6 Best Restaurants in Adelaide, South Australia

Lovers of Australian wine should not miss a meal at this intimate pavilion-style vineyard restaurant set in the country's most famous winery. Though only 15 minutes from the city it's high enough to afford views over the vineyards and the city skyline toward the coast, and the seasonal, Modern Australian cuisine is just as special. For a truly memorable experience, the Icon and Luxury wine pairing presents a chance to try some of Penfolds' (and Australia's) most sought-after wines.

It takes two elevators to get to this rooftop venue, but it’s worth it for elegant Modern Australian dishes that make the most of highly seasonal produce—many local producers are name-checked on the menu. After dinner, retire to the adjacent bar overlooking the governor-general’s house (and most of North Adelaide) for a nightcap.

You wouldn’t know it from first glance, but this restaurant is part of a multipurpose art space and there’s plenty of creativity on the fine dining menu designed by South African chef Brendan Wessels. Expect nods to his homeland like the large braai in the kitchen that adds a touch of smoke to many dishes.

There's a relaxed, nautical air at this mainstay—which perfectly suits the location on the south bank of the River Torrens. Sliding glass doors open onto a full-width front balcony for alfresco dining. The imaginative modern Australian menu, offered in both à la carte and tasting menu forms, changes seasonally, but continues the theme with seafood selections that might include seared Murray cod with Goolwa pipis (cockles), fermented chili and sea urchin butter. The lunch crowd is largely corporate in nature while warm evenings attract couples.

A restaurant masquerading as a natural wine bar, this former dry cleaner takes its design cues from trendy Parisian bistros. Come for predinner drinks—the walls are lined with 500 bottles of mostly natural wine and the knowledgeable staff are happy to point you in the right direction—then stay for the sophisticated share plates. Meats are cured and fresh pasta made in the small kitchen and the fresh, elegantly plated dishes really pop with the accompanying wines.

A sweeping view of Adelaide is the backdrop for contemporary workings of traditional bush meats such as kangaroo, emu, and wild boar, plus herbs, and fruits at this "floating" riverfront restaurant. The downstairs River Torrens Café, the restaurant's sister venue, is more informal, and offers a modern Italian menu for weekday lunches and dinners.