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The Best Restaurants in Adelaide Right Now
Updated for 2026 with the best new openings, top special occasion restaurants, and our picks by neighbourhood and cuisine.
Adelaide’s best restaurants right now are a varied lot, with highlights including the spice-laden Parwana in Torrensville, Italian CBD favourite Tutto Cucina + Bar and fire-fuelled arkhé in Norwood.
Updated for 2026, this guide highlights where to eat right now — curated by Sitchu editors and refreshed regularly to reflect what’s genuinely worth booking.
In This Guide
Best New Restaurants in Adelaide
Barro
A CBD debut from husband-and-wife duo Alejandro Huerta (ex-Noma) and Galia Valadez, Barro is a small room with a big heart and a Mexican soul. The menu goes well beyond tacos, with traditional dishes like mole and consommé sitting alongside thoughtfully incorporated South Australian produce. Galia’s pastry background shapes a dessert menu that gives Mexican sweets the serious attention they deserve, while the drinks list is led by award-winning bartender Eduardo Conde, whose cocktail program explores the full breadth of Mexican spirits, poured to be shared and savoured. Not quite traditional, not quite expected, but lots to love.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Mexican
Best For: Special occasion, Date night, Group dining
Restaurant Aptos
Adelaide’s most anticipated dining experience, Restaurant Aptos opened in May, transforming a 158-year-old church in Stirling into an immersive, multi-level culinary world from Chef Justin James and designers, Williams Burton Leopardi.
Following his acclaim at Restaurant Botanic, Justin returns with something less formal, more cinematic — a three-hour, three-floor journey for just 14 guests at a time. Think Scandinavian restraint meets Japanese elegance, layered with mood, texture and theatre. A 16-course tasting menu unfolds slowly, with lounge-style seating, curated soundscapes, and an experience designed to be felt as much as tasted.
And Aptos isn’t arriving alone. The same historic site will house Bar Cruz — a lively, come-as-you-are dining and cocktail space — and Bar Mary, an upstairs whisky den made for lingering late.
Suburb: Stirling
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Special occasion, Date night
Need To Know: Bookings essential
Discover our full edit of the best new restaurants in Adelaide.
Best Restaurants in Adelaide CBD
Tutto Cucina + Bar
Tutto Cucina + Bar serves up reimagined nostalgic Italian staples with a couple of updated special touches. Think fresh, daily baked garlic focaccia, limoncello tiramisu and wagyu lasagne served tableside. The hanging handmade pasta is proof that Tutto Cucina are the best kind of detail-oriented.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Italian
Best For: Group dining, Long lunch, Date night
Press* Food & Wine
Sleek and modern interiors create a space for special soirees at Press* Food & Wine. Think plush booths and rattan seating mixed with exposed wooden beams and raw brick to give an overall loft-style feel to the restaurant.
On the food front, the menu is designed seasonally around the best available South Australian produce, with chargrilling an integral part of the kitchen’s cooking style. Choose between the set menu or an inventive à la carte offering that could include anything from a Wagyu beef skewer to the signature Press* burger with fries.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Date night, Wine lovers, Weekend plans
Koomo
Inspired by Japan’s sights, sounds and flavours, escape to a light-filled space with warm timbers and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the CBD and beyond. Koomo’s impressive food offering spans a buffet breakfast to lunch and dinner. Our favourite dishes include the chef’s signature pork and ginger dumplings and a Japanese favourite of green tea and sesame ice cream for dessert.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Japanese
Best For: Group dining, Business lunch, Weekend plans
Discover our full edit of the best restaurants in Adelaide CBD.
Best Affordable Restaurants in Adelaide
Parwana
This Afghan restaurant is an homage to memory and family through taste and exceptionally warm hospitality. A spirit of generosity infuses the menu, which extends to pricing and portion sizes. Think dough-based Mantu steamed dumplings and Ashak fried dumplings, at just $25 a plate, and complete with lamb mince, yoghurt and garnishes. The signature Banjaan Borani — eggplant simmered in fresh tomato sauce and topped with garlic, yoghurt and mince — is a steal at just $21.
