Adelaide’s best eats in city laneways — and beyond
SHE’S helped revitalise Peel St, Bank St and Leigh St and today Georgina Vasilevski shares where you’ll find great eats and drinks in the heart of the city.
SHE’S helped revitalise Peel St, Bank St and Leigh St and today Georgina Vasilevski shares where you’ll find great eats and drinks in the heart of the city as part of our Favourite Food series in which The City asks a local identity to share their favourite eating spots.
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OUR favourite laneways didn’t just suddenly become cool and vibrant.
Behind the scenes, people like Georgina have been working on the nuts and bolts of making precincts into places where we love to hang out.
Georgina is general manager of People and Place Management at Renewal SA and is a key influencer behind the revitalisation of Peel St, Bank St and Leigh St.
“Each of those streets and precincts are so different and we’ve approached them in individual ways — it’s been about getting the balance right and keeping just enough grunge for the laneway to stay interesting while providing safe spaces for people to relax, sit and eat,” she says.
“I love it when I hear people who last visited Adelaide maybe a year ago who have come back now and say ‘wow!’ when they see the changes taking place.”
Georgina, part of Renewal SA’s executive team, loves her job and balances a busy work life with her role as a mum to two sons, Damian, 16, and Samuel, 9.
“There’s not a day I don’t wake up and really want to go to work — there’s a lot to do, lots of conversations to have and it feels to me like we’re at the cusp of real transformation.”
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Peel Street Restaurant, 9 Peel St
GEORGINA says she tries to check out the latest restaurants after work and usually catches up with friends in the city.
“This is the kind of place I like to visit when I’m catching up with friends with shared foods and a relaxed vibe,” Georgina says.
“Ben and Jordan (Peel St owners) always say hello, they’ve created a community feel, and the service is exceptional which makes you want to keep coming back.”
“The food is amazing and never hit or miss — and I wish I didn’t love the pate quite so much!”
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Electra House, 131 King William St
“I LOVE old buildings and I’m particularly impressed with how this one has been restored,” Georgina says. The heritage-listed building next to Australia Post has reopened after a $10 million development.
“I’m yet to get to Olea (the flagship modern Greek restaurant) so that’s on my list but I’ve popped into the ground floor bar and beer garden and really enjoyed it.”
Chef Alfonso Ales has a street food focus in this casual section — try the Louisiana po-boy bread roll with crispy oysters, shrimps, iceberg lettuce, tomato and Sriracha mayo.
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East End Cellars, 25 Vardon Ave
“I LIKE the way you can pop in here and grab a glass of wine and a platter,” Georgina says.
“They always have beautiful cheeses.”
She says EEC has a “really nice, accessible” atmosphere and is part of that overall bar culture which has sprung up around the city.
“Small venue licences have been pivotal to the success of the city revitalisation too — 39 extra venues with $10m private investment coming in and the creation of more than 400 jobs,” she says.
“We’ve seen a whole lot of funky little bars and restaurants opening their doors.