Top 30 SA foodie influencers and their favourite places to eat in Adelaide
He doesn’t remember the last time he went grocery shopping because this project manager by day eats out every night – almost always for free.
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There in no denying South Australians are spoiled for choice when it comes to food.
But could you imagine eating at some of the state’s best cafes and finest restaurants … for free?
This is the norm for a select group of South Aussies who have entered the world of foodie influencing, sharing their food recommendations, recipes and perfectly styled plate pictures on Instagram.
If you’re looking for more food in your feed, check out this list of 30 SA foodies to follow on Insta.
From fan favourites to up-and-coming accounts, these profiles are destined to leave you feeling hungry for more.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA VIBES
Handle: @south.australia.vibes
Followers: 18.1k
Favourite SA eatery: Peel Street
Ben Holmes said he “can’t remember” the last time he went grocery shopping since becoming an Instagram foodie influencer.
The 44-year-old eats out nearly every night – almost always for free – thanks to his popular social media account and passion for food photography even if the meals are often cold.
After finding himself stuck in East African country, Seychelles during the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Holmes decided to give food photography a go.
“I had time, and there was nothing else to do, and I just wanted to take pictures of the cuisine (in Seychelles) so that’s what got me into food photography,” the Blair Athol local said.
Previously, Mr Holmes Instagram was flooded with images of SA landscapes taken with his camera and drone but he said it was his food snaps that grew his following to over 18,000 people.
“I wasn’t expecting to have that many followers … I didn’t think that would ever happen,” Mr Holmes said.
“It was a slow process, but it’s sort of just crept up over time (and now) it’s just growing and growing.”
SCROLL DOWN TO MEET MORE SA FOODIE INFLUENCERS
Mr Holmes has caught the attention of venues across the state which are willing to provide the foodie with a feast in return for curated social media content.
“We get lots of free food,” Mr Holmes told The Advertiser.
“I’m always out eating and doing things, and I’m living off leftovers if I can’t finish it all.”
The project-manager by day is often invited try new menu items or exclusive experiences before they go on sale to the general public and he said some eateries lay on food and drink for free and others set a spending limit.
“Depending on the place, you’ll sometimes even negotiate with them and all that,” Mr Holmes said.
“I’m just very grateful to be invited … I love to go there and promote their business. But yeah, very rarely pay for anything that I’ve featured up on my pages.”
Mr Holmes said he had a “very jealous” group of friends who were always wanting to join his next culinary adventure.
But his partner Lanna Jompang was first in line, featuring in his videos and assisting with filming.
“Sometimes I have to wait while (Ben) does his videos and I say, ‘hurry up I want to eat’,” Ms Jompang said.
By the time he has completed all of his video and photography work Mr Holmes, admits sometimes the food is cold but said his number one goal was to support small businesses by creating high quality content, no matter how long it takes.
“I understand that it’s very hard for local businesses in this climate, especially with the cost of living and cost of groceries,” he said.
“They have to pay for their food and staffing and all of that, it’s not easy.
“I love to give back and try to just sort of keep them going, because I know they work very hard, and without them, we wouldn’t get to experience all the multicultural and beautiful dishes.
“It’s always been about supporting local SA, especially because I was born here as well.”
You can discover Adelaide’s best eats on Mr Holmes Instagram page, @south.australia.vibes
DAKOTA FRAHN FROM ADELAIDE FOOD CLUB
Handle: @adelaidefoodclub
Followers: 64.2k
Favourite SA eatery: Rosemont Hall
What originally started as “a collection of iPhone pictures” turned into a “deeper passion” for Dakota Frahn.
“Friends often asked me for restaurant recommendations, which inspired me to start Food Club as a guide for them,” Ms Frahn said.
Her love for food encouraged her to create her own marketing agency, Onno Agency, with her partner, Mitch.
Ms Frahn said she hopes to one day dine at a Michelin-star restaurant to “see what all the hype is about”.
NICOLE & RHENZ BUICO FROM FOOD EXPERIENCE ADELAIDE
Handle: @foodexperienceadelaide
Followers: 102k
What started as a casual high school hobby of trying new Adelaide eateries grew into a successful Instagram page with over 100,000 followers.
Nicole and Rhenz Buico have recently expanded their content to include reels which they said had become “their way of supporting local businesses”.
They hope to one day take their food adventures global but are more than content eating their way through Adelaide at this stage.
LARISSA SEWELL FROM FEAST WITH LARISSA
Handle: @feastwithlarissa
Followers: 26k
Growing up in a multicultural household inspired Larissa Sewell’s love for food from a young age.
