Secret Bars, Limited-Edition Pizzas and Crowd-Pleasing Street Food: Here’s What’s on the Menu at Tasting Australia’s Town Square

If you thought the Festival State was set to enter hibernation after Mad March, you are sorely mistaken, because today Tasting Australia kicks off with 10 days of food-fuelled events.

There are events that will set you back less than $50, as well as pricier once-in-a-lifetime experiences (including a Succession -worthy event with a private jet tour to the heart of the Flinders Ranges). But there’s only one totally free experience, and that’s Town Square Kitchen.

Free to enter, the Town Square Kitchen in Victoria Square offers stalls from some of the region’s best producers, a hidden bar, and a line-up of chefs who will be taking to the stage to tell stories and share wisdom, with host Mandy Hall set to interview James Lowe, Karen Martini, the Ayubi family, Rose Adams and more.

But ultimately it’s the menu that matters. One Sneaky Cheetah is on deck with five creations including limited-edition festival flavours, all with the restaurant's signature woodfired spotted crust. Adelaide institution Peel Street Restaurant will be serving up fresh, vibrant Middle Eastern dishes that will pair perfectly with Hubba Hubba Hummus’s delectable dips.

Kuti Shack is encouraging punters to savour the best South Australian seafood, with pippies, bluefin tuna, carp, prawns, oysters and calamari. Or, if you prefer your seafood served Spanish-style, Victoria Park Social Club will have mountainous helpings of local seafood paella and sardines on toast.

Taco Cartel will be there doing what it does best. Filipino Project will be serving chargrilled barbequed meat with Filipino favourites including coconut chicken adobo and spit-roasted lechon pork belly. Phat Head is offering Viet twists on classics with signature tom yum dumplings and a special beef wonton “pie floater”.

Broadsheet’s Kelsey Zafiridis headed into town to give us all a taste (sorry) of what we can expect from Tasting Australia’s Town Square this year.