for.

a close-up of a dish at Parwana Afghan Kitchen, Adelaide — Parwana Afghan Kitchen serves up dishes close to home. (Image: Duy Dash)

But there’s more to this spot in Adelaide’s inner west than what’s on the plate. Indigo and salmon walls adorned with old family photographs are a reminder that these dishes provide a very real connection to home, and the Muslim owners use corkage fees to buy and cook food for local homeless people on the weekends.

a spread of food on the table at Parwana Afghan Kitchen, Adelaide — Their Afghan menu is bursting with flavour. (Image: Duy Dash)

Cuisine: Afghan

Price: $$

Atmosphere: Warm

Review: 5/5

Location: 124B Henley Beach Rd, Torrensville

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5. Magill Estate

Situated on the Penfolds estate in the foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges, this sumptuous spot has set the bar for Adelaide’s fine dining scene for decades. Just a fifteen-minute drive from the city, it’s still high enough to afford magnificent views of the vineyards, city and the sparkling Gulf St Vincent beyond.

friends enjoying dinner at Penfolds Magill Estate — Magill Estate has set the bar for Adelaide’s fine dining scene for decades. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australian Tourism Commission)

Expect plenty of wow factor on the plate as well – chef Scott Huggins curates an indulgent tasting menu that combines dramatic presentation, opulent flourishes like caviar and truffle and his signature snack – a crispy deboned chicken wing packed to the brim with lobster and scallop meat.

a winery tour at Penfolds Magill Estate — See the underground tunnels on a heritage-listed winery tour. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australian Tourism Commission)

The drink pairing unsurprisingly makes liberal use of the Penfolds cellars – opt for the Icon Pairing and you’ll get to taste some seriously impressive back vintages pulled from the museum.

friends exploring the cellar of Penfolds Magill Estate — Peek into the Penfolds cellars. (Image: Tourism Australia / South Australian Tourism Commission)

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Price: $$$$

Atmosphere: Refined

Review: 4.5/5

Location: 78 Penfold Road, Magill

6. Sofia Bistro

The first thing you notice when entering this newcomer, which is part of a Hutt Street renaissance, is the warm welcome. The second is how well it uses its relatively small footprint. An abundance of natural light makes this all-day bistro feel surprisingly spacious, especially during daylight hours. The kitchen is open from breakfast (or brunch on weekends) right through to dinner, but it’s still worth booking ahead if you want one of the comfortable banquettes. Or you could sit at the bar and watch puffy flatbreads, vegetable skewers and proteins emerge from the wood-fired oven. Even the most voracious eaters will be satisfied with the ridiculously generous option, which pairs selections from the oven with cold plates like Sicilian-style crudo featuring kingfish, tuna and scallops. And if you want to settle in for the afternoon, you’ll find a wine list that pairs local classics with some lesser-known lights.

Cuisine: Italian

Price: $$$$

Atmosphere: Cosy

Review: 4/5

Location: 16 Hutt St, Adelaide

7. Black Dog Gallery

There’s no shortage of Japanese restaurants in Adelaide, but this unassuming diner in the city’s leafy Eastern suburbs sits comfortably among the best.

a bowl of noodles at Black Dog Gallery, Adelaide — Slurp on a comforting bowl of noodles at Black Dog Gallery.

A menu that covers plenty of Japanese classics is augmented by daily specials that skew more contemporary, leaving room for rich, creamy bowls of soy and miso ramen, karaage soft shell crab sliders and colourful poke bowls topped with sweet braised eel.

a Japanese dish at Black Dog Gallery, Adelaide — Choose from their Japanese menu.

The anything-goes spirit carries over to beverage offering, which always includes an idiosyncratic selection of specialty Japanese teas and craft beers that help make every visit feel like a journey of discovery.

black dog Kuro posing for a photo at Black Dog Gallery, Adelaide — Black Dog Gallery was named after black dog “Kuro".

