The Best New Bars in Adelaide For Guaranteed Good Times

While summer may be behind us for another year, Adelaide’s nightlife and bar scene is just warming up, so there is no reason to hibernate yet! With chic wine bars and laidback distilleries popping up in the CBD, in suburban streets and even down on the Fleurieu Peninsula, there are plenty of new spots to discover for your next night out with the girls and guys. Whether you’re looking for a quick drink before dinner or a vibey spot to dance the night away, we have you covered.

From bars dedicated to South Australian wine and French cheese to seaside gems shaking up some of the best cocktails alongside Italian bites, the best new bars in Adelaide truly have it all. Cheers!

Septimus House of Cheese & Wine

If you love a classic wine and cheese combo and a little retro charm, this one is for you. 10 years in the making, Septimus House of Cheese and Wine blends contemporary flair with timeless touches to create a cosy ambience across two levels in Adelaide’s East End—think lilac walls, local art, vinyl records, green marble, and French curtains beneath stained glass windows. It’s the kind of place where you can stop in for a quick drink, or spend a leisurely afternoon sampling premium tastings and cheese pairings, learning as you go from the experts behind the bar.

The highlight? The signature seven cheese and wine pairing featuring French vintages and South Australian drops is the perfect start to a chic night out.

220 Grenfell Street, Adelaide

Fleurieu Gin

Shane and Kylie Magor recently opened Fleurieu Gin, a laidback distillery in Myponga, just in time for the summer season. Founded in 2021, the family-run venue is fully open for business, with gourmet pizzas, a tapas-style kitchen, and a vast outdoor space with a bocce green, driving range and gorgeous surroundings calling for laidback drinks down south.

By day, enjoy family-friendly vibes; by night, savour gin, wine, and beer alongside house-made dishes. Complete with a stunning lawn, twinkling fairy lights and a private function space, it’s fast becoming the ideal venue for fuss-free weddings and celebrations. Bridging the gap for gin lovers on the Fleurieu Peninsula, this distillery is making waves with locals and is, in our humble opinion, worth the drive.

464 Forktree Road, Myponga

Monica

Monica is a funky new East Asian bistro and cocktail bar that brings the vibrant nightlife of 1980s and 90s Hong Kong to Adelaide’s East End. Monica combines innovative East Asian fusion dishes with an intriguing cocktail menu crafted from traditional Asian ingredients.

The brainchild of Ben Liew and Karl Tang, owners of Makan, Monica features small plates like Wagyu beef tartare and typhoon shelter king oyster mushrooms, alongside creative drinks like mango sticky rice milk punch and pandan cream foam highballs. With moody neon lighting and vinyl records spinning, Monica promises a fabulous night that feels a world away from Adelaide.

14 East Terrace, Adelaide

Naughty Neighbour

Looking for a late-night haunt in the Adelaide Hills? Naughty Neighbour is making a statement in leafy Stirling, combining hospitality and community in an indoor/outdoor environment that’s all about good music, relaxed vibes and a sense of place. Run by two local families, Naughty Neighbour is in fact, quite nice, creating a welcoming spot for locals and visitors to gather, relax and connect over local wines, creative cocktails and signature long necks served in ice buckets beneath a canopy of festoon lights. This is an unexpected gem waiting to be discovered in the Hills.

Sitchu tip: The gang are also up early seven days a week, brewing lattes and dishing up quick and simple breakky bites.

3/4 Mount Barker Road, Stirling

Electra 

This bar has technically been around for a while, but Electra Adelaide has undergone a suave transformation, reopening as a premium social destination for amazing food and wine in a modern space. 

The moody, dim-lit bar lends itself to a romantic date night, while a sophisticated fit-out with old-world charm and modern touches makes for the perfect night out with the girls for cocktails. Come for the food, stay for the good vibes.

Sitchu tip: Order the Strawberry Sidecar, served with Hennessy VS, Cointreau, strawberry and lemon.

131 King William Street, Adelaide

Molly’s 

It’s been a while since Glenelg introduced a new bar, so head for the allure of Molly’s, the latest hotspot tucked away in the Colley Hotel. This intimate space invites you to sip Negronis and Spritz while basking in great company. Molly’s will transport you to the Amalfi Coast with its delectable Italian fare, but the balcony has us ready for drinks with the gang. Whether you seek a lively evening or a cosy corner to relax, Molly’s is calling.

Sitchu Tip: Bring the crew, the menu of antipasti, pizza and Italian desserts is best when shared with good company.

28 Jetty Road, Glenelg

Two Suns 

Get ready to slip into your high-waisted trousers and mirrored aviators—Two Suns are bringing pure 80s Miami heat to Currie Street. Rooftop cocktails, bar bites, and neon-soaked nights set the stage for Adelaide’s newest go-to for dancing ‘til the stars turn pink. A little retro, a lot chic, it’s your golden-hour escape with a side of sass. The vibes are hot, the tunes are cool—Adelaide, you’ve been warned.

Level 8/41 Currie Street, Adelaide

Latteria Bar

Meet new kids on the block at Latteria Bar. This Aperitivo cocktail lounge and kitchen is shaking up an array of Insta-worthy cocktails that are (almost) too pretty to drink.

Step away from your classic cocktail order and try something new – you’ll be impressed. Their rhubarb sbagliato is their reimagined take on the drink born in Milan and is a unique combination of flavours that tastes divine. Or, perhaps you’d like to sip on their version of the Spritz, modernised with honeydew. You’ll have to come back for more as you work your way down the cocktail menu!

185 Hutt Street Adelaide 

Now that you know about the best new bars in Adelaide, we need to make sure you’re well-fed, too. Check out our guide to the best Italian and Greek restaurants in town. 

Writer

Kelly Mills

24 March 2025

A Melbourne native, Kelly has spent the past two years getting well acquainted with her new home in Adelaide—one great glass of wine and even better meal at a time. As Sitchu’s Adelaide Editor, she’s your go-to for the city’s best eats, must-attend events, and hidden gems beyond the CBD. When she’s not rounding up the best of SA, she’s likely at Pilates, exploring a new winery (for research purposes, of course), reading on her Kindle, or out on a long walk with a millennial podcast in her ears.