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Food & Dining in Adelaide

Good to know

Good to Know

  • Adelaide restaurants are among Australia's most affordable, especially compared to Sydney and Melbourne, with many top mid-range restaurants offering excellent value lunch specials and early-week set menus.
  • The CBD is compact and walkable; free City Connector buses and tram lines (free within city zone) connect West End, Gouger Street, Rundle Street, and Central Market.
  • Chinatown on Gouger Street is a multicultural food hub with Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, Malaysian, Japanese, Indian, and Nepali options, many at budget prices.
  • Central Market is essential for self-catering - vendors offer freshly made dumplings, banh mi, laksa, stir-fries, and noodles at very low prices; explore seasonal produce which changes dramatically with the season.
  • Most Adelaide restaurants are well-equipped for dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-specific diets.
  • Gouger Street, Peel Street, and Leigh Street laneways are the heart of Adelaide's dining scene with top-tier restaurants and wine bars; West End is ideal for an evening out.
  • South Australia produces world-class wines (Shiraz from Barossa and McLaren Vale, Sauvignon Blanc from Adelaide Hills); wine pairings and wine lists are impressive even in mid-range restaurants.
  • Australian iconic products worth trying: Haigh's Chocolates (Beehive Corner in CBD), FruChocs, Kitchener buns from local bakeries, local wines, Coffin Bay oysters.

Budget

  • Star of Siam
    Price Range
    A$15
    Neighborhood
    Chinatown/Gouger Street
    Cuisine Or Dish
    Thai - award-winning pad thai and curries
  • Ying Chow
    Price Range
    A$14
    Neighborhood
    Chinatown/Gouger Street
    Cuisine Or Dish
    Cantonese - tea-smoked duck, salt-and-pepper squid
  • Sit Lo
    Price Range
    A$13
    Neighborhood
    City Center
    Cuisine Or Dish
    Vietnamese - pho, banh mi, bao buns
  • Market Plaza Food Court
    Price Range
    A$10
    Neighborhood
    Adelaide Central Market
    Cuisine Or Dish
    Asian - Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, bao

High End

  • Arkhé
    Price Range
    A$120
    Neighborhood
    City Center
    Cuisine Or Dish
    Modern Australian - wood-fired oven, charred local produce, dry-aged Wagyu, chef's table available
  • Allegra Dining Room
    Price Range
    A$150
    Neighborhood
    City Center
    Cuisine Or Dish
    Fine dining vegan - innovative plant-based tasting menu

Mid Range

  • Fugazzi
    Price Range
    A$45
    Neighborhood
    Leigh Street/West End
    Cuisine Or Dish
    Italian-American - handmade pasta, blue swimmer crab taglierini, woodfire oven dishes
  • Gondola Gondola
    Price Range
    A$30
    Neighborhood
    City Center
    Cuisine Or Dish
    Southeast Asian - modern Vietnamese with Thai influences
  • Kiin
    Price Range
    A$35
    Neighborhood
    Light Square/City Center
    Cuisine Or Dish
    Modern Asian/Thai - Northern Thai with South Australian twist, curry dishes
  • Africola
    Price Range
    A$40
    Neighborhood
    East End
    Cuisine Or Dish
    African/South African - peri-peri chicken, crispy chicken tea sandwich

Delivery Services

  • Uber Eats
    Notes
    Operates throughout metropolitan Adelaide with extensive restaurant coverage
  • Didi
    Notes
    Rideshare and delivery service available in Adelaide

Local Must Try Dishes

  • King George Whiting
    Description
    South Australia's most famous seafood - delicate white fish, often grilled, battered or crumbed and served with chips, best enjoyed in summer from beach fish shops at Henley or Glenelg
  • Pie Floater
    Description
    Meat pie submerged upside-down in green pea soup with tomato sauce, mint sauce, or malt vinegar; Adelaide heritage dish from the 1890s
  • Kitchener Bun
    Description
    South Australian bakery classic since 1915 - plump sugar-dusted bun filled with whipped cream and raspberry jam, best enjoyed warm with napkins
  • Coffin Bay Oysters
    Description
    Fresh, clean, plump and creamy oysters from cold mineral-rich waters of the Eyre Peninsula
  • Salt and Pepper Squid
    Description
    Local southern calamari lightly dusted in seasoned flour, flash-fried until golden, served with aioli or citrus mayo
  • Adelaide Hills Artisan Cheese
    Description
    Soft bloomy bries, earthy washed rinds, and blue cheeses made in small batches from local goat or cow's milk
  • Haigh's Handcrafted Chocolates
    Description
    Iconic Adelaide chocolatier since 1915 - milk chocolate frogs, peppermint creams, shiraz-infused ganache available at Beehive Corner store in CBD

Supermarkets And Grocery

  • Adelaide Central Market
    Neighborhood
    City Center
    Description
    One of the largest covered markets in the southern hemisphere - fresh produce, meats, seafood, cheeses, international ingredients from Asian, Middle Eastern, and European vendors, plus food stalls and cafes
  • Woolworths
    Neighborhood
    Rundle Mall/City Center
    Description
    Major national supermarket chain with locations including Rundle Mall city center branch
  • Coles
    Neighborhood
    Adelaide Central Market/City Center
    Description
    Major national supermarket chain with city center location at Central Market with late-night hours
  • IGA
    Neighborhood
    City Center
    Description
    Local supermarket chain with multiple locations including Adelaide City Central IGA near King William Street
  • Kim Wang Asian Grocery
    Neighborhood
    City Center area
    Description
    Highly-rated Asian grocery store with wide variety of Asian products and produce

Vegan And Vegetarian Dining

Overview
Adelaide has a growing plant-based dining scene with dedicated vegan restaurants, multiple vegetarian-friendly venues at mid-range and fine-dining levels, and most restaurants offering clearly marked vegan/vegetarian options.

