The Adelaide Central Market is the perfect place for the culinarily curious; colourful, chaotic and with community at its core.
Adelaide Central Market draws in more than nine million visitors per year for its mounds of fresh fruit and vegetables, endless variety of artisan produce and growing culinary offerings. Easily accessible in the heart of Adelaide’s CBD, the market is one of the city’s most iconic treasures with its reputation now cemented as one of the top food markets worldwide.
Founded in 1869, the market is the heart and soul of the Adelaide food scene – proudly showcasing the quality produce South Australia is known for. A redevelopment is doubling the market, with retail, residences, a hotel and a Market Square. While we recommend letting your stomach lead you, here we offer the ultimate guide to the Adelaide Central Market.
Getting to Adelaide Central Market
Located between Gouger and Grote St in Chinatown on the western side of the CBD, the market is walkable from anywhere in the Adelaide CBD. Conveniently the city tram stops at Victoria Square nearby, and the free City Connector bus has stops along Grote St.
For parking, the Central Market UPark is located just above the market and offers the first hour free to shoppers (T&C’s apply).
Getting around Adelaide Central Market
To navigate the market, grab a map from the information desk near the Grote Street entrance or look up at the signage that marks each row of stalls with avenues.
The market can be a sensory overload, so if you’d like someone else to lead the way consider booking one of Mark Gleeson’s tours. As an ex-chef and market stallholder he shares his passion and knowledge with visitors from all over the world. To whet your appetite ahead of time, listen to the audio tour of the market on Spotify.
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What to see at Adelaide Central Market
Shopping and food options
With a smorgasbord of culinary delights to choose from, here are some places (and people) not to miss.
Lucia’s Italian restaurant founded in 1957 is now run by Lucia’s children and grandchildren, who serve up homely Calabrian comfort food. Their minestrone is a bowl of comfort and there’s nothing better than a morning plate of carbonara after a few hours of shopping. It’s worth waiting for a table, or if in a hurry, grab a generous Italian sandwich from the deli next door or a bottle of Nonna’s sauce.
Si Sea is a European-style seafood and wine bar that serves lunches and Friday night suppers. With signature dishes like Thai mussels cooked fresh while you wait and handpicked South Australian wines, this is an ideal option for seafood lovers.
Owned by former AFL player Daniel Motlop, Something Wild Indigenous foods focuses on ethical and sustainable native Australian ingredients. The store showcases the breadth of local proteins and botanicals with fresh game meats from camel to kangaroo, native herbs like karkalla and strawberry gum and bush fruits like muntries and quandong. Pull up a seat at the bar to enjoy a taste of green ant gin or native yam vodka.
If you meet the Mushroom Man selling chanterelles, ask for a taste of the black garlic and truffle salt – it has enough flavour to make any dish pop.
Shoppers with a sweet tooth should head for Turkish Delight where Mona and Mohammed Hassan showcase their handmade and colourful sweets, or stop at Saudade for a warm Pastéis de Nata Portuguese tart.
Real Falafel owner Mitch Aldaswari came from Saudi Arabia as a refugee, and today offers market-goers an authentic taste of the Middle East with one of the best falafels you’ll ever try. If North African cuisine is more your style, Le Souk cooks up Berber tagine dreams inspired by owner Azou’s Algerian roots and their fragrantly spiced brown lentil and carrot soup is one we keep going back for.
Don’t be fooled by the name – Sun Mi Sushi also serves very affordable Korean dishes like mung bean pancakes and bibimbap. Asian Gourmet makes Malaysian Sarawak laksa for those in the know; it’s not on the menu (shhh…) and is a Fridays and Saturday special.
Central Organic brings a cocoon of calm in the middle of the market with a range of certified organic products. Bring a container to refill your shampoo or soap from their flagons and help reduce single-use plastic.
If you don’t have time to visit Kangaroo Island during your stay in SA, the Kangaroo Island Shop is a great option for gifts showcasing over 450 products from island producers. Same goes for the Barossa Find Foods stall for smallgoods, cheeses, chutneys and more.
Look out for the ‘Producer in Residence’ of the month, giving small South Australian producers the chance to test their wares.
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Events and activities
The market turns up a notch on Friday evenings with live musicians and late-night trading. Why not try cheese after dark with whisky and wine tastings or watch a cooking demonstration in the community kitchen while the kids get their faces painted?
