QUINTESSENTIAL ADELAIDE
Pike & Joyce Winery
The vastness of Australia offers a unique opportunity to become a tourist within the country when venturing to other states, cities and towns. Incredible diversity of landscape, climate, culture and food can be found. Scale means we perhaps don’t know where to start when we’re looking at a few days somewhere and want to make the most of it.
Locals or those of you who have also explored Adelaide and South Australia, we would love to hear your recommendations. These can then be added in to help others next time they travel here.
BEST BREAKFASTS
We sampled a few – in the interests of sound research – and drew the conclusion that another few weekends at least, would be needed to thoroughly explore the wonderful, cafes, artisan coffee making, local food proponents and the general great vibe of the many places we whizzed by and added to the ‘next time’ list.
Peel Street Kitchen
Seriously good coffee from a local roaster – Great start. Peel Street has a short, well-balanced breakfast menu written up on a small blackboard each day. Friendly, relaxed staff and a lovely, sunny situation with an industrial yet warm feel.
We sampled the ‘The Fry Up’ – which in fact, was delicately presented with the fried items – eggs, bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes; expertly balanced by a generous salad of herbs and leaves in a zesty, preserved lemon dressing.
Of course, it’s always all about the ingredients and The Leg Ham Toastie was pretty perfect. The slabs of good sourdough, thickly sliced ham and quality mustard - then compressed and toasted to just the right crispness was savoury and satisfying.
Perfect spot for a morning coffee meeting - Peel Street Kitchen
Breakfast at Peel Street - Industrial feel with some Middle Eastern touches
Art Gallery Food + Wine
A very civilised place to go for breakfast, or lunch for that matter, is Art Gallery Food + Wine. Sitting in the lovely Adelaide University campus, as well as attached to the Art Gallery, it offers a tranquil place to sit and dine. Popular dishes for breakfast include the Persian Style Eggs and their list of "Morning Bevvies" are ideal when you need a good quality Bloody Mary with local Kangaroo Island vodka; or a Marmalade Martini which showcases locally made Settlers Gin from McLaren Vale in South Australia.
BEST LUNCHES
Peel St Kitchen
Back to Peel Street we go – This place really is sensational. Consistent quality, generous, tasty, clean flavours and perfect service – relaxed yet efficient.
The menu is chalked up on the blackboard. The wine selection is carefully thought out and compliments the food. Staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Peel Street itself is a laneway that shares its namesake restaurant with a number of small bars, cafes and restaurants.
The flavours at the lovely Peel Street kitchen lean towards Asian and Middle Eastern and are perfectly balanced and put together with an artistic eye and a keen palate.
Browsing the menu at Peel Street Kitchen
Good vibe at Peel St.
Fresh flavours and local wine at Peel Street Kitchen
Pike & Joyce Winery
In under an hour from the CBD, after a really scenic drive that winds up into the Adelaide Hills, we arrived at Pike & Joyce, one of the well established and beautifully situated wineries in the region.
The vista, out over the vines and the beautifully set tables set us up for what was certainly a wonderful lunch, accompanied of course with Pike & Joyce wine that we first selected in a tasting that is hosted within the restaurant by the friendly staff. The emphasis is on good quality, local, seasonal produce, simply prepared and beautifully presented.
Scallops from Pike & Joyce - Perfect winery lunch
BEST SUNSET DRINK
Float up in the lift and emerge onto the rooftop of 2KW for an incredible view out over Adelaide and surrounds and a sunset drink and snack.
BEST DINNERS
Gin Long Canteen
Fun vibe, great Asian food delivered with flair by the efficient, friendly staff. Gin Long Canteen is packed but seems to just keep on delivering at high speed and top quality. We chose a selection of small and large plates to share and they were all delicious, generous and well presented.
Cocktails with a very fresh Asian twist; well-planned wine list, many of which are local.
Gin Long Canteen
Sean’s Kitchen
Sean O’Connell has opened a restaurant/gourmet bistro, Sean's Kitchen, linked to the casino and right by the Conference Centre, river, CBD. The style is cool, stylish, yet casual enough to feel comfortable and relaxed. Something from the freshly shucked oyster bar is a great way to start an evening- paired with a fresh local white wine perhaps?
Sitting under the beautiful vaulted ceiling and taking in the general style is worth a visit in itself.
BEST LOCAL FOOD SHOPPING
Central Market
Bustling, full of produce and local products, this market is a must-visit during an Adelaide trip. It’s a practical, functional market that is large, utilized by locals for their daily shopping and very popular with tourists who can get a great taste and look at a whole lot of local food in one, under-cover venue.
The Market Shed on Holland Street
Sunday morning? The Market Shed on Holland Street is the place to go if you like local food and produce. Small scale producers, artisan products; food to eat there and supplies to gather up and take home. Bliss for a food lover. Most of the food is organic and there are lots of healthy options as well as a few indulgences.
We tried a breakfast pizza, made fresh in the wood fired pizza oven. The coffee was great and a green juice seemed fitting to balance it all out.
Market Shed on Holland Street - Sunday morning essential visit
Breakfast Pizza at Market Shed on Holland Street
BEST PLACE TO STAY
We loved staying at The Mayfair Hotel, Adelaide’s newest 5 star, boutique hotel, perfectly situated in the CDB and appointed beautifully. We felt very well looked after by the friendly, genuine staff.
We'd love to hear from you with any locations on your 'wishlist' for either working in as a locum or moving there permanently; or for a location guide that we can send out to give you a good feel for the local experiences on offer.
If you are a doctor and would like to know more about living and and working in Adelaide then Prescript would be very happy to help. Call 1300 755 498 or click the button below.