15 upcoming restaurant and cafe openings for Adelaide in 2023
New eateries, top chef projects and cult ice cream – here are the Adelaide venue openings we’re excited about in 2023 (smashed patty burgers and secret bowling alley included)!
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Like to be a step ahead, fork at the ready?
We’ve uncovered a raft of exciting new restaurants, cafes and bars slated to open in 2023 – here’s what we can reveal so far. There are some big chef movements, too – Andy Davies, of Press and Osteria Oggi fame, for example, and Nigel Rich, who made a name for himself at The Elbow Room in McLaren Vale. From a cult-loved ice creamery, to a tapas bar inside a bottle shop and a Mediterranean restaurant, here are 15 new venues we’re excited about this year.
DIAMOND BURGER
3/563 Portrush Rd, Glenunga
Opens: Superbowl Monday, February 13
From the brains behind Brighton coffee haunt C.R. E. A. M and Remy’s Deep Dish Pizza & Bar comes an all-American diner – Diamond Burger.
Josh Rivers’ latest project will specialise in “smashed” patties, and also serve up short order breakfast, fried chicken and seafood – the latter in homage to the venue’s previous tenants, Barnacle Bill.
“The LA-style smashed patties … trend hasn’t hit Adelaide yet; we’ll be one of the first ones to put it out after Burger Inc on Unley Rd,” Josh says.
“In Adelaide we have medium-to-thick patties. These ones get smashed out on the grill and they go crispy. There’ll be a fair ol’ list (of burgers) – like with C.R. E. A. M and Remy’s I’ll try to push the boundaries again.”
Rivers describes the interior as “very Miami Vice” with a white backdrop and loads of neons. “We spent a huge portion of our budget on lighting,” he says.
“I love basketball, so there’s basketball paraphernalia all over the walls and two big TV screens that will be playing basketball pretty much 24/7 and also all the other major sporting events.”
The 50-seat diner will be open daily, and opens on Superbowl Monday, February 13.
27 HALIFAX STREET PROJECT
27 Halifax St, Adelaide
Opens: later 2023
Three local companies are coming together for this one – The Big Easy Group (Anchovy Bandit, Yiasu George, Nola and more); Gonzo Group (Cry Baby, Shotgun Willie’s, Memphis Slim’s House of Blues); and design studio Divide Agency. The Project will comprise an 80-seat restaurant; a casual tapas bar and courtyard, as well as a “hidden” retro bowling alley.
“We wanted the space to cater to everyone,” Oliver Brown of Big Easy Group says. “We’re pretty pumped.”
NAME TBC: 2 KING WILLIAM ST
2 King William St, Adelaide
Opens: mid-2023
Already home to two successful city restaurants – Fishbank (winner of the Best Wine List gong in the 2022 delicious. 100) and the upstairs finer diner and rooftop bar, 2KW, the heritage listed bank building will welcome a whole new restaurant offering this year. We can’t wait to reveal more.
BO RAN
46 Exchange Pl, Adelaide
Opens: Monday, February 6 (soft opening this weekend)
A Thai restaurant is breathing new life into the former Pranzo Italian restaurant site in Exchange Place. Bo Ran – which translates to “ancient” – will serve Asian food that is currently difficult to find in Adelaide, says co-owner Geng Sapphachai.
“It’s going to be a cafe in the morning, serving coffee, Australian and Asian-fusion style breakfasts, then lead into more Asian food at lunch and dinner,” he says.
The restaurant will also have a focus on cocktails by night.
Pranzo closed its doors in May 2022.
PATCH KITCHEN & GARDEN
143 Mount Barker Rd, Stirling
Opens: February 8
Forget everything you know about Patch. Gone are the cubby house, kiddie blackboards and “Grinch green” walls; in are two top chefs in Andy Davies (Press, Osteria Oggi) and his wife, Belle Kha, who will be taking care of the front of house. Together with business partners
Peter and Mette Harvey, they’ve given the 96-seat space a major refit, and the menu a complete overhaul that’s set to make Patch an Adelaide Hills dining destination.
“I’ve got two big 1.2 diameter braziers out the back, and we’re going to bring back the Sunday roast, our way,” Andy says. “People might buy a salad and veggies and mash, and there might be 30 lamb shoulders on the brazier slow roasting away. Or, I’ll ring up Ferguson’s and say, right, Andy (Ferguson), what are you going to do me on 100 cray, and then we’ll have a big crayfish Sunday up here with a big tub of butter, garlic, parsley, and just lather up the crayfish and keep slapping them on the braziers.
“I just want to make things exciting and a point of difference for people, without being too fancy about it.” More to come.
EAST END CELLARS – NORWOOD GREEN
88 Magill Rd, Norwood
Opens: April
Michael Andrewartha’s hugely successful East End Cellars bottle shop, tasting room and restaurant, in Adelaide’s East End, is branching out to the eastern suburbs.
EEC Norwood Green will be Adelaide’s first suburban bottle shop serving food and drinks on site. The 180 sqm space will house a small kitchen serving tapas-style small plates.
“The response we’re getting is, ‘hurry up; giddy up, we can’t wait’,” Mr Andrewartha said. “People want to go out for a drink in their suburb and go home.”
