Delicious food and eclectic joints are folded into the mix of treasure troves when it comes to Adelaide’s romantic restaurants. Think along the lines of award-winning chefs, 5-star locations, and quirky concepts. This foodie’s paradise is paved by plant-based heroes, the likes of whipped ricotta and honey, wood-grilled calamari, and buckwheat tartlets filled with caramelised pear.
If you feel like spoiling someone or being spoiled for an evening, Secret Adelaide has compiled a list of ten top-tier restaurants for just that. From a restaurant surrounded by a 51-hectare garden to a New York-style brasserie, your choices for date night are diverse. And as it is the “20 minute city”, getting to your hot date won’t prove difficult.
1. Luma Restaurant & Bar, Adelaide
Did someone say “luxury” and “affordable”? Luma Restaurant & Bar captures the spirit of Art Nouveau and is involved in a serious relationship with European food. At the mention of a house made mini loaf served with salted butter, Boston Bay mussels, and duck fat potatoes, our mouths are already watering. Awarded ‘One Chef Hat’ by The Australian Good Food Guide in 2023, there is much to love about this contemporary space where bold flavours and locally sourced organic ingredients come together. And let’s not forget the seductive cocktails and sophisticated ambience.
📍120 North Terrace
2. Apoteca, Adelaide
How to even begin to summarise the essence of Apoteca located in the heart of Adelaide’s West End? If a cosy and intimate dinner is what you’re looking for, you can book a table in the iconic cellar restaurant or keep snug in the main bar. The main bar is the perfect place to escape to a food and wine haven. This space is available for wedding photo hire—need we gush more? The A La Carte menu features kingfish ceviche, chicken liver and bacon pâté, and a broccoli salad served with smoked almonds and capers. You can also opt for the carefully curated Chef’s tasting menu. Finish it all off with Barossa artisan Brie and Maffra Cloth-Ashed Cheddar.
📍118 Hindley Street
Note: Apoteca recommends making a dinner booking to guarantee a space is available for you.
3. Fugazzi, Adelaide
It’s hard to beat the Italians when it comes to romance. Fugazzi is a chic restaurant inspired by New York aesthestics and Italian cuisine. Striking shades of red, rounded booth seats, and a harmonising balance between wood and fabric textures makes this restaurant an inviting spot for not-so casual flirting and fun. You can choose between the Pranzo tasting menu (3-course meal) and Cena tasting menu (5-course meal). Expect to find snacks such as mortadella, salami, and a prawn and white pepper mayo roll. Indulge in a pasta dish of black pepper and lemon agnolotti or pork and fennel sausage.
📍27 Leigh Street
Note: Menu has vegan and vegetarian options.
4. Allegra Dining Room, Adelaide
There are plenty of vegan restaurants to discover in Adelaide. Allegra Dining Room is an absolute must for couples looking for a new dining experience. The 28-seat dining room is designed to set an intimate tone and setting for “a full course dinner showcasing a collection of plant-based dishes that best represent the season.”
Dinner is served at Allegra from Thursday to Sunday and is a service dedicated to attention to detail. Seasonal plates that have been presented in the past include lacto-fermented vegetables and oyster mushroom “schnitzel” with herb and port gravy. Allegra’s host is known for her gracious and welcoming disposition.
📍L1 125 Gilles Street
5. Restaurant Botanic, Adelaide
For an immersive gastronomic experience, located in the heart of Adelaide’s Botanic Gardens, Restaurant Botanic’s desire is for their guests to savour every minute and flavour. Go on a sensuous culinary adventure with your significant other and expose your tastebuds to some tantalising dishes.
The tasting menu is prepared by Chef Justin James and presents more than 20 different flavour combinations. Restaurant Botanic’s diverse wine list focuses on South Australian wines whilst highlighting the domestic wine regions. Adelaide Hills mushrooms. Pyengana cheddar cornbread, and caviar with charcoal roasted eggplant are only a few samples of what might come out of its spectacular kitchen.
📍Plane Tree Drive
6. Sean’s Kitchen, Adelaide
Sean’s Kitchen is a high-end New York brasserie situated in the historic Adelaide Casino. This exciting restaurant encapsulates the dynamism of Adelaide as a food-oriented city. Enjoy a romantic meal in Sean’s Kitchen’s luxury setting and appreciate the best of South Australian produce. Share a seafood platter or try the dry-aged burger or Blue Swimmer crab linguine. If you’re feeling extra generous, splurge on exclusive seats at Chef Sean Connolly’s table. The Chef’s table dining experience includes an impressive four-course menu made using the freshest ingredients.
📍125 North Terrace
7. Chianti, Adelaide
Based on the restaurant’s name alone, it sounds like the place to be if you want to transport yourself to the cyprus trees and burnt sienna hue of wine-soaked Tuscany. Chianti’s menu is a mix of traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine. Devour the gooey burrata served with Adelaide Hills peaches, savour smoked beef tartare and slurp up spaghetti vongole. Amore is certainly felt in the friendly warmth of this classic trattoria. Chianti’s menu changes throughout the year as it is focused on seasonal and local produce.
📍160 Hutt Street
8. Nido, Hyde Park
Nido is another Italian hero to try in Adelaide. Its fun and vibrant atmosphere makes for a great romantic dinner date. Elegant decor and moody paint colours emphasise the quality and simplicity Nido puts into its menu. Nido boasts, “Our philosophy is simplicity; food and drinks with a bit of soul.” And soul indeed is to be found in dishes such as their Pacific oysters with champagne vinegar, ‘cacio e pepe’, and wood-grilled sirloin steak with whipped mustard butter. Nido’s pasta is made daily and they offer a very unique Italian wine list.
📍160 King William Road
9. Orso, Rose Park
Orso is one of the best restaurants in Adelaide for a loved-up meal with someone special. Are you one of those couples that find something charming about dining at the bar? If so, book your seat at the Orzo Kitchen Bar—a marble countertop with the best view in the house. Watch as the chefs cook your dinner to perfection on the open fire-pit. You can also dine in the Alexandra Room or the main dining room. Design choices including Venetian plaster, historic bluestone walls, and Italian beechwood tables offer a true feast for the eyes.
📍36 Kensington Road
10. Jolleys Boathouse, Adelaide
What is it about exposed timber paneling and riverwater that pair so well together? Jolleys Boathouse is Adelaide’s premier riverside restaurant and retains that old-world charm of mid-Century buildings. Spend a long lunch overlooking the River Torrens with your favourite person by your side. Sweet corn and crab fritters, King prawns, and tempura zucchini flower are some of the dishes being served up. The charming boathouse is without a doubt one of the many romantic restaurants in Adelaide.
📍1 Jolleys Lane