“Food was more than just sustenance – it was a way to connect and show that you love someone; it was a way to celebrate traditions, and share stories,” Ms Sewell said.
You may recognise this Adelaide local from when she was a competitor on the MasterChef in 2023.
The talented cook now shares all of her incredible foodie experiences and mouth-watering recipes on Instagram and promotes South Australian businesses along the way.
“Whether it’s through my cooking classes, social media, food writing, or live demonstrations and workshops, I love showing people that cooking food doesn’t have to be difficult or a chore,” she said.
LILY VAN FROM ADELAIDE OMNOMZ
Handle: @adl.omnomz
Followers: 5.8k
Favourite SA eatery: One Sneaky Cheetah
From comfort food to fine dining, Lily Van from @adl.omnomz loves it all.
She found her interest in content creation went hand-in-hand with her foodie lifestyle and said this pairing had allowed her to share her dining adventures with the Adelaide community.
Her dream foodie experience would be attending a dine-in movie theatre that serves the same dishes featured in the films.
“(That) would be an amazing blend of food and entertainment,” Ms Van said.
ANGELA MANERA FROM ADELAIDE OUT AND ABOUT
Handle: @adelaideoutandabout
Followers: 9.7k
Favourite SA eatery: Fugazzi
Angela Manera said she was “living the dream” as a foodie influencer and felt privileged to be invited to restaurants to create content.
“My Instagram account has given me the opportunity to meet so many lovely people and to experience some of the most amazing cafes and restaurants,” Ms Manera said.
“Adelaide has such a diverse culture and so much to offer food wise and without my Instagram account there would be so many of these places I wouldn’t even know existed.”
KATHERINE FANG FROM BASIC BRUNCHIES UNITE
Handle: @basic.brunchies.unite
Followers: 2.1k
Favourite SA eatery: NOI
As an international student, Katherine Fang arrived to Adelaide hungry to try new flavours.
“It all started when my friends jokingly called me ‘basic’ for snapping photos of our meals,” Ms Fang said.
RYLEE COOPER FROM DATE NIGHT ADELAIDE
Handle: @datenightadl
Followers: 48.6k
Favourite SA eatery: Pastel in North Adelaide
Rylee Cooper from Date Night Adelaide encourages South Aussis to take some time out for themselves and enjoy a delicious date out in our great state.
Ms Cooper has taken her influencing to the next level by organising in person events for her community to meet and mingle.
“I love that my page has grown to now bring people together outside of the internet – with the social hikes and hospo events it’s genuinely amazing to see so many people enthused about meeting others, and knowing they were brought together because I am the thing in common with all of them,” Ms Cooper said.
“It makes you feel pretty special.”
RACHEL WANG FROM ADELAIDE FOOD JOURNAL
Handle: @adelaidefoodjournal
After exploring Adelaide’s vibrant food scene, Rachel Wang decided she would share her experiences and must-visit spots for food lovers on Instagram.
Her number one “hidden gem” location is Meet Delight on Field St in the CBD.
“This restaurant gave me a taste of home when I first came to Australia without any friends or family,” Ms Wang said.
“This experience has stuck with me no matter how many years have passed.”
GRACE HARPER FROM FINDING ADELAIDE
Handle: @findingadelaide
Followers: 42k
Grace Harper’s Instagram was inspired by SA’s abundance of quality food.
“I love discovering new places and the creative challenge of capturing the experience,” she said.
Ms Harper hopes to visit The Rawnsley Park Station Heli-Camping dining experience one day.
LING TAN FROM FOODIE LING
Handle: @foodieling
Followers: 5.3k
Favourite SA eatery: Hot & Spicy Kitchen
Not only is Ling Tan a fan of eating out, she is also an enthusiastic cook who enjoys whipping up her own marvellous creations in the kitchen.
Ms Tan’s favourite part of being an influencer is meeting other passionate foodies.
“It’s like building a collective database of best eats, new places, new food trends and inspiration,” Ms Tan said.
ADELAIDE EATS
Handle: @adelaide_eatsss
Followers: 1.4k
From sweets to vegan eats, this account has all your foodie dreams covered.
According to their Instagram bio, the team behind @adelaide_eatsss are “exploring Adelaide through food”.
They even recently managed to track down Adelaide’s version of the cult US cookie brand, Crumbl.
Discovering That Cookie Guy without the need for a pop up that went viral for all the wrong reasons.
THE HUYNH FAMILY FROM ADELAIDE FOOD FAM
Handle: @adelaidefoodfam
Followers: 7.9k
Favourite SA Eatery: Ming’s Palace
MD Huynh and her family started their account during the Covid-19 pandemic as a way to support local businesses doing it tough.