Named Venues

  • Veggie Vie
    Neighborhood
    CBD/City Center
    Description
    100% vegan cafe and restaurant in CBD with 4.8 Google rating; wholesome vegan dishes, plant-packed good foods, natural wines
  • Two-Bit Villains
    Neighborhood
    Rundle Mall/City Center
    Description
    Vegetarian restaurant with all items veganizable; vegan fried chicken burgers and American-style vegan burgers, quirky decor
  • Staazi & Co - The Greek Vegan Project
    Neighborhood
    City Center
    Description
    All vegan Greek restaurant serving authentic vegan Greek cuisine including gyros and chip boxes since 2017
  • Allegra Dining Room
    Neighborhood
    City Center
    Description
    Fine dining vegan restaurant with intimate setting (28 seats); innovative plant-based set menu tasting experience, minimal waste philosophy
  • Lucky Ducks
    Neighborhood
    City Center
    Description
    Vegan restaurant with cocktail bar (open from 4pm); feed-me dinner option with dishes like spiced Turkish dumplings, stuffed zucchini flowers, gochujang cauliflower
  • Metta Sol
    Neighborhood
    City Center
    Description
    Modern Vietnamese restaurant with all vegan menu; turmeric crepes, vegan Clara Cakes croissants with matcha almond filling
  • Let Them Eat
    Neighborhood
    Central Market / Multiple locations
    Description
    Vegetarian cafe chain with good vegan options; multiple locations including Adelaide Central Market - falafel, healthy sandwiches, wraps, salads
  • Cocina Comida
    Neighborhood
    Ebenezer Place/City Center
    Description
    All vegan Mexican restaurant with colorful, easygoing atmosphere; burritos and casual dining
  • Cherry Darling
    Neighborhood
    Marleston/Suburban
    Description
    All vegan bakery with retro-style decor; vegan pies, doughnuts, pastries, cakes, Vegan Maxibon made from scratch
  • K-pub
    Neighborhood
    Gouger Street/City Center
    Description
    Entirely dedicated plant-based Korean restaurant; kim-chi pancakes, rice cake skewers, hot pots, noodles, Korean fried chicken wings with varying hot sauces

International And Diverse Cuisines

  • Vietnamese
    Notes
    Large Vietnamese population in northern suburbs; pho, banh mi, and fresh spring rolls widely available especially on Gouger Street and Central Market
  • Chinese/Cantonese
    Notes
    Chinatown precinct centered on Gouger Street with yum cha, dumplings, Peking duck, ramen, and sashimi options
  • Thai
    Notes
    Multiple award-winning Thai restaurants including Star of Siam on Gouger Street; modern Thai at trendy venues in East End
  • Indian
    Notes
    Variety of Indian restaurants throughout the city and suburbs offering curries, tandoori, and South Indian specialties
  • Mediterranean/Greek/Lebanese
    Notes
    North Adelaide precinct features AMMŌS (Greek), Byblos (Lebanese), and other Mediterranean venues
  • Middle Eastern
    Notes
    Afghan, Moroccan, and other Middle Eastern cuisines available across Gouger Street corridor and city restaurants
  • African/South African
    Notes
    Africola features South African cuisine; Ethiopian options available in western suburbs

Michelin Restaurants

Status
Not yet available
Note
The inaugural Michelin Guide South Australia 2027 will be released in October 2026. As of July 2026, no Adelaide restaurants have been awarded Michelin stars. Anonymous inspectors are currently evaluating restaurants across Adelaide and South Australian regions.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026

Sources cited for this category

These are the sources cited in this food & dining research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.

  1. 1.adelaidecityguide.com
  2. 2.timeout.com
  3. 3.opentable.com
  4. 4.getyourguide.com
  5. 5.tasteatlas.com
  6. 6.travel.usnews.com
  7. 7.experienceadelaide.com.au
  8. 8.sitchu.com.au
  9. 9.studyadelaide.com
  10. 10.adelaidecentralmarket.com.au
  11. 11.itravelforveganfood.com
  12. 12.veggieviecafe.com
  13. 13.wanderlog.com
  14. 14.mini-adventures.com
  15. 15.glamadelaide.com.au
  16. 16.guide.michelin.com
  17. 17.glamadelaide.com.au
  18. 18.signatureluxurytravel.com.au
  19. 19.studyadelaide.com

More About Adelaide

Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.