Our foodie scene on UK’s radar
We’ve long known that our city is worthy of being named a global dining destination – and now The Times of London has agreed, naming Adelaide among its top 25 “under-the-radar foodie cities”.
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We’ve long known that our city is worthy of being named a global dining destination – and now The Times of London has agreed, naming Adelaide among its top 25 “under-the-radar foodie cities”.
Palermo in Italy leads The Times’ picks, while Spanish and South American cities feature heavily in the top 25. But at number 17, Adelaide is the only Australian inclusion.
Premier Steven Marshall said The Times’ listing was confirmation that Adelaide’s international reputation as a culinary hot spot was growing.
“It’s terrific that Adelaide has been recognised internationally, and reinforces that our creative, innovative chefs and ouraward-winning hospitality sector continue to be world-class and respected widely for what they do,” he said. “It’s great to see us up there with iconic food destinations such as Palermo, Toulouse and Zagreb.”
The Times praised Penfolds winery and mentioned our “on-trend natural vineyards”. It picked the Mayfair Hotel’s Hennessey rooftop bar as the place to go to sample SA wines.
“Coming from the UK, I know first-hand the interest the market holds for SA’s premium wine and high-quality produce,” Mayfair Hotel general manager Martin Radcliffe said. “It’s fantastic that The Times provided this recognition for Adelaide, but it doesn’t surprise me – our destination is definitely on the radar.”
“Hennessy Rooftop Bar’s wine list holds some classic, iconic wines reflecting regionality, variety and vintages,” said Rob Parsons, The Mayfair Hotel’s director of food and beverage.
“In an effort to combine old-world and new-world wines, traditional labels such as Henschke, Penfolds and Clarendon Hills are accompanied by those of up-and-coming boutique wineries such as Charlotte Dalton, Saint & Scholar and Vinteloper.”
The Times praised MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo’s Orana, saying “Adelaide abounds with experimental restaurants (none more so than the teeny Orana and its 16-course tasting menu promoting native ingredients).”
Adelaide’s Top 10 drinking and dining experiences
The Times loves our laneways, microclimate, exceptional wines and Japanese diners. Here’s our pick of the best.
1 Nishiki Izakaya and Nagomi. Japanese owned and run, Nishiki on Sturt St and Nagomi on Hutt St team fresh SA fish and market produce with authentic techniques.
Nishiki Izakaya, 21 Sturt St, city; Nagomi, 242 Hutt St, city.
2 For brunch in the CBD it’s hard to beat Peel St Restaurant. Chef Jordan Theodoros’ simple and delicious food lets SA ingredients shine.
9 Peel St, city.
3 Coffee roaster meets cellar door in Kangarilla where Dawn Patrol offers coffee tastings and a mini-masterclass in making the perfect roast.
65 Days Rd, Kangarilla.
4 Leigh Street Wine Room is our city’s hottest new diner. Chef Nathan Sasi has converted a narrow sliver of a dry-cleaning shop into a natural wine-forward bar and seasonally focussed diner.
9 Leigh St, city.
5 Glass of Krug at Rundle St hotel The Exeter. OK, so Krug Champagne isn’t South Australian, but there is something very South Aussie about being able to buy the world’s best bubbly served in a 200ml butcher at the bar – for an unbeatable price to boot.
246 Rundle St, city.
6 Lost in a Forest. A visit to Adelaide isn’t complete without a trip to Uraidla for a night of wood-oven pizza and pet-nat wines in the converted stone church that’s now known as Lost in a Forest.
1203 Greeenhill Rd, Uraidla.
7 Our markets get a mention in The Times and it would take a month to visit them all – from Adelaide Central Market to Sunday’s Adelaide Farmers’ Market, Stirling Market (fourth Sunday of each month) and Willunga Farmers Market (Saturday mornings) and many, many more.
8 Port Admiral Hotel. The historic Port now offers modern Australian cuisine thanks to celebrated chef Stewart Wesson and a bottle shop that stocks one of the state’s best SA selections.
55 Commercial Rd, Port Adelaide
9 East or west? It doesn’t matter which end of the CBD you find yourself, there’s a superbly South Australian site for beer, wine and gastronomic indulgence, with East End Cellars in Vardon St, and Sparkke at the Whitmore on Morphett St among the very best.
10 And when it comes to rethinking the way we eat and drink, it’s hard to choose between North African diner Africola and Hills eatery the Summertown Aristologist. Both are unmissable.
Africola, 4 East Tce, city; Summertown Aristologist, 1097 Greenhill Rd, Summertown
Want to know where to drink at Fringe? Check out wine writer Katie Spain’s guide to the best pop-up bars in and around the Garden