ELA AT HOTEL ALBA | RESTAURANT, BAR AND POOL
226 South Tce, Adelaide
Opens: August
Chef Nigel Rich (d’Arry’s Verandah, Jolley’s Boathouse, The Elbow Room) is heading the kitchen at new restaurant ‘ela’ at Hotel Alba, opening later this year. It will be a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant with a focus on South Australian produce.
GELATO MESSINA
44 The Parade, Kent Town
Opens: mid-2023
Cult ice cream brand Gelato Messina – founded by SA brothers Nick and Danny Palumbo – is finally coming to Adelaide.
The boys will open in the old Alchemy Ironworks on The Parade, Kent Town, in a matter of months. It comes 20 years after Nick moved to Sydney to open the first Gelato Messina store. Since then, the company has grown to 16 stores across Australia and Hong Kong – with several more on the way – while their social media following has ballooned to 240,000 Instagram followers. Innovative flavours include Corn Flake milk gelato with chocolate crackles and milo ganache; Ritz cracker gelato with Ritz cracker crumb; and Chocolate crème patisserie gelato with chocolate hazelnut fudge, candied hazelnuts and crushed cannoli shells.
There are 40 signature flavours in total, plus rotating specials, all of which will be available at the Kent Town site along with Messina’s gelato cakes and their new range of chocolate.
NAME TBC: RESTAURANT BEHIND GELATO MESSINA
44 The Parade, Kent Town
Opens: TBC
When speaking with The Advertiser, Nick Palumbo revealed there would be a restaurant attached at the back of their Norwood Gelato Messina site.
“Some of our hospitality friends are taking over, so it will be a great place to come for dinner and have a scoop at the Messina afterwards,” Nick said.
Watch this space.
SO LONG, MARIANNE
110-112 Marion Rd, Brooklyn Park
Opens: April
From the crew behind popular brunch cafe, Karma & Crow in Richmond, comes this new vegetarian restaurant and bar. There won’t be a menu, owner Janie Kammer describes, but rather, “you will be asked about your dietary requirements only before we deliver a series of dishes to delight the senses”. The space will sit adjacent to the team’s upcoming brewery, Yellow Matter. They’re currently trying to raise funds to get the restaurant project off the ground.
YELLOW MATTER
110 Marion Rd, Brooklyn Park
Opens: April
A 580sq m brewery, headed by Tristan Barlow (formerly Bodriggy Brewing Company, Melbourne). The watering hole will be designed by local award-winning outfit studio-gram, and will also be serving up small plates and vego pizza.
“We will be hosting events and weddings in 2023 and aim to empower women and gender diverse folks in a male dominated industry,” Janie says.
DANTE’S DELI
3/58 Jetty Rd, Glenelg
Opens: March
The Italian sandwich bar trend is headed beachside with Dante’s Deli, slated to open next month. It aims to bring Melbourne’s “grab and go” panini culture to the area, using quality ingredients.
DELLA’S DELI
Flagstaff Hill Shopping Centre, 1 Ridgeway Dr, Flagstaff Hill
Opens: April
Not to be confused with Dante’s Deli above – Della’s in Flagstaff Hill comes from the owners of The Front Page Cafe in South Plympton, and will be serving up breakfast, sandwiches and pastries, as well as housemade coffee.
BAR MERCATO
625-627 Lower North East Road Campbelltown
Opens: late 2023
The existing Bar Mercato, within the Italian instition that is Mercato, will undergo a complete transformation this year and reopen as more of a restaurant than casual eatery. Watch this space.
DUMPLING 100 EXPRESS
Shop 3, 33 King William St, Adelaide;
Rundle Place Foodcourt, 77-91 Rundle Mall, Adelaide
Opens: February
With two city sites opening soon, Dumpling 100 Express is a South Australian brand specialising in Chinese dumplings. Dishes range from traditional pan-fried dumplings and wonton noodle soups to dumpling rice bowls.
JUST OPENED
Some venues Adelaide has already welcomed this year:
Dolly
246 Unley Rd, Unley
Adelaide restaurateur Sam Worrall Thompson of the ever-popular Bar Lune has just opened the doors to his 52-seat Unley bar, Dolly – part bar, part food, part disco.
Bar Riot
57 Gilbert St, Adelaide
Riot Wine Co., and Palmer Hospitality have come together to open this new bar-led restaurant in Gilbert St. Executive chef Trent Lymn (2KW) and chef Cecilia Teigeiro serve up sophisticated small plates with a Spanish slant, all designed to share.
Leo’s Pizza Bar
104 Prospect Rd, Prospect
Beloved neighbourhood pizza restaurant, Leo’s Bar + Pizza, has reopened on Prospect Road after atwo-month renovation.
“The new design, look and feel signals we will be here for 50 more years – with the pizzas you know and love – in a space that will stand the test of time thanks to the incredible design,” says Shelvin Assmann, whose father, Gunter, opened the business in 1975.
Bluprint
60 Flinders Street, Adelaide
A new cafe has breathed life into the bottom of the Santos building on Flinders St.
“The food is fresh and healthy using Secco Fine Foods in the kitchen, with bread and focaccias made in-house as well as dine-in meals and quick fresh takeaway options too,” co-owner Frankie Marafioti says.
The Light Room
63 Light Square, Adelaide
A new bar, gallery and event space, located above Aurora restaurant and The Lab. Aurora Head Chef, Sam Cooper, has developed an inspired bar menu to champion local South Australian suppliers including Little Acre Foods and Gazander Oysters
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