The best ways to stay cool in Adelaide this summer.
Adelaide’s Mediterranean climate shines during the warmer months when long, hot days are alleviated by cooling sea breezes.
Add in some lazy beach days at limestone-ringed coves, long lunches fuelled by eminently quaffable wines and cultural festivals that continue long into the night and you have the perfect antidote to any lingering Euro summer envy.
Taste an Adelaide summer at these restaurants and bars…
The temperature drops a few degrees in the Adelaide Hills, but the region’s dining options are red hot right now. Hyperseasonal small plates meet small-batch spirits at Ondeen , and Vinteloper’s new cellar door is as sophisticated and pretension-free as the wines on pour.
Small plates and spirits at Ondeen.
The exquisitely presented long lunches at LVN Restaurant shine even brighter with a stay at the luxe onsite accommodation.
LVN Restaurant at Bird in Hand winery.
Hit snooze at these Adelaide stays…
Book a room at Hotel Alba on the CBD’s southern fringe and you might not make it beyond the dangerously seductive pool (or the breezy Mediterranean diner next door).
If you prefer to be in the heart of the city, the chic Mayfair Hotel marries a prime location with a sophisticated rooftop bar.
Cool off at Hotel Alba’s chic pool. (Image: Terence Chin Photography)
Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.
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Adelaide’s summer to-do list…
Watch the morning sun refracted through Dale Chihuly’s kaleidoscopic glass sculptures in the Botanic Garden before stopping in at Bloom for a breezy brunch overlooking the River Torrens.
Sip sundowners at beachside Henley House. (Image: Jack Fenby)
Our hot tip: Instead of ending with the school holidays, Adelaide summer ramps up over February and March when dozens of pop-up venues magically sprout from the grassy Park Lands.
More than 8000 artists help turn the month-long Adelaide Fringe into a city-wide party while WOMADelaide concentrates that energy into an ecstatic four-day celebration of music and dance from across the world.
Alexis Buxton-Collins spent his twenties working as a music journalist and beer taster before somehow landing an even dreamier job as a freelance travel writer. Now he travels the world from his base in Adelaide and contributes to publications including Qantas, Escape, The Guardian and Lonely Planet. Alexis has never seen a hill he didn't want to climb and specialises in outdoor adventures (he won the 2022 ASTW award for best nature/wildlife story for a feature on Kangaroo Island). When he's not scouring South Australia for the newest wineries and hikes, he's looking for excuses to get back to spots like Karijini and Ningaloo.
There’s no shortage of exceptional eateries in regional Victoria. From casual classics to finely tuned fine diners, here’s our pick of the plentiful bunch.
Le Foyer Brasserie, Bendigo
Le Foyer serves upscale French fare.
From the owners behind Bendigo’s beloved The Woodhouse comes this newly opened elegant French bistro. It’s all about welcoming warmth at this city fine diner, after all Le Foyer , translates to ‘the hearth’ in French. A place to linger in the chic, Parisian-style salon, the menu unfurls in the classics, from beef bourguignon to steak frites and mille-feuille.
Riverbank Moama, Murray River
Dine on the banks of the Murray at Riverbank Moama. (Image: Cindy Power Photography)
If you’re journeying on or beside the Murray, it’s only fitting that you dine by its banks. This nature-nestled restaurant by the river is idyllic for a long, sun-filled lunch. The menu is an unfussy playlist of the hits served with a seasonal spin – and the mood is as gently flowing as the nearby water.
Felix, Geelong
Felix offers a relaxed French bistro experience. (Image: Cameron Murray Photography)
Soft brown banquettes, walnut hues and a terrazzo bar welcomes with relaxed French bistro vibes at Geelong’s Felix . But really, it’s the collage of simple, seasonal flavours that make this restaurant an easy-going favourite. Come for brunch or dinner; vegans are welcomed with a dedicated menu.
The Perch, Lavers Hill
Savour the seasonal menu at The Perch.
A laid-back classic of the Great Ocean Road, The Perch at Lavers Hill welcomes those taking a pause from the serpentine drive. Lunch in the warm-wood dining room is accompanied by vineyard vistas and fleeting cameos from native birds.
The Shared Table, Ballarat
The Shared Table in Ballart.
If you go for the ‘Dine without Decision’ option at this beloved eatery , you’re free from the tyranny of food envy with a chef-selected procession of dishes that highlight the bounty of the Midwest region. Think mochi gnocchi with pumpkin and XO or Western Plains pork cotoletta.
Barragunda Dining, Mornington Peninsula
Paddock-to-plate dining at its finest. (Image: Arianna Harry Photography)
This fine diner , which opened in early 2025, has been lauded as one of the region’s most ambitious and significant openings in recent years. Set on a 400-hectare, cliffside Cape Schanck property that delivers the kitchen with a cornucopia of produce, it’s elegant and honest paddock-to-plate dining at its most refined.
Mount William Station, Grampians
Dine on elevated seasonal and local produce at Mount William Station. (Image: Phil Hocking)
Whether you’re staying at this luxe historic station or just swinging in for dinner with friends, the shared table vibe here is country hospitality at its most welcoming and elevated. Seasonal and local produce guides chef Dean Sibthorp’s hand for plates finessed with the mountain-fresh flavour of the Grampians.
Emerald City, Yarra Valley
Emerald City offers a curated dining experience that is wonderfully intimate.
You’re certainly not in Kansas anymore when you slip behind the emerald curtain from Cavanagh’s Whiskey and Alehouse to the diminutive Emerald City . Allusions to the fraudulent wizard and Dorothy aside, this acutely intimate four-seat diner is a curated experience worthy of a road trip. As you may imagine, bookings are essential.
du Fermier, Trentham
du Fermier is Trentham’s exquisite French fine diner. (Image: DJN Photography)
Annie Smithers’ intimate, farmhouse-y French fine diner is not at all new, but it is every bit iconic. It’s long attracted food-lovers to its charming dining room for a set menu that undulates with the seasons. If you’re a gourmand to your core, book into one of Annie’s delightfully informal masterclasses.
Messmates Dining, Gippsland
Inside Messmates Dining. (Image: Fotoarco)
This Warragul diner’s menu is a well-arranged collection of delicious, farm-forward morsels crafted, quite simply, to delight. Dishes such as French onion dip scooped onto nigella seed crackers and fresh-made pasta tossed with a black pepper and butter emulsion are all about balanced, enjoyable flavours paired with good wine.
