10 New Adelaide Restaurants, Bars and Cafes We Got Excited About This Winter

It’s been a long winter, and we all deserve some joy as we come into spring. Luckily, over the last few months Adelaide’s hospitality scene has served up some excellent new spots to embrace as the weather warms up.

Here – in alphabetical order – are 10 new venues we got excited about in June, July and August.

Bank Street Burger, CBD

The Bank Street Social crew has opened a late-night burger joint, offering smash burgers made from house-ground black Angus beef. The menu is short and sharp. There are just three burgers, which all come with house-made pickles. The kitchen promises it’ll take five minutes flat to get your burger from the grill into your hands. The restaurant is takeaway-only, but feel free to bring the burger back to Bank Street Social once its pizza kitchen is closed. With service stopping at 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, Bank Street Burger is set to be a go-to late-night spot.

Bar Bar, CBD

Bar Bar, a tiny new spot from the Jennie crew, joined the local bar scene this winter. The bar is small, seating only fourteen, which naturally lends itself to a concise drinks list focusing primarily on agave spirits – but not in the neon-lights-and-tequila-shots way. Inspired by the bars of Barcelona and Paris – as well as Sydney’s Cantina OK, the drinks list includes a Spicy Margarita, an Oaxaca Old Fashioned (with the classic whisky swapped out for tequila and mezcal), or a two-sip Martini. Plus, there are complimentary snacks.

Fall From Grace, Aldinga

Aldinga favourite Fall From Grace recently had a shake-up, as Jimmy Toone and Jo Leal took the reins. The hotshot hospo couple are bringing a European sensibility to the space with big shareable mains and snacks. Toone is a former head chef at The Salopian Inn and the couple have run the pop-up dining experiences, Secret Pizza Club and Secret Pasta Club. They also recently wrapped up a residency at Loc. Pizzas are on the menu, but they’re hoping to switch things up as often as possible with chef collabs and changing cuisines. To drink, there’s also a mix of old-school and new-school (read: natural) wines.

Honeydripper, CBD

Hi-fi lovers rejoice – Honeydripper has brought a little slice of Japanese listening bar culture to the East End. With an impressive sound system (Klipsch La Scala speakers driven by a McIntosh MC312 amplifier) and cosy conversation pits, each cocktail comes with a song pairing from the Honeydripper team. DJs will be on deck blending their own selections with tracks from the venue’s 3000-strong vinyl library. The team’s led by co-owner Sean Howard, and ex- Osteria Oggi venue manager Raph Thompson is on deck to oversee the daily operations.

Meli on Hutt, CBD

Marketing yourself as a non-traditional Greek venue is risky business, but the team at Meli on Hutt has pulled it off. At the CBD kafeneio – Greek for coffee house – you’ll find new takes on Greek classics. Expect everything from a spanakopita reimagined as a sandwich to moussaka served in a pie. The signature drink at Meli’s is Freddo – a Greek-style frappe – which comes in many forms, including as an Espresso Martini or a pistachio baklava-inspired serve. The team wants to bring the vibe of Greek beach bars to Adelaide, so stop by, grab a Mythos, and take a seat under Meli’s yellow umbrellas.

Mr Mario’s, CBD

Restaurant-quality ingredients meet old-school sensibilities at this new takeaway joint. Mr Mario’s – named after owner Peter Louca’s late father – is tucked behind Louca’s Seafood. The two venues share a kitchen as well as produce, meaning that the venue has access to some of the best local and international seafood. Choose between locally caught garfish, butterfish, calamari, prawns or whiting, served up with a side of chips. There’s a fish sando on offer as well. If you’re not craving seafood, there’s a list of burgers too – and a pineapple fritter for those with a sweet tooth.

Shmochi, St Peters

A mainstay on the festival food truck scene, Shmochi’s signature chewy mochi doughnuts have found a permanent home in St Peters. Run by husband-and-wife duo Quang and Thy Nguyen, and business partner Lisa Chao, the team has amassed loyal followers with its bouncy doughnut rings and accompanying gelato. The doughnuts are gluten-free – thanks to their rice flour base – and pair perfectly with the changing gelato offerings. There are flavours like ube cookies and cream, sticky date pudding or fan-favourite Eton mess.

Tarantinos, CBD

From the team behind Anchovy Bandit and Bottega Bandito comes Tarantino’s, a New York-Italian-inspired bar and grill that’s opened in the old House of George space. The menu mixes old-school Italian dishes with head chef Shane Wilson’s love of Asian cuisines. Expect pork-and-fennel sausage pasta with kimchi and oyster sauce, or stracciatella topped with a Lao Gan Ma-style crispy chilli oil. Steak and large proteins are flame-seared on the open-hearth grill – the centrepiece of the restaurant. For dessert, there’s the tiramiso (tiramisu with miso caramel) or you can round out the night with a mini Negroni.

That’s Enrico, Lobethal

Prominent pizzaiolo and flour technician Enrico Sgarbossa has worked in South Australia before, but That’s Enrico marks his first go as owner-operator. Using primarily local ingredients (except flour and tomatoes from Italy), Sgarbossa offers pizzas “four ways” with toppings like Casalingo salami and chilli; burrata and truffle with potato; bolognaise and bechamel; and a classic margherita. The venue is dietary-friendly, with gluten-free bases and vegan options available. There’s also a changing pasta of the week, alongside a crowd-favourite tiramisu, made by his wife and business partner, Akiha Sgarbossa. The food is made primarily with organic and biodynamic ingredients. This ethos extends to the wine list as well, which is put together by James Erskine of Jauma wines.

Ways Coffee, Hampstead Gardens

Dark roasts from Willow Bend and a wide range of sangas are on the menu at Ways Coffee, the new venue from Cheeky Grin owner Stefan Iannace. Iannace opened the venue in collaboration with David Firolamo, a long-time regular at Cheeky Grin. Willow Bend’s beans are strong and intense. Baked goods are delivered daily from Prove Patisserie, and there’s a range of house-made sandwiches and weekly sanga specials.

Additional reporting by Lucy Bell Bird, Daniela Frangos, Jessica Galletly, Gemma Hassall, Nadia Luksich, Diem Tran and Tim Watts.