The SA restaurants and cafes that closed during 2020
Sadly, many South Australian restaurants and cafes didn’t survive the “coronapocalypse”. Here’s a look back at some that shut.
Food & Wine
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It’s been a tough year for hospitality, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of South Australia’s restaurants and cafes were forced to shut their doors – some quietly, others not so much. From award-winning fine dining destinations, to beloved suburban cafes, here are more than 20 restaurants that have closed for good in 2020.
D’ARENBERG CUBE RESTAURANT
One of South Australia’s most adventurous dining experiences held its final service on April 2, little more than two years after opening. d’Arenberg’s chef winemaker and Cube visionary, Chester Osborn, blamed the escalating coronavirus pandemic for the closure.
The Advertiser restaurant reviewer Simon Wilkinson scored the restaurant degustation, costing up to $190 before drinks, a rare 9/10.
The Cube, a multi-level cellar door and art gallery, now offers more casual food at Eat@Polly’s. The separate d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant, also on the d’Arernberg property, remains open.
ORANA
The most talked-about restaurant closure of 2020 came courtesy of Jock Zonfrillo, the Scottish-born, former Adelaide chef-turned-MasterChef judge. Orana was twice named Restaurant of the Year in The Advertiser Food Awards, as well Best Restaurant in Australia by Gourmet Traveller magazine. Zonfrillo and his team helped put indigenous ingredients on the mainstream restaurant map, with an inspiring 20-plus course degustation served in the intimate upper level Rundle St restaurant. It was one of Adelaide’s best dining experiences from when it opened in 2013, to its final service on April 2 in the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Its closure followed that of downstairs Blackwood, Zonfrillo’s more casual restaurant, in December 2019.
JAMIE’S ITALIAN
Following years of uncertainty, Jamie’s Italian in Adelaide shut its doors for good in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. UK celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s casual Italian eatery had a focus on walk-in trade and wowed its diners more with its fit-out than its food, thanks to a multimillion-dollar restoration of the historic Westpak bank site at 2 King William St.
The Adelaide restaurant closure joined those in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, and followed years of financial woes for Oliver’s Australian restaurant franchise. A new restaurant, Fishbank, took over the site in July.
ANDRE’S CUCINA E POLENTA BAR
The first restaurant in Australia to launch off the back of TV show, MasterChef, Andre Ursini’s Frome St restaurant officially held its last service on December 28, 2019. Having reached the end of his 10-year lease on Frome St, city, the restaurateur said it was time to concentrate on his future – his Orso restaurant and adjacent Willmott’s Gastronomica deli, in Rose Park, and Villetta Porcini, in Mylor.
MINESTRA
Suburban favourite cafe Minestra closed its doors after eight years of pleasing locals with its Calabrian-inspired fare. Owner and chef Sandy Cenin would use the produce locals brought in from their gardens, to bring to life recipes from his grandmother’s homeland of Calabria, Italy. The cafe became known for its Friday pasta nights, as well as its hearty breakfasts and coffee.
The 123 Churchill Rd site is now home to Monday’s Coffee.
JOYBIRD
Kardachi Food and Wine Collective’s up-market chicken shop project, Joybird, closed after just seven months of operation in King William Rd, Hyde Park. But while the idea itself didn’t take flight in that part of town, Joybird continues to operate pop-up events such as Adelaide Fringe. And, restaurateur Simon Kardachi and co. are now operating a different restaurant from the corner site – ShoSho, a Japanese izakaya inspired diner.
PRESS* FOOD AND WINE
One of the more surprising changes for Adelaide’s CBD dining district was that of Press* Food and Wine, a longstanding restaurant and bar of the Kardachi group. In October they announced they were bowing out after nearly 10 years in Waymouth St, putting the award-winning restaurant on the market. However, the restaurant will continue operating under new ownership. Press was a pioneer of nose-to-tail and communal dining when it opened in September 2011, and quickly became famous for its roast suckling pig feasting menu.
THE STORE
The North Adelaide institution shut shop in March after 22 years in business. Scott Greatrex, who had run the cafe since July 2019, said he was forced out of the business after no longer being able to pay his rent. The building – a two-storey, state heritage-listed building is on the southeastern corner of the busy intersection of Melbourne and Jerningham streets – was sold in 2017 for $3.2 million. Lease of the cafe space is listed on commercial property sites.
STONE’S THROW
The well known restaurant, in Norwood’s Parade retail and hospitality strip, fell into liquidation in October, months after its last service prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. Operators of the restaurant claim a disagreement over rent resulted in the venue’s permanent closure. Stone’s Throw opened in 2016, replacing Grace the Establishment, which was run by different owners.
NEW NORDIC
The Prospect diner, housed in the Palace Nova complex on Prospect Rd, closed after two years. The space has now been taken over by the owners of neibouring Anchovy Bandit, who are opening a cafe and delicatessen called Bottega Bandito in January.
PADDY’S LANTERN
Sam Carey’s city cafe shut its doors in June, after nine years of serving boutique coffee and lunch food to loyal customers. He’s kept the Paddy’s Lantern brand, and may resurrect it in future. Leisurely Coffee has now taken the spot of 219 Gilbert St.
FAIRWEATHER
The cafe tucked away in Solomon St in the city’s West End, closed its doors after a few years of operation.
BRICK AND MORTAR CREATIVE
The co-working creative hub, shop and cafe closed its doors in Norwood’s George St in May, after five years.
HOMEGRAIN BAKERY, MT COMPASS
Owners Toff and Cara West closed their Mt Compass bakery in April, after the coronavirus pandemic made it unsustainable to operate. However, they still run several bakeries throughout the Fleurieu, including McLaren Flat, Aldinga and Middleton.
MICHONNE WINE BAR
One of a string of hospitality venues to open in Port Adelaide in 2017, Michonne closed its doors in June.
MESTIZO COCINA PERUANA
Adelaide’s only Peruvian specialist restaurant and a regular in The Advertiser Food guide, Mestizo, in Glenelg South, is closed.
ARBOUR KITCHEN
Whitmore Square restaurant closed its doors in February after operating for just 21 months.
The diner, at the base of Bohem apartments on Wright St, remains vacant and is advertised for sale on commercial real estate sites.
THE KITCHEN DOOR
The McLaren Vale cellar door restaurant at Penny’s Hill is closed until further notice.
JERUSALEM SHESHKEBAB HOUSE
The late night institution in Hindley St is also closed until further notice.
CAFFEIND COFFEE
The boutique coffee shop in Synagogue Place couldn’t reopen post-COVID. “We’ll join the list of local businesses that didn’t survive the Coronapocalypse,” its owners announced on Facebook in July. Caffeind opened in August 2018.
2ND & 6TH
The Peel St small bar, which opened in 2016, is now Tempus Mezze Bar.
Here’s what’s reopening in early 2021 …
LINE & LABEL
The Port Lincoln restaurant at Peter Teakle Wines opened with buzz towards the end of 2017. Celebrity chef Pete Evans acted as a consultant on the project, designing the kitchen which showcases produce only from the Eyre Peninsula. The restaurant, which closed earlier this year, is planning to reopen on January 8, 2021.
LUCKY LUPITAS
The Mexican restaurant, which garnered a cult following at its original home in Bedford Park before moving to North Adelaide’s O’Connell St, has announced it will reopen in early 2021.
SUNSET FOOD & WINE
The Kangaroo Island destination will be hosting an event in May for Tasting Australia, and plans to reopen permanently in the new year. Head chef Jack Ingham is now cooking at Jolley’s Boathouse in Adelaide.
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