Suburb: Torrensville
Price Guide: $$
Cuisine: Afghan
Best For: Group dining, Budget-friendly, Locals
La Popular Taqueria
La Popular Taqueria offers delicious and affordable Mexican street food, making it a go-to spot for budget-friendly eats packed with flavour. Friendly and with an energetic ambience, this Port Adelaide favourite dishes out ridiculously tasty tacos for under $12. The pulled pork cochinita taco served with hot habanero sauce and pickled onion; grilled chicken taco with salsa roja, coriander and onion; and braised mushroom tacos are the real steals here, coming in under $11.
Suburb: Port Adelaide
Price Guide: $
Cuisine: Mexican
Best For: Locals, Budget-friendly, Group dining
Discover our full edit of affordable restaurants in Adelaide.
Best Fine Dining Restaurants Adelaide
Restaurant Botanic
Set within a heritage rotunda in the heart of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, Restaurant Botanic continues to cement its place among Australia’s most exceptional dining destinations. Led by a deep connection to seasonality and place, the ever-evolving degustation showcases native ingredients and produce sourced from across South Australia, with many elements harvested from the surrounding gardens. Each meticulously crafted course is paired with thoughtful wines to create an immersive dining experience, while the intimate chef’s table offers a front-row seat to the precision and creativity behind every dish.
Suburb: CBD
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Special occasion, Weekend plans, Date night
arkhé
arkhé sets the scene with charcoal black walls, brass fixtures, and open-flame dining. Elements of fine dining are tuned to a cool clientele that keeps on coming back for more, thanks to the changing seasonal menu and commitment to excellence with every dish. A range of seating includes intimate booths, bar stools, a chef’s table or a spot in their private outdoor courtyard, making this a hot contender for all occasions.
Sitchu Tip: It is recommended to order multiple smaller plates designed to share, as each delivers a variety of flavours and textures within a single bite.
Suburb: Norwood
Price Guide: $$$
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Best For: Special occasion, Date night, Locals
Discover our full edit of the best fine dining restaurants in Adelaide.
Best Restaurants by Area or Neighbourhood in Adelaide
The Best Restaurants in Adelaide East End
The East End is one of those places where you can arrive hungry and leave with a new favourite. Rundle Street, Ebenezer Place and Vardon Avenue are lined with restaurants, from the French ease of Hey Jupiter to Africola’s bold, produce-driven cooking. Newer names such as OZIN keep the neighbourhood feeling fresh, too.
Discover our full edit of the best restaurants in Adelaide East End.
The Best Restaurants in North Adelaide
North Adelaide’s handsome heritage streets come with a restaurant scene to match, particularly around O’Connell and Melbourne Streets. Ruby Red Flamingo is the address for refined Italian, while AMMOS brings Greek flavours to the table. Japanese, Southeast Asian and European restaurants round out the mix, making this one of the city’s more varied spots for dinner.
Discover our full edit of the best restaurants in North Adelaide.
The Best Restaurants in Unley
Unley has become a serious contender when you’re deciding where to eat without heading into the city. Unley Road and King William Road are home to a strong mix of restaurants, with Dolly bringing a playful edge and Bandit Pizza & Wine pairing wood-fired pizza with a bottle or two. It’s the kind of neighbourhood where dinner can easily turn into another round.
Discover our full edit of the best restaurants in Unley.
The Best Restaurants in Glenelg
There’s more to Glenelg’s dining scene than fish and chips by the sea. Alongside the beachfront classics, you’ll find destination restaurants, rooftop tables and polished spaces made for settling in after dark. Soda Rooftop brings the views, while Oliveti adds a Mediterranean touch, giving the suburb plenty of appeal when dinner calls.
Discover our full edit of the best restaurants in Glenelg.
The Best Restaurants in Norwood
The Parade has long been one of Adelaide’s favourite places to eat, and the surrounding streets are just as compelling. Mensa Kitchen brings a refined Italian sensibility, while arkhé puts live-fire cooking front and centre. It’s an easy pick when you want a neighbourhood dinner with a little more polish.
Discover our full edit of the best restaurants in Norwood.
The Best Restaurants in Prospect
Prospect Road has developed into one of Adelaide’s more enticing dining strips, with restaurants that make the trip north feel very worthwhile. Anchovy Bandit brings Italian cooking and a lively atmosphere, while Rosemont Hall combines a restored Art Deco setting with a menu designed for lingering.