“The best part is getting to showcase local businesses,” Ms Huynh said.
This food-loving family’s dream foodie experience would be “sensory dining” such as “eating in the dark or with 3D projection”.
KATHY FROM ADELAIDE FOOD GIRLIE
Handle: @adelaidefoodgirlie
Followers: 542
Favourite SA Eatery: Plus 82 Pocha
Adelaide food girlie, or Kathy, loves connecting with fellow food fanatics through her Instagram page.
“I get to share my happiest culinary moments and introduce others to my favourite dining experiences in Adelaide, which is incredibly rewarding,” she said.
Her ideal food experience would include Asian fusion cuisine, a beachside location and a matcha flavoured dessert.
BRENDA LOVEDAY FROM FREAKY FEEDS
Handle: @freakyfeedsaus
Followers: 29.7k
Brenda Loveday combines her passion for food and creative spark to produce mouth-watering content on her page, @freakyfeedsaus.
While she acknowledges how “wicked” the free food is, she said her favourite part of the job was working with local businesses and sharing her experiences with fellow foodies.
“It’s such a good feeling when businesses get an amazing response from my content and also hearing from my followers that they had an incredible experience thanks to my reviews,” Ms Loveday said.
LACHY & ANNIE THE ADELAIDE FOOD COUPLE
Handle: @adlfoodcouple
Followers: 1.8k
Favourite SA Eatery: Hotpot Commune
Lachy and Annie never expected their foodie lifestyle to lead to collaboration offers and opportunities to work with local businesses.
“We love discovering new treats, promoting small businesses and exploring cafes and restaurants, and it’s a bonus to share these experiences and recommendations with others,” the Adelaide food couple said.
With a tagline “calories don’t count on weekends”, they hope to combine their love of food with their interest in travel to take their followers on more international foodie adventures.
HEIDI IOANNOU FROM HUNGRY HEIDI
Handle: @thehungryheidi
Followers: 10k
Heidi Ioannou has loved seeing Adelaide’s hospitality scene grow over the past few years and enjoys sharing her favourite spots with her loyal followers.
This passionate foodie has your breakfast, lunch and dinner covered with everything from brunch recommendations to late night eats featured on her Instagram.
While she relishes her local foodie scene, Heidi said her dream meal would be at Massimo Bottura’s restaurant in Modena, Italy.
TAMARA DAVIS FROM IT GIRL
Handle: @itgirl.thejournal
Followers: 3.6k
Favourite SA eatery: Grandalfs Burger and Tacos or Gang Gang/99 Gang Social
Tamara Davis posts all of her incredible food pics on Instagram and hopes to travel the world eating each country’s signature dish.
“I just love food full stop,” “it girl” Ms Davis said.
“I also love photography and creating fun, vibrant content while helping support local businesses too.”
LEE LAM FROM ADELAIDE FOOD CENTRAL
Handle: @adelaidefoodcentral
Followers: 137k
Good cooking has always been a major part of Lee Lam’s life as his parents exposed him to a variety of different flavours.
Through his video reviews shared on Instagram page @adelaidefoodcentral, Mr Lam said he finds “immense joy” in sharing his passion for food with his audience.
“There are so many positive aspects to being a food influencer,” Mr Lam said.
“It’s being able to share my passion for food with a like-minded community, (connecting) with people from all walks of life, discovering new flavours, cuisines and dining experiences … most importantly, turning my passion for food into a career.”
DIANE FROM I’M HUNGRY MAX
Handle: @imhungrymax
Followers: 10.2k
Favourite SA eatery: Wined Bar in the National Wine Centre
After starting a beauty account and finding a passion for styling and photography, Diane decided to extend her skills into the culinary world.
“I love the whole process, from capturing the food, to sorting through my content, picking the best shots, editing them, and sharing them with my audience – I’ll always be a foodie at heart,” she said.
The self-confessed introvert runs her account completely anonymously and encourages others looking to enter the influencing world from behind the camera to do the same.
“You absolutely can be an influencer and not show yourself in your content,” Diane said.
“If your posts are captivating and your personality shines through in your captions, you can still build a community, connect with people and advertise food/drinks and eateries.
“If you’re looking to maintain privacy I’d concentrate on connecting with local businesses and eateries as restaurant invitations where you attend at your own convenience and gifted opportunities would be preferable to attending media events.”
TANISHA & SUNIL GUPTA & SAHIL BANSAL LOVE AT FIRST BITE
Handle: @love__at__first__bite
Followers: 14.1k
Tanisha Gupta runs @love__at__first__bite alongside her husband, Sunil Gupta and brother, Sahil Bansal who is based in India.