Cuisine: Japanese

Price: $$

Atmosphere: Casual

Review: 4/5

Location: 4/455 Greenhill Road, Tusmore

8. Topiary

There’s no mistaking the time of year when you visit this casual restaurant that occupies a 140-year-old cottage in the centre of a suburban nursery. Whether you’re ordering breakfast eggs served with roast pumpkin and miso or tucking into a lunch featuring fresh figs in a bed of honey-spiked feta and celeriac schnitzel topped with fennel oil, it’s important not to get too attached to any dishes as the menu constantly changes to make the most of the seasonal bounty. Owner Kane Pollard draws much of his produce from the site and follows a no waste, made from scratch philosophy that sees bread and cheese made in house and even the smallest by-products repurposed into tasty morsels.

a table-top view of the menu at Topiary, Adelaide — Topiary offers a plant-based dairy-free degustation menu.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Price: $$

Atmosphere: Serene

Review: 4.5/5

Location: 1361 North East Road, Tea Tree Gully

9. arkhé

When chef Jake Kellie says he likes to cook over fire, you’d better believe it. With no gas or electrical stovetops, everything at this stylish neighbourhood fine diner is grilled, toasted, charred, roasted, caramelised and even fried over glowing chunks of river red gum. And the menu is far from a parade of proteins slapped on the grill (though the richly marbled steaks, butterflied fish and southern rock lobster are all done to perfection).

the classy black and white restaurant interior of arkhé, Adelaide — The interior at arkhé screams classic elegance. (Image: Timothy Kaye)

Kellie shows a surprisingly light touch on flavour-packed small bites like the signature parfait tartlet à la Burnt Ends, a slightly more than bite-sized pastry filled with plush duck liver parfait and topped with a delicate brûléed shell, while ingredients cooked over flames also make their presence felt in several smoky cocktails.

cocktail glasses alongside a plate of oysters at arkhé, Adelaide — Order smoky cocktails to pair with your oysters. (Image: Duy Huynh)

To top it off, Kellie has leveraged his international connections to host regular collaborations with some of the finest chefs from around Australia and the world, ensuring there’s always something new happening at arkhé.

Chef Jake Kellie preparing in the kitchen of arkhé, Adelaide — Chef Jake Kellie likes to cook over fire. (Image: Duy Huynh)

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Price: $$$

Atmosphere: Contemporary chic

Review: 4.5/5

Location: 127 The Parade, Norwood

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10. Fino Vino

The city outpost of Fino Seppeltsfield may lack the Barossa restaurant’s broad courtyard and cellar filled with ageing tawny, but the creations emerging from the kitchen here are every bit as enticing.

pouring wine into a glass at Fino Vino, Adelaide — The three-course express menu lunch includes a glass of wine that is an absolute steal for $55. (Image: Julian Cebo)

A fit-out that goes heavy on exposed brick and natural materials mirrors a culinary philosophy that leans towards the classics and allows the flavours in the fresh local produce to shine.

the restaurant interior of Fino Vino in Adelaide — Fino Vino is a contemporary chic restaurant perfect for night outs. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Add in front-of-house guru Sharon Romeo’s note-perfect service and the legendary crema catalana for dessert, and you have all the ingredients for a perfect night out. And if you’re popping past at lunch, the three-course express menu lunch that includes a glass of wine is an absolute steal for $55.

a spread of food on the table at Fino Vino in Adelaide — Fino Vino leans towards the classics. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Price: $$$

Atmosphere: Contemporary chic

Review: 4.5/5

Location: 127 The Parade, Norwood

11. Makan

Accessed via a narrow set of stairs, this venue is billed as a wine bar but the name (which means “to eat" in Malaysian) points towards a broader ambition.

a plate of shellfish at Makan restaurant, Adelaide — Makan serves up pan-Asian dishes.