Discover our edit of the best restaurants in Prospect.
The Best Restaurants in Henley
Henley Beach has grown into a dining destination of its own, with Henley Square and the surrounding streets offering plenty beyond the usual beachside fare. Estia has been a local Greek institution for decades, while Seamore’s brings pizza, cocktails and sweeping coastal views to the table. For dinner with a little sea air, it’s hard to go past.
Discover our edit of the best restaurants in Henley.
The Best Restaurants in Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide’s old warehouses and heritage streets have found a new lease on life, with an increasingly interesting restaurant scene joining the neighbourhood’s bars and cafes. COLAC is part of the newer wave, while Carmine & Co brings a more established name to the table. Together, they’re helping make Port Adelaide a destination for dinner in its own right.
Discover our edit of the best restaurants in Port Adelaide.
Best Restaurants by Cuisine in Adelaide
The Best French Restaurants in Adelaide
Adelaide is dotted with French outposts, all fusing a laid-back atmosphere with the luxury inherent to French fare. For coffee and croissants (and the occasional champagne-fuelled long lunch), the East End’s Hey Jupiter offers a sleek way to start your day. For a moody, candle-lit basement and regular jazz nights, La Louisiane lies in wait. Fancy a casual bistro with all the steak frites you could ever want? Longplay Bistro is one to bookmark.
Discover our full edit of the best French restaurants in Adelaide.
The Best Japanese Restaurants in Adelaide
From budget-friendly sushi joints and ramen bars to elegant izakayas and fine dining, Adelaide’s Japanese restaurant scene touches on a bit of everything. Our picks? Koomo for a modern spin on the cuisine, Shobosho for elegantly plated fare and Ginza Miyako for an authentic experience, from the decor to the dish.
Discover our full edit of the best Japanese restaurants in Adelaide.
The Best Indian Restaurants in Adelaide
Indian cuisine is a broad category, but the small yet mighty Adelaide covers quite a bit. For South-East Indian dishes, The Logical Indian beckons, whilst Daughter In Law takes an unconventional approach with their ‘Australian Indian’ fare. For traditional goodies straight from the tandoor, suburban gem Laxmi’s Tandoori Indian Restaurant is our pick of the bunch.
Discover our full edit of the best Indian restaurants in Adelaide.
The Best Greek Restaurants in Adelaide
When Greek cravings roll in, Adelaide has a lot to offer, with everything from speedy street food to ouzo-fuelled feasts. For something quick and easy, head to Cheeky Greek for loaded yiros. When the brief is a long lunch of endless mezza, Estia offers up plenty, whilst Omada offers seating spilling onto the street and modern spins on the classics, including the filthy feta martini.
Discover our full edit of the best Greek restaurants in Adelaide.
The Best Italian Restaurants in Adelaide
Italian cuisine, by nature, is as varied as it gets, with pasta, pizza and traditional specialists perfecting their respective dishes. When it’s fresh bowls of pasta and sleek interiors, Osteria Oggi ticks all the boxes, whilst Oesteria Polpo has Northern Italian comfort food covered. For a taste of New York’s take, featuring bowls of housemade pasta and flame-grilled meats, Tarantino’s is a favourite.
Discover our full edit of the best Italian restaurants in Adelaide.
The Best Chinese Restaurants in Adelaide
Whilst everyone has a local, it’s always a great idea to branch out when it comes to Chinese fare and leave your suburban bubble to try something new. Book a table at Huami for big, bold Shanghai flavours, Concubine for modern Chinese fare, and Star House Cantonese for your Chinatown favourites, including daily yum cha.
Discover our full edit of the best Chinese restaurants in Adelaide.
The Best Mexican Restaurants in Adelaide
When a Mexican feast is on the cards, there’s plenty of energetic restaurants in Adelaide waiting to make it happen. For authentic fare and handmade tacos, La Popular Taqueria is our pick, whilst Hispanic Mechanic is doing something a little different, fusing Mexican staples with Korean flavours. Looking for something cheap and cheerful? Mexican Society’s $5 taco Tuesdays are a ritual worth scheduling in.
Discover our full edit of the best Mexican restaurants in Adelaide.