“Moving to Australia sparked my curiosity about global cuisines and how food brings people together across cultures,” Ms Gupta said.
“I love helping people discover hidden gems and seeing their excitement when they try something new based on my recommendations.”
Ms Gupta and her young family hope to eat their way across the world, tasting authentic dishes from every culture.
ADELAIDE PALATE PIONEERS
Handle: @adelaidepalatepioneers
Adelaide Palate Pioneers have all of state’s foodie hotspots covered.
From fan favourites such as Golden Boy and Jenny’s Bakery to lesser known spots like Verona Cafe and food trucks, consider your dinner plans sorted for the foreseeable future.
CALLUM HANN FROM CALLUM’S KITCHEN
Handle: @callums_kitchen
Followers: 123k
Callum Hann first burst onto our screens in MasterChef Australia’s second season.
After coming second in the comp, Mr Hann, who is originally from the Barossa Valley, has become a star of the Adelaide food scene.
“My dad worked in a winery for 27 years and my mum had a retail shop selling kitchen equipment, so we were always experimenting with the latest gadget in the kitchen at home,” Mr Hann said.
Along with running his restaurants, Roma and Olive, Mr Hann shares his cooking tips on his Instagram page.
“I don’t really consider myself as an influencer as I work in the restaurant industry, so I feel like I’m on the other side of the coin,” he said.
SOPHIE WILLIAMS FROM THE STREETS OF ADELAIDE
Handle: @thestreetsofadelaide
Followers: 73.4k
Sophie Williams started her foodie account 10 years ago.
While she never expected the “lovely response” she has received from her fans on Instagram and TikTok, Ms Williams said her favourite thing about being a food influencer was meeting new people and working with “generous” businesses.
“It’s a dream come true as it is now – there (were) no influencers when I started doing this so I never expected this,” Ms Williams said.
TANIA PRADUN FROM AMAZING GRAZERS
Handle: @amazinggrazers
Followers: 17.8k
Tania Pradun started Amazing Grazers in 2016 and started using Instagram and TikTok to advertise her platter making services – becoming a food influencer was just an “added bonus”.
“I do really like seeing my signature pear crackers or strawberry stars turn up on a board somewhere on the other side of the world,” Ms Pradun said.
True to form, Ms Pradun’s dream meal would be a long meze or tapas style lunch with plenty of shared plates.
“And of course a cheese platter to finish,” she said.
VANESSA PINTO & ERIC ANTHONY FROM THE JUMPING DUMPLING
Handle: @thejumpingdumpling
Followers: 4.8k
Vanessa Pinto and Eric Anthony are the faces behind @thejumpingdumpling and started their Instagram page after migrating from India to South Australia.
“When we moved to Australia, I found myself craving specific dishes from home that we just couldn’t find at local eateries,” Ms Pinto said.
“This sparked my motivation to try cooking and experimenting with recipes that brought back those wonderful childhood flavours.”
Lucky for us, Ms Pinto shares all her restaurant experiences as well as amazing recipes on her page.
ADELAIDE MENUS
Handle: @adelaide_menus
Followers: 841
This account is sure to simplify your order when visiting one of Adelaide’s incredible restaurants or cafes.
The creator behind this page tells you exactly what they ate and their description of each item to help take the guesswork out of being a foodie.
VICTORIA MANCHEFF FROM TREATS WITH TORI
Handle: @treats.withtori
Followers: 715
Food has always been a big part of Victoria Mancheff’s life but after competing in a body building competition, which required her to go on a restrictive diet, she admits her food obsession has only grown.
“I’m not really sure I’d call myself a good influencer yet, however the best part about having this account is having an excuse to try new foods all the time,” Ms Mancheff said.
The treats enthusiast recently started her own cookie business Dough Daddy and hopes to one day open up her own cafe.
FOOD DIARY ADELAIDE
Handle: @fooddiary_adl
Followers: 12.7k
This clever foodie shares their delicious recipes inspired by the Mediterranean.
With many being family recipes, this account proves that you do not need to leave the comfort of your own home to enjoy a mouth-watering feast.
DONNA FROM MUNCHING IN ADELAIDE
Handle: @munching.in.adelaide
Followers: 2.4k
Favourite SA eatery: Peel St, Nagomi Japanese Kitchen and Orso Kensington
Adelaide local, Donna is the face behind this @munching.in.adelaide mouth-watering content.
Her Insta is a one-stop shop for people looking to excite their palates and taste culinary delights from across a range of different cuisines.
“My dream foodie experience would probably be going to a venue where all my senses are engaged and eating exceptional food from different nations and being able to experience this with my loved ones,” Donna said.
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