SA’s late night ‘lifesavers’: 17 Adelaide spots serving coffee after 4pm
Ever needed an afternoon or evening pick-me-up and didn’t know where to find a coffee hit? Here’s our guide to the city’s best coffee shops after hours.
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Late night baristas are considered “lifesavers” by Adelaide’s emergency workers who rely on their freshly brewed caffeine hits well into the wee hours of the morning.
Finding a good cup of coffee after 4pm can be a struggle for many who work or study in or around the city.
While most cafes and coffee shops close mid afternoon, the night shift workers, university students and the like are hankering for a caffeine fix and are often left with supermarket or fast food coffee alternatives.
So, if you’re in need of a good cup of joe when everyone’s closed, here are 17 spots to visit.
Midnight Espresso Adelaide
Address: Changes daily, shared on Facebook each day
Open: 10pm to 3am
While we’re tucked up in bed, Liam Kearney and his team of night shift baristas are out slinging coffees for those who need them most.
Medical professionals across Adelaide hospitals grab their late night coffee from Midnight Espresso.
“I was working for another coffee company in Adelaide and a friend of mine who is a doctor was telling me about a business in Melbourne who was serving a bunch of hospitals at night out of a coffee van,” Mr Kearney said.
“Inadvertently on my Facebook feed I saw a coffee van come up for a very agreeable price, and I thought ‘oh why the hell not?’. I resigned from my job and started Midnight Espresso.”
Mr Kearney and his team travel to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Lyell McEwin Hospital, and the Women’s and Children’s Hospital almost every night, working from 10pm to 3am catering to hospital workers who have been appreciative since day dot.
“As soon as the business got up and running, it was appreciated from day one,” he said.
“We get told on at least nightly, if not multiple times a night, that we’re lifesavers by doctors and paramedics and nurses.
“It’s really nice to hear that we can, while still a business, can contribute to first responders and that community of people that work huge hours and work exceptionally hard.”
Mr Kearney said supporting hospital staff had been “the one thing” that had kept them going.
“They’re not nice hours, nobody likes working overnight, but the fact that we’ve been able to support the people who literally keep us alive, is a really nice thing we’ve been able to do,” he said.
While their night time hospital loop is its primary coffee run, Midnight Espresso also do functions during the day.
Bobibao
Address: 7 Second St, Bowden
Open: Wednesday to Friday 11am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 9pm
Modern Taiwanese spot Bobibao is one of the only coffee places in its Bowden neighbourhood after 4pm according to owners Joe and Emma Del Bono.
Located right near a bike track and the train station the cafe sees a lot of city workers and people passing through.
“In the area we’re in, a lot of people aren’t open for a coffee after 4pm,” Mr Del Bono said.
“Half a dozen people pop in for their afternoon coffee, and they are shift workers so it’s more like their morning coffee.”
Bobibao is open late most nights and has an all-day menu, meaning no one misses out.
“We’re there for the locals, we get a lot of people come in for a coffee and cake in the afternoon,” Mr Del Bono said.
Bakery On O’Connell
Address: 128-130 O’Connell St, North Adelaide
Open: 24/7
It’s one of North Adelaide’s most treasured bakeries and Bakery On O’Connell serves anyone at all hours of the day.
Open 24/7, front of house manager Letitia Smith said a wide range of people flock in every day and night.
“We get a lot of tradies, nurses, night shift workers come in after 4pm and grab a coffee,” Ms Smith said.
“About 20 to 30 nurses will order coffees and toasties or something at 1am or 2am.”
Ms Smith said a lot of elderly people also came in for a caffeine hit and sweet fix before dinner time.
While students from colleges nearby and from universities in the city often come through before or after class.
“With O-Week happening at the moment, we have lines of students out the door,” she said.
A Prayer for the Wild at Heart
Address: 44 Hurtle Square, Adelaide
Open: Wednesday to Friday 7am to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am to 10pm
In the mood for a specialty coffee after hours? A Prayer for the Wild at Heart on Hurtle Square has got your back.
Ravenmead Hospitality owner Emily Raven already ran My Kingdom for a Horse on Waymouth and Wright streets when she opened the new restaurant late last year.
She said it has quickly become a favourite among speciality coffee enthusiasts and office workers, tradies and those in the city were willing to walk the extra few blocks and pay the extra few bucks.
“We’re the place in the area that’s open past 4pm,” Ms Raven said.
“We’re still fairly new, but we are starting to see more and more people wanting coffee after hours.”
Karma and Crow
Address: 249/251 Richmond Rd, Richmond
Open: Wednesday to Friday 7am to 10pm, Saturday 8am to 10pm
It was voted best brunch spot in Adelaide’s west, Karma and Crow also do a great late arvo coffee.
The cafe serves coffee until 8pm from Wednesday to Saturday and is a firm favourite among locals.