The Best Vietnamese Restaurants in Adelaide
Adelaide is dotted with its fair share of Vietnamese restaurants, but a recommendation goes a long way if you’re not sure where to start. For zingy, reliable flavours and a modern twist on favourites, Noi Vietnamese in Fullarton won’t disappoint. For emphasis on fusion Vietnamese, Madame Hanoi draws on flavours from Singapore to Laos. Ong Vietnamese Bar & Kitchen offers pared-back interiors, colourful cocktails and a mix of small and large plates when you’re looking to make a night of it.
Discover our full edit of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Adelaide.
The Best Thai Restaurants in Adelaide
Thai shouldn’t just be relegated to takeaway when the offering is as good as it is in Adelaide. Whilst the list is long, highlights include Lemongrass’ traditional and dietary-friendly takes on the favourites, Star of Siam for their famed star dumplings and Golden Boy for contemporary cool — think kingfish sashimi and wagyu massaman. They’ve even got a cosy little cellar offering an intimate and moody dining moment should you prefer.
Discover our full edit of the best Thai restaurants in Adelaide.
FAQs About the Best Restaurants in Adelaide
Adelaide’s best restaurants right now include Parwana in Torrensville for generous Afghan cooking, Tutto Cucina + Bar in the CBD for reimagined Italian classics, and arkhé in Norwood for open-flame modern Australian dining. For fine dining, Restaurant Botanic in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens remains one of Australia’s most exceptional destinations, known for its seasonal degustation built around native ingredients. Across the city, neighbourhoods like the East End, Unley, Prospect and North Adelaide each have dining strips worth exploring, from Rundle Street to Prospect Road.
The best new restaurants in Adelaide include Barro and Le Mistral. Barro is a small CBD restaurant from husband-and-wife duo Alejandro Huerta and Galia Valadez. It serves Mexican dishes like mole and consommé alongside South Australian produce, with a pastry-led dessert menu and a cocktail list from award-winning bartender Eduardo Conde. Le Mistral brings a French accent to Rundle Street, with bistro staples such as beef tartare, bechamel-baked scallops and French onion soup. Every meal opens with a complimentary amuse-bouche, and the $35 steak frites at lunch is a standout.
Two of the best affordable restaurants in Adelaide are Parwana in Torrensville and La Popular Taqueria in Port Adelaide. Parwana is a warm, family-inspired Afghan restaurant known for generous portions. Its Mantu and Ashak dumplings cost $25 a plate, and its signature Banjaan Borani (eggplant in fresh tomato sauce with garlic, yoghurt and mince) is $21. La Popular Taqueria serves Mexican street food in an energetic setting, with standout tacos like the pulled pork cochinita and braised mushroom priced under $12. Mexican Society’s $5 taco Tuesdays are also worth noting.
Restaurant Botanic and arkhé are two of Adelaide’s best fine dining restaurants. Restaurant Botanic sits within a heritage rotunda in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. It serves an ever-evolving degustation built on native ingredients and South Australian produce, many elements harvested from the surrounding gardens, with matched wines and an intimate chef’s table. In Norwood, arkhé pairs charcoal walls and brass fixtures with open-flame cooking and a seasonal menu of smaller plates designed to share. Seating ranges from booths and bar stools to a chef’s table and a private outdoor courtyard.
For dinner in Adelaide, the East End, Norwood and North Adelaide are reliable places to start. Rundle Street’s Le Mistral is built around unhurried French dinners, and Africola serves bold, produce-driven cooking nearby. In Norwood, arkhé puts open-flame cooking front and centre, and North Adelaide’s Ruby Red Flamingo is a go-to for refined Italian. For a special occasion, Restaurant Botanic’s degustation is hard to beat. For a lively night out, head to Ong Vietnamese Bar & Kitchen for colourful cocktails and a mix of small and large plates.
Some of Adelaide’s best hidden gems sit just outside the city centre or are tucked below street level. La Louisiane offers a moody, candle-lit basement with regular jazz nights, and Golden Boy has a cosy cellar for a more intimate dinner. In the suburbs, Laxmi’s Tandoori Indian Restaurant is a gem for traditional dishes straight from the tandoor. Parwana in Torrensville serves generous Afghan cooking with exceptionally warm hospitality. Further out, La Popular Taqueria in Port Adelaide dishes up flavour-packed tacos for under $12.
