While June is often the month for hunkering down as the chill sets in, Adelaide has been having some glorious sunny days that are ideal for dining amongst leafy settings and wine-ing down with friends, foes, and beyond. We’ve put together a list of five new cafes and restaurants in and around Adelaide to make your dining decision a little easier this month – that’s if you’re not feeling old faithfuls as listed in our best restaurants in Adelaide guide.
1. Vine and Essen, Hahndorf
Vine and Essen is the Adelaide Hills’ latest neighbourhood wine bar and restaurant offering a cosy space with a fireplace and exposed beam ceilings, with a touch of grandeur where attention to detail definitely hasn’t been overlooked. Vine and Essen’s ethos is rooted in seasonality and they’re serving up refined fare using quality ingredients from local growers, alongside a rotating selection of European and South Australian vino. The inventive menu enlists: golden beets with coffee and almond; tartare with roasted bone marrow and taro crisp; half chicken with harissa and preserved lemon; and fried school prawns with chimichurri aioli and comté beignets – at a glance.
Where: 33 Main Street, Hahndorf
2. House of George, Adelaide
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a rebrand. Formerly known as Yiasou George, the East Terrace restaurant plated up Greek dishes where it became best-known for its woodfired lamb and divine pita. With a new head chef at the helm, Sav Sexton, House of George will expand its offerings with Mediterranean cuisine inspired from Turkey, Morocco, and Basque Country. Expect more fire, more rotisserie, more seasonal fare, and more of an open-kitchen so you can gaze upon your feast in the making. Think: eel taramasalata; daily fish with preserved lemon and fish fat jus; seared wagyu carpaccio; rotisserie celeriac; and ‘yiros on a stick’.
Where: 30 Vardon Ave, Adelaide
3. FKA, Adelaide
Brought to us by Dawn Patrol roasters and their friends over at Boy & Bloom cafe, FKA is Rundle Place’s latest joint for specialty coffee and tasty lunchtime bites. Located right in the middle of the thoroughfare, you can watch the world go by as you bite into a toastie brimming with jackfruit, manchego, pickles, and secret sauce, or perhaps a bagel topped with pastrami, Swiss cheese, deli mustard, and shredded pickled onions. Spanning 30 metres in length, there’s plenty of room for the herbivorous and omnivorous alike along FKA’s terrazzo bench. The fare on offer is prepared at Boy & Bloom’s Flinders Street kitchen and delivered daily to ensure freshness at its finest. Upon FKA’s countertop you’ll find swanky coffee apparatuses for elite cuppas every time.
Where: Inside Rundle Place (near Grenfell Street side), Rundle Mall
4. Aroi Modern Thai, Adelaide
As the name partly suggests, authentic cuisine with a modern twist is what you’ll find at Aroi Modern Thai near the Adelaide Central Markets. Renowned Thai chef, Nu Suandokmai helped craft Aroi’s menu as well as train the restaurants’ chefs. Expect: squid stuffed with prawn mousse; massaman curry lamb shank; and of course, pad Thai. The dining room’s fit-out matches the fare, with a slight French feel about it with globe light fixtures, deep blue hues, and soft woods, complete with background jazz.
Where: 135 Gouger St, Adelaide
5. Le Pas Sage, Adelaide
Having opened their doors at the beginning of March, Le Pas Sage are still a well-kept secret of the city. The French bistro and bar on Hindmarsh Square is adorned with vintage posters and contemporary artwork, transporting you to a lowkey hideout somewhere in Gay Paree. Their standout menu item is the burger croissant – a juicy beef patty, topped with melted cheese and fresh salad, all sandwiched between a freshly baked, flaky croissant bun. But traditional French fare with the likes of croque monsieur, duck with mashed potato and berry-honey sauce, and of course, crème brulée can be found upon the menu too. Read more about Le Pas Sage here.
Where: 24 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide