10 new Adelaide restaurants to try this spring including
The family behind a beloved Adelaide restaurant has officially opened its new CBD venture. Take a look inside and see our top 10 restaurant recommendations to try this spring.
Food & Wine
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The family behind beloved Port Rd eatery Enzo’s Ristorante is branching out into Adelaide’s CBD.
Natalie Fazzari, the daughter of longtime restaurateur Enzo Fazzari, and her new fiance Alessandro Ennor, have teamed up with acclaimed chef Luca Guiotto for Enoteca Lounge and Cucina at 281 Rundle St, which will open this weekend.
Fazzari said the fine dining modern Italian restaurant – with aperitivo bar at the back – will be more modern than Enzo’s but bring the same “high-level Italian service”.
“We just fell in love with the idea of an Italian venue here,” said Fazzari, who met Italian-born Ennor about four years ago while working together at Enzo’s. The couple became engaged last month.
“Using our knowledge of hospitality, we created this idea of Enoteca. It’s more contemporary than we’re used to but it’s still got the flavours that we love and that we want to see when we go out.”
To deliver on their vision, the pair recruited executive chef Guiotto. He helped launch SkyCity Adelaide’s iTL Kitchen in 2020 and has worked in top dining restaurants and luxury hotels in Italy, Switzerland and France.
Fresh pastas and high quality, dry-aged meat dishes with a strong charcoal flavour will form the basis of the menu.
“We want to draw the line from what Enzo is, which is amazing, traditional, bang-on flavours. With myself being a different generation, I wanted to bring something fresh and contemporary to this venue,” said Guiotto.
Also on the menu will be Guiotto’s own take on the classic Italian dessert tiramisu.
“They are willing to let me express myself (through food). To me it’s very important that I can bring my personality and put my ideas forward,” said Guiotto.
An extensive wine list featuring local, Australian and Italian bottles will also be available.
“Enoteca means wine cellar in Italian so there’s a strong focus on wine,” said Ennor, who has worked across Europe in hospitality.
As the venue held as exclusive launch party on Thursday night, Fazzari said she can’t wait to follow in the family tradition
“It’s not something that I ever imagined doing... but with the support and experience of Enzo and Alessandro, and our team, it’s somehow become a reality,” she said.
ICARUS WINE BAR AND RESTAURANT
23 Peel St, Adelaide
Cuisine: Southern-Mediterranean
Described as a “food-led wine bar”, this venue on Peel Street offers a mix of small and large sharing plates showcasing the best local produce. Among the standouts are the wood-grilled octopus with nduja, saffron aioli and chickpeas, pumpkin gnocchi with chestnut and fermented chilli, cured ocean trout, roasted artichoke and Kangaroo Island queen scallop, plus various steak options.
“The food offerings are centred around the Mediterranean, featuring a lot of sharing plates cooked over charcoal, with most of the produce SA grown and caught,” says Darren Brown, who along with Sam Stoios, are the brains behind the eatery.
Leading the kitchen is award-winning head chef John Simpson-Clements. Originally from the UK, Simpson-Clements worked as a sous chef at Michelin-starred restaurants such as The Pointer in Brill before coming to Adelaide where he was head chef at Eleven in the CBD. He also competed on the 2021 season of MasterChef: The Professionals, making the final eight.
The biodynamic wine list starts with a small selection by the glass to a wide range of local and international wines by the bottle, along with several seasonal cocktails making use of use native Australian ingredients.
THE TERRACE RESTAURANT AT COBB’S HILL ESTATE
382 Swamp Road, Oakbank
Cuisine: Modern Australian
This Adelaide Hills farm, winery and cellar door recently opened a picturesque fine dining restaurant overlooking its gardens and Cobb’s Hill Valley.
The new venue has a strong focus on a farm-to-plate food philosophy led by head chef De Buys Nortier.
Many of the dishes on the seasonal menu come from produce grown right on the estate – including its black angus cattle and sheep – and the surrounding farmland.
“Accompanying our amazing homegrown produce is a deep appreciation for the art of fire. We’re not just cooking; we’re infusing each creation with the smoky, charred essence only fire can provide,” Nortier said.
There are four and six-course set menus featuring dishes such as Angus Beef Sirloin Leek with umami paste, Southdown Lamb loin garlic shoots with Cobb’s Hill pinot jus and roasted heirloom carrots with aromatic black rice.
FOUR SIDES BAR AND KITCHEN
165/167 King William Rd, Hyde Park
Cuisine: Modern Australian
The team behind neighbouring French favourite Bistro Français have launched a second venue on the popular suburban strip.
Fabien Streit and Nazzareno Falaschetti have joined forces with Baz Rampal for the modern Australian bar and restaurant, which takes its name from the diverse backgrounds of its operators.
“It’s four unique backgrounds coming together, the three of us coming from different countries combined with living the Australian way of life,” says executive chef Fabien Streit.
“There are also four distinct spaces in the venue, so we are happy with the name on many levels.”
Divided into two main spaces, Four Sides serves up a varied menu of grilled, smoked and charcoal-prepared dishes. The beverage list features up to 24 wines by the glass – a nod to its location as the former home of The Local Wine Co. – and a wide range of cocktails, bourbons and whiskies.
MOMODA BY KRISH
1 Magill Road, Stepney
Cuisine: Modern Asian fusion
Executive chef Krish Dutt once cooked for the Jordanian royal family, leading a team of 14 as they prepared every meal for King Abdullah II and his wife Queen Rania in their private residence.
Now Dutt, also formerly of Madame Hanoi, has launched an Asian fusion restaurant in one of Adelaide’s oldest hotels, The Maid.
Bringing together South-East Asian street food, house-infused soju and late-night cocktail vibes, the venue is inspired by Dutt’s travels and designed to take diners on a culinary adventure.
Momoda, which is Chinese for kiss-kiss, features a wide range of dishes from green papaya and jelly fish salad, Korean beef tartare, tempura oggi of mushrooms with lotus roots, robata grilled miso and ginger marinated salmon to Chinese five spiced marinated chicken.
“Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to explore Japan, Thailand, Korea, China, Indonesia, and India, and let me tell you, it’s been an incredible journey. Through these travels, I’ve been able to grasp the art of balancing and combining these vibrant flavours, making them come alive in harmony”, Dutt said.
“Each dish is crafted with attention to detail, flair, and innovative flavours.”
ELA AT HOTEL ALBA
226 South Tce, Adelaide
Cuisine: Mediterranean
The flagship restaurant in Adelaide’s new hotel in the CBD, Ela features an extensive Mediterranean-inspired menu for meals across the day.
Meat and seafood offerings take centre stage at lunch and dinner, from the 12-hour braised lamb shanks and grilled chermoula prawns, to the smaller Ouzo-grilled squid and octopus carpaccio with Yuzu caviar. It’s all designed to be shared and enjoyed with friends and/or family.
The kitchen is led by executive chef Nigel Rich (d’Arrys Verandah, Jolley’s Boathouse, Universal Wine Bar, The Elbow Room), and head chef Ashleigh Lindner (Crusoe’s Restaurant, Sheraton Grand Mirage), who say the restaurant is “perfect for any dining occasion”.
“The menu is inspired by various areas throughout the Mediterranean region, while also highlighting some of South Australia’s finest produce,” Rich said.
RODEO
224 The Parade, Norwood
Cuisine: Sandwiches and coffee
Gourmet sandwich shops are all the rage and following on from Dante’s Deli in Glenelg and Pinco Deli in Eastwood comes Rodeo on The Parade.
Launched at the start of July, the small eatery is the culmination of several years of friendship between Fraser Monfries (Pogo Coffee Roasters) and Izabel Czechowicz.
The pair met about a decade ago while colleagues at Hoyts Norwood, and after working at several cafes, Izabel started managing one of Fraser’s Pogo Coffee stores – and that’s where Rodeo was born.
“It has been a long journey coming up with the branding of Rodeo and how we wanted it to come across to customers,” Izabel said.
Among their favourites on the menu are the Rodeo Ruben, Fried Chicken and the Tuna Melt, classic sandwiches with their own special twist.
“They are all extremely delicious. We’ve had a few instances of customers buying one and then coming back for a second. The menu allows us to experiment with specials which we bring up and rotate every few weeks,” Izabel said.
“Both Fraser and I are extremely proud of the end product and we feel it is very fitting ending back up on The Parade where we first met at Hoyts.”
SPREAD DELICATESSEN & BAR
246 Unley Road, Unley
Cuisine: Sandwiches and toasties
Speaking of sandwiches, hot off the press comes Spread, from the team behind – and located adjacent to – Dolly in Unley.
A delicatessen and soon-to-be wine bar, patrons can enjoy delicious toasties, paninis, coffee, deli goods, spreads and vinos.
Owner Sam Worrall-Thompson (Bar Lune, Fettle) said he let his “imagination run wild” when it came to the ingredients for their offerings.
“We want to have a few unique styles of sandos, whether it’s the bonito melt or the eggplant katsu, we’re aiming to offer something different,” he said.
“Whether you’re looking for something fresh and clean, for lunch, or a naughty bite for your Friday knock-off, Spread is where you’ll find it”.
You can also take the flavours home with you, with a range of pickles, chutneys, and spreads available for purchase.
There’s also special ‘Steak Frites Fridays’ in the works, along with a unique take on the muffuletta – a round Sicilian sandwich – coming on Saturdays in October. Stay tuned.
LA LOUISIANE
89 King William St, Adelaide
Cuisine: French
Take a trip back to Paris of yesteryear at this French-inspired brassiere located in the heritage site once home to The Bull and Bear and US-themed sports bar Wing It.
La Louisiane opened in early July and has become a cult favourite, thanks to its French fare including traditional snails, steak frites and beef tartare, coupled with a specialised cocktail list, and lively jazz band every night from Wednesday to Saturday.
The Big Easy Group (Anchovy Bandit, NOLA) and Gonzo Group have teamed up with acclaimed head chef Alexis Besseau (Restaurant Hubert in Sydney) for the pop-up venue, which is walk-in only.
Big Easy Group co-founder Oliver Brown described La Louisiane as a “passion project”.
“The goal of this venue activation is to create something uniquely different for South Australia, something completely immersive. We want people to be transported back to 1930s France, with a distinctly modern twist,” he said.
But don’t hesitate to visit, it’s slated to close its doors in December.
BOBBI’S BAR AND RESTAURANT
264 South Rd, Hilton
Cuisine: Modern Australian
A pizza oven imported direct from Verona, Italy, is one of the highlights of Bobbi’s, a new restaurant in the Hilton Hotel.
The brainchild of the hotel’s second-generation hotelier, James Franzon, the venue pays tribute to his late father, Robert “Bob” Franzon, who ran his own in-house eatery, Bob’s Bar and Grill, at the Hilton back in the day.
From pizza to modern Australian cuisine, there’s a little bit of everything on the menu at Bobbi’s, including Spencer Gulf King prawns with Romesco sauce and crispy SA baby squid with spice mix and zesty lime aioli.
“Bobbi’s is about the meeting of old and the new in a fruit-of-the-earth type of place which celebrates the history of family and brings people together with dishes that are designed to share in a beautiful modern way and surround,” said James.
Created using local produce, the dishes have been curated with former Qantas first-class international lounge executive chef, Mareko Webb.
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