Enticing flavour combinations abound on both sides of the offering, with a 60-strong wine list featuring local natural wines alongside Chinese and Japanese drops (plus some sake and umeshu) and a pan-Asian menu that stretches from Indonesia to Japan.

a table-top view of a dish at Makan restaurant, Adelaide — Enjoy enticing flavours at Makan.

Punchy snacks including prawn “doughnuts" and betel leaves with salmon and green mango match the playful tone of the neon-lit interior, while bolder Chinese flavours shine through in larger plates like jiao ma chicken and smoked chacha cauliflower.

a snack platter with a dip at Makan restaurant, Adelaide — Kick it off with a punchy snack platter.

Cuisine: Japanese

Price: $$

Atmosphere: Trendy

Review: 4/5

Location: Lv1 116 Flinders Street, Adelaide

12. Aces

This old-school Italian restaurant in Adelaide’s Chinatown has been through many iterations, but the latest one might just be the best. Plush red carpet and dim lighting give the downstairs dining room the retro air of a classic Little Italy joint, while the black and white tiled upstairs bar features DJs and a dancefloor on weekends. It’s no surprise that hearty pasta dishes do most of the heavy lifting on the menu, but you’ll also find a few surprises in an appetiser section that features tender lobster ravioli and neatly cut lasagne skewers. Look further and you’ll even find a nod to Aces’ location with Italian-Chinese crossovers including spaghetti vongole à la Golden Century and a “yum ciao" lunch menu of small plates made for sharing.

Cuisine: Italian

Price: $$$

Atmosphere: Vibrant

Review: 4/5

Location: 96 Gouger St, Adelaide

Check out our guide to the 12 best cafes in Adelaide.

The Great Ocean Road has captured the hearts of Australians with its astounding scenery since 1932, but going off-course can enrich your experience with untouched nature, foodie delights and charming towns.

It’s a chilly 16 degrees. My husband pulls on a steamer and jogs – as all seasoned surfers do – into the water. We’re at Bells Beach, the legendary break on Victoria’s Surf Coast that’s home to the Rip Curl Pro, the world’s longest-running event in competitive surfing. Each year, over the Easter long weekend, up to 40,000 people descend on the region for the event. Today, though, we have the beach almost to ourselves, and the less-than-favourable temperature doesn’t deter my husband from surfing this famous break.

Torquay to Anglesea and Aireys Inlet

The red dome of Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The nearby surf town of Torquay marks the starting point for the Great Ocean Road. Unfolding our map, which we have marked out with a highlighted route for our children to follow, we set off for lesser-known Anglesea, a chilled-out town 20 minutes south of here. Its wide, sandy beach is a gentler swimming option for our young family. Groms can learn to surf here with Go Ride a Wave, which also runs stand-up paddle boarding on the Anglesea River.

Split point lookout — The lighthouse overlooks the Shipwreck Coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)

After a couple of nights in Anglesea, we hit the road again, first stopping at Aireys Inlet. Here we stretch our legs at Split Point Lighthouse, which was made famous by the 1990s television series Round the Twist, before driving under the Memorial Arch that welcomes us, officially, to the Great Ocean Road.

This 243-kilometre coastal road was built by returned First World War servicemen and serves as a permanent memorial to those who fought and died during the war. Carved into rock using hand tools and horse-drawn carts, it was a huge engineering feat and provided much-needed access to isolated coastal communities.

Lorne to Birregurra

Lorne is a delightful beachside stop for lunch and browsing boutique stores. It’s also the gateway to Great Otway National Park, which comprises a varied landscape of old-growth forests, cool-temperate rainforests, heathy woodlands and rugged coast. With the highest rainfall in Victoria, the region is home to many waterfalls – 10 of which are within 10 kilometres of Lorne.

Turning slightly off the main drag, we wind along a gum-shaded road to Erskine Falls. Here, our son leads the way through the hyper-green rainforest and down 200-plus stairs to the cascade that drops 30 metres into a lush fern gully. We hop over large boulders to get closer to the falls, enjoying the entire place to ourselves; it’s worth the return climb.

