The Austral Hotel

The Austral is Adelaide’s saloon. From proprietors to sheriffs and all the drunk university students in between, The Austral has been a cornerstone of Adelaide’s main street since the 1880s.

The walls are mint green, the floorboards creak and it has the distinct smell of age. It probably held a town meeting at some point in its life, but now it hosts weekly quiz nights. It’s also an essential stop on every pub crawl.

By the glass or more likely by the jug, Coopers is consumed at an alarming rate atop the mosaic tables that sit under umbrellas on Rundle Street’s pavement. The wine list is predominantly South Australian, with a few French sparklings thrown in.

The menu is an unnecessary accessory for a pub that you know sells a burger, steak and schnitzel. Nevertheless, it exists, offering food that you’ll want to drink a beer with, including a reasonable amount of vegetarian and vegan options.

No matter what time of day (or century) it is, The Austral will always be overflowing with Adelaide’s townsfolk.