It’s a great place to sit back and relax as well as taste test some of the best grub in SA.
St Louis
Address: 19 Gouger St, Adelaide
Open: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 11pm, Saturday 9am to 12am, Sunday 9am to 11pm
St Louis is the home of decadent ice cream and desserts and are it also offers coffee for those passing through or fancy a caffeine hit with their sweet treat.
The popular dessert spot serves coffee until about 10pm.
Cafe Palazzo
Address: 180 O’Connell St, North Adelaide
Open: Monday to Thursday 7am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 7am to 11pm, Sunday 7am to 10pm
Italian favourite Cafe Palazzo in North Adelaide serves coffee until 10pm, so make sure to keep it in mind if you’re working or studying in the area.
With your coffee, you can also treat yourself to one of the many desserts it has on offer. Perfect for an afternoon meeting or a pick me up.
Cafe Fellini
Address: 102 O’Connell St, North Adelaide
Open: Monday to Sunday 8am to 9pm
Also in North Adelaide is Cafe Fellini, which serves coffee until its doors close at 9pm.
The Italian family joint is known for it delicious pasta and pizza, and now you know you can rely on them for a cup of coffee after 4pm.
Cafe De Vili’s
Addresses: 2-14 Manchester Rd, Mile End South, 426 Main North Rd, Blair Athol and Shop 1/88 Elizabeth Way, Elizabeth
Open: 24 hours
It’s one of Adelaide’s beloved late night pit stops, where you can enjoy a coffee at any time of day or night.
Cafe De Vili’s has three locations around Adelaide, including Blair Athol, Mile End and Elizabeth, all of which are open 24 hours a day for all your delicious coffee and food needs.
Cafe Brunelli
Address: 187 Rundle St, Adelaide
Open: Monday to Sunday 8.30am to 9pm
Cafe Brunelli serves coffee until about 9pm every day of the week, but during Fringe season the cafe will be slinging coffees a little later to keep up with the eager crowds.
The Rundle St favourite is loved for its late night Italian food and drink, and now you know where to go for a coffee late in the day.
Cafe Bang Bang
Address: 53 Hindley St, Adelaide
Open: Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm
While you’re on your way through to Currie St or passing by after a late study session at uni, why not stop by Cafe Bang Bang?
The cafe offers coffee all day from the moment they open to when they close at 6pm on weekdays, so it’s the perfect place to rely on for a good cup of coffee when all other places have closed.
San Churro Rundle Street
Address: Shop 5/300 Rundle St, Adelaide
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 10am to 11.30pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 1am, Sunday 10am to 11.30pm
San Churro is the place to be for a quality Spanish hot chocolate.
Thanks to its late opening times, it’s also the place to be for a coffee at most time of the day. Dine in or takeaway, make sure you accompany your coffee with some fluffy churros!
Hey Jupiter Brasserie Francaise
Address: 11 Ebenezer Place, Adelaide
Opening hours: Wednesday and Thursday 7am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 7am to 11pm, Sunday 7am to 10pm
Are you fancying a taste of France? Hey Jupiter have you covered in the East End if you’re wanting to feel cultured and sip a coffee in the late afternoon.
The cafe serves coffee until late Wednesday to Sunday. Bon Appétit!
Pellegrini Cafe
Address: 179 O’Connell St, North Adelaide
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 7am to 11pm
Another O’Connell St favourite slinging coffees till late is Pellegrini Cafe.
Their coffee machine is on from the minute it opens until the minute it closes, so rest assured that you’re guaranteed a fine cup of Italian coffee whatever the hour of day.
Bravo Norwood
Address: 144 The Parade, Norwood
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 7.30am to 10pm, Friday 7.30am to 11pm, Saturday 8am to 11pm, Sunday 8am to 5pm
For 25 years this classic Norwood cafe has been delighting coffee lovers.
Brave Norwood on The Parade is the perfect place to be for a caffeine hit, whether hot or cold.
Stop by on your way into the city for an afternoon or late night cup of the good stuff, you won’t be disappointed.
Bocelli Caffe Ristorante
Address: 81/83 Hutt St, Adelaide
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday 8.30am to 9pm
If you’re working around Hutt St it would be a good idea to pop into Bocelli Caffe Ristorante when in search of a good cup of coffee in the afternoon or evening.
The cafe advised they serve coffee until about 8.30pm.
Koko Black
Address: Adelaide Arcade, Rundle Mall
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9am to 6pm, Friday 9am to 9pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10.30am to 5pm
There’s no better treat than chocolate to go along with your coffee.
Koko Black have it all, luxury chocolate, great desserts and even better, late afternoon coffee! On weekdays coffee is served until 6pm at the earliest and as late as 9pm.
Did we miss your favourite spot for a late afternoon or night time coffee? Let us know in the comments.
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