From Sheoak Falls Picnic Area, there are walking trails to Henderson Falls, Phantom Falls, Won Wondah Falls and Kalimna Falls, some of which follow an old timber tramway from forest-logging days, which only came to an end in 2008.

You can follow your appetite north to the town of Birregurra, which is part of the Otway Harvest Trail that connects farm gates, markets, wineries, breweries and distilleries. It’s home to three-hatted modern Australian restaurant Brae, helmed by celebrated chef Dan Hunter, set among native gardens and an organic farm, and Otways Distillery, which produces small-batch spirits using local produce and botanicals.

Brae restaurant — Brae is a three-hatted restaurant in Birregurra. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Apollo Bay to The Otways

Back on track, the cliff-hugging stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is breathtaking. At Teddys Lookout, we overlook the winding road ahead and St George River spilling into the ocean. We spend languid days in Apollo Bay, a buzzy seaside town that boasts a three-kilometre-long, crescent-shaped beach with a backdrop of rolling green hills. One evening, as the sun sets, we take the steep 10-minute walk to Marriners Lookout, which affords panoramic views of the ocean, hinterland and town.

A 15-minute drive along the road, Maits Rest is a lush rainforest gully that has been protected since the early 20th century. Wandering along the 800-metre boardwalk, we inspect the delicate moss-covered forest floor and the gnarled roots of 300-year-old myrtle beech trees, then crane our necks to see their canopies, some 50 metres above us. It’s therapy in nature.

Cape Otway to the Twelve Apostles

The southernmost tip of Cape Otway is a delightful detour, home to the 1848-built Cape Otway Lightstation, the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia. We climb the narrow winding staircase to the gallery deck, explore the keepers’ quarters and telegraph station, and enjoy a coffee and some ‘famous’ scones at the charming onsite cafe.

It’s a pinch-me moment to finally see the Twelve Apostles in person. This unmistakable cluster of limestone stacks rising abruptly from the sea were never 12, however. When coined this in the 1890s as a marketing ploy, there were only nine; today, only seven remain after two collapsed in 2005 and 2009. We admire these Aussie icons from the viewing platform, in awe of Mother Nature’s ever-evolving artwork.

The Grotto is another natural attraction within Port Campbell National Park. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Edging the wild Southern Ocean, this part of the coast – dubbed Shipwreck Coast – is made up of many sea-carved natural wonders including London Bridge, The Grotto and Gibson Steps. After exploring the lookout trails of Loch Ard Gorge/Poombeeyt Kontapool – its English name taken from the site of the 1878 shipwreck – we nestle into the sandy beach encircled by towering sandstone cliffs, as our children splash about on the water’s edge, and soak it all in.

Port Campbell to Timboon

Timboon Fine Ice Cream is part of a regional foodie trail. (Image: C McConville)

Just north of Port Campbell National Park, the region of Timboon is part of the 12 Apostles Food Artisans Trail, filled with purveyors of delicious foodstuffs such as Timboon Fine Ice Cream, Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and Apostle Whey Cheese. As an antidote to the indulgence, the 20-kilometre Poorpa Yanyeen Meerreeng Trail is a self-guided ride or walk between Port Campbell and Timboon through tall forests, over historic bridges and past sparkling lakes and farmland with grazing cattle.

Warrnambool to Port Fairy

Warrnambool building — A 19th-century building in Warrnambool. (Image: Peter Foster)

In Warrnambool, a town rich in maritime history, we take the four-kilometre Thunder Point Walk that traces the coast. The kids squeal when an echidna shuffles out from beneath the wooden boardwalk, and we stop to admire a seal lazing on a rock at the port.

Further along, the streets of quaint fishing village Port Fairy are lined with 19th-century cottages, old stone churches and Norfolk pines. Follow the historic walking trail to see some of the 60-plus National Trust buildings. Port Fairy is also home to Port Fairy Folk Festival (6-9 March), one of the country’s longest-running music and cultural festivals. You could time your road trip with the event for a fittingly celebratory end to any journey.

