The Best Cafes in Adelaide
Adelaide’s cafe scene has come a long way since Exchange set the standard more than a decade ago. Today we’ve got former fine-dining chefs in kitchens, fit-outs from top interior designers and some of the best roasters and baristas in the country. And don’t forget the efficient yet friendly service that’s gained international attention. The standard is high no matter where you look, but if you’re after the best in the business, look no further.
Restaurant
Marshi’s Kitchen
Marshi’s Kitchen brings the flavour (and heart) of Sri Lanka to a light-filled dining room in Stirling. Visit for modern Australian brunches with a “Sri Lankan accent”.
Cafe
Homeboy
Pop by the cafe that gained more than half a million social media followers for prosciutto and mozzarella sangas, cinnamon scrolls – baked fresh every 30 minutes – and coffee.
Cafe
Yuku Do
Get hand-held Japanese staples like tuna onigiri, pork katsu sandos and house-blended matcha make for delicious grab-and-go options without compromising on quality.
Cafe
Exchange Coffee
Occupying an iconic corner in Adelaide’s East End, Exchange Coffee has long been at the front of the pack in the city’s specialty coffee scene. Come for Market Lane coffee brewed every which way, produce-driven brunch dishes and a signature sandwich worthy of its cult status.
Cafe
Lady Luck
An eclectic cafe turning out brunch staples and treats for the vegan and gluten-free crowds. From the sister duo behind nearby eatery, Susa.
Cafe
Yuna Restaurant and Cafe
Japanese breakfast sets and home-style sandos are on the menu at this delightful cafe. To drink, it’s specialty coffee, sake and matcha with salted cheese foam.
Cafe
Topiary
A garden centre in the verdant Tea Tree Gully foothills is the unlikely setting for one of Adelaide’s culinary gems. Enter a 140-year-old cottage for a thrilling five-course lunch menu informed by foraged produce – plus one of the city's best breakfasts.
Cafe
My Grandma Ben
Sustainability is the bottom line at this beloved cafe and workshop space. Come for a no-waste menu of mainly vegetarian dishes, and take home jars of Ben’s pickles and preserves.
Cafe
Hark Coffee Roasters
Hark continues to make its mark on the South Australian coffee scene with its air-roasted beans, snobbery-free coffee education and its co-owner’s famous (and friendly) groodle.
Cafe
Bloom
A woodfired hearth powers the kitchen at Bloom, with most dishes (and some cocktails) informed by the flames. This place is great for groups, and the setting is special: an old tram barn surrounded by the river and ghost gums.
Cafe
Coffee in Common
Hit Coffee in Common’s sprawling warehouse HQ for some of the city’s best specialty coffee matched with Asian-inspired breakfasts.
Cafe
Gator Club
Set within a beautiful old corner store, Gator Club is your go-to for vegan and gluten-free treats. Plus, loaded toasties and bagels to get your day started.
Cafe
Hey Jupiter
A little corner of France in the East End. Hey Jupiter has been throwing down champagne breakfasts and Bloody Marys for more than a decade.
Cafe
Joe’s Kiosk Henley Beach
A slick seaside destination with ocean views to make you acai bowl or sanga really sing.
Cafe
Elementary Coffee
One of the standard-setters for Adelaide’s specialty coffee scene lives in a spacious warehouse serving photogenic breakfasts to go with your single-origin brews.
Cafe
Whistle & Flute
Whistle and Flute’s lush courtyard is one of Unley’s major attractions. Whether you’re looking for uppers or downers, this cool cafe and bar has you covered.
Cafe
The Banksia Tree Cafe
A brunch spot in a historic building in Port Adelaide with a focus on sustainability.
Cafe
Peter Rabbit
One of Adelaide’s buzziest cafes holds a lush garden and a shipping-container-turned-eatery. When the weather’s fine, it's hard to beat a spritz on the deck.
Restaurant
Ballaboosta
Woodfired shakshuka for breakfast or mezze for dinner? Ballaboosta is where the Mediterranean meets the Middle East, and is the kind of place you can keep coming back to again and again. Also in Burnside.
Cafe
Lockwood General
A 19th-century corner store is now a neighbourhood eatery and providore with a sophisticated all-day menu. It’s also one of the city’s best bottomless brunch destinations.
Cafe
Our Boy Roy
Need a coffee and a panini? A sit-down brekkie or lunch? Or a tote bag filled with bread, sliced-to-order deli meats and flowers? Our Boy Roy is your one-stop shop.
Cafe
Seafaring Fools
All aboard Glenelg’s favourite nautical-themed cafe for big community vibes and a Reuben sandwich that’s not going anywhere. The team’s nighttime burger joint, Fools Burger, is also worth a shout-out.
Cafe
30 Acres
Set within the old Norwood squash court, this beautiful eatery serves dishes powered by its own 30-acre farm. It also packs in a serious baking operation for all your bread and pastry needs.
Cafe
My Kingdom For A Horse
A short gallop from Adelaide Central Market, this colourful venue does food all day, roasts coffee on-site and seats 100 patrons in comfortable retro-Danish style.
Cafe
Coffee Branch
Coffee Branch helped kickstart the city’s modern cafe scene and is still going strong. No slow food, long lunches or fancy brewing gear here. Just great coffee and a straight-shooting menu geared towards takeaway.
Cafe
Fourth Hill Providore
Breakfast, lunch and everything in between lives at this charming eatery in a renovated barn. Visit for a tight morning menu, daily pastas and Roman pizza by the slice.
Cafe
Tell Henry
Adelaide’s most nomadic cafe is right back where it started, in leafy Kent Town. Come for Industry Beans coffee and brunches worth crossing town for.
Cafe
Bottega Bandito
The Anchovy Bandit crew’s neighbourhood deli is where you can stop in for a pastry or sanga and stock the pantry while you’re at it. Or, hang around for a while with brunch cocktails and spins on French bistro classics.
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