The Great Ocean Road can easily be done in three days, but we’ve spent a week on the road. The highlighted line on our now creased and well-worn map doesn’t follow the famous route precisely. It has sprouted branches in many directions, leading us to untouched rainforest and charming rural towns filled with culinary delights, and where we experienced some of our most memorable moments on the Great Ocean Road.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

The Monty is a highly anticipated, newly refurbished motel with a chic Palm Springs-inspired aesthetic set across the road from the Anglesea River. Basalt Winery in Port Fairy grows cool-climate wines such as pinot noir and Riesling in rich volcanic soil. Stay among the vines in its tiny home, complete with a kitchen, lounge area and outdoor firepit.

The Oak & Anchor Hotel has been a Port Fairy institution since 1857. Cosy up by the bar in winter or bask in the sunshine of the Lawn Bar in summer. The rooms are beautifully boutique with considered details, such as luxe baths for sinking into post-road trip.

Eating there

The Coast in Anglesea is a modern Australian restaurant focused on local ingredients. Grand Pacific Hotel has been a local landmark in Lorne since 1879 and recently underwent a restoration. It serves a mix of traditional pub and Italian fare alongside ocean views.

Graze is a cosy 40-seat dining room in Apollo Bay with a modern Australian menu complemented by regional wines. Apollo Bay Distillery offers tasting flights, a gin blending masterclass and serves woodfired pizzas.

The best restaurants in Adelaide for every occasion

Surrounded by rich wine regions and fertile agricultural land, Adelaide’s restaurant scene has long punched above its weight and the abundant local produce means that quality and affordability go hand in hand.

The shortlist

1. Restaurant Botanic

2. Osteria Oggi

3. Peel Street

4. Parwana Afghan Kitchen

5. Magill Estate

6. Sofia Bistro

7. Black Dog Gallery

8. Topiary

9. arkhé

10. Fino Vino

11. Makan

12. Aces

This new SA luxe glamping experience allows you to wake up with zebras

Adelaide’s corpse flower is about to bloom – and thousands are expected to line up for the smell

This new bathhouse in Adelaide is focused on community

This new coastal walk connects two of Adelaide’s most popular beaches

Taking the route less travelled along the Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road has captured the hearts of Australians with its astounding scenery since 1932, but going off-course can enrich your experience with untouched nature, foodie delights and charming towns.

Torquay to Anglesea and Aireys Inlet

Lorne to Birregurra

Apollo Bay to The Otways

Cape Otway to the Twelve Apostles

Port Campbell to Timboon

Warrnambool to Port Fairy

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Eating there

Surrounded by rich wine regions and fertile agricultural land, Adelaide’s restaurant scene has long punched above its weight and the abundant local produce means that quality and affordability go hand in hand.

The shortlist

1. Restaurant Botanic

2. Osteria Oggi

3. Peel Street

4. Parwana Afghan Kitchen

AI Prompt

5. Magill Estate

6. Sofia Bistro

7. Black Dog Gallery

8. Topiary

9. arkhé

10. Fino Vino

11. Makan

12. Aces

This new SA luxe glamping experience allows you to wake up with zebras

Adelaide’s corpse flower is about to bloom – and thousands are expected to line up for the smell

This new bathhouse in Adelaide is focused on community

This new coastal walk connects two of Adelaide’s most popular beaches

The Great Ocean Road has captured the hearts of Australians with its astounding scenery since 1932, but going off-course can enrich your experience with untouched nature, foodie delights and charming towns.

Torquay to Anglesea and Aireys Inlet

Lorne to Birregurra

Apollo Bay to The Otways

Cape Otway to the Twelve Apostles

Port Campbell to Timboon

Warrnambool to Port Fairy

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Eating there