SA's 50 best restaurants

The finalists are lined up for this year’s Advertiser Food Awards on Monday night (28th October).

We are a generation obsessed with deliciousness, seemingly always in the mood for food. Fortunately, Adelaide is the perfect provider, ready to sate our penchant for dining out, for being surprised by new food ideas, and for wanting it all at a good price.

On Monday night, the winners of the annual, coveted Advertiser Food Awards will be announced. They hail from our short list of about 50 restaurants, chosen by our food team as the best places for a top nosh in a great atmosphere with excellent value.

Ruby Red Flamingo is nominated in the Best Italian category of the Advertiser Food Awards.

NEW RESTAURANTS

Peel St
9 Peel St, city, ph 8231 8887
A pioneer in this little laneway with former Aquacaf crew led by Jordan Theodoros serving up Middle Eastern and Asian flavours. Lots of buzz.

The Daniel O’Connell
165 Tynte St, North Adelaide, ph 8267 4032
Two pumped chefs, and a like-minded new owner have turned this historic pub into a mecca of nose-to-tail eating, plus the pub faves of course. Be adventurous.

Salopian Inn
Cnr McMurtrie and Main rds,
McLaren Vale, ph 8323 8769
An historic inn revived. Sample boutique spirits, tangle with a towering burger, or have an intimate night sharing Karena Armstrong’s Asian fusion. Feels like a friendly pub.

Terroir
Main North Rd, Auburn, ph 8849 2509
Energy and excitement in this light airy space, with creative and playful food that’s quite a departure from the limited local dining scene. Go the distance.

Faraja
36 King William Rd, Hyde Park, ph 8357 2884
Smiling faces, simple and comfortable settings, real food, generous serves designed to share and prices that mean you can drop in often. Just like dining in, but better.

COMMUNITY

Parwana
124 Henley Beach Rd, Torrensville, ph 8443 9001
Mum Farida Ayubi weaves her homely magic in what must be one of the smallest restaurant kitchens in the state. Her Afghani menu is brief, with smart seasonal variations, making you feel like this has been an exotic trip. Pack your own drinks.

Peel St is nominated in the New Restaurant category of the Advertiser Food Awards.

The Barn Mt Gambier
747 Glenelg River Rd, Mt Gambier, ph 8726 8250
It’s all about magnificent beef. Alternatives are fish, scallops, prawns, chicken, and, of late, a vegetarian pea falafel. The wine list offers 500 lovingly curated choices. It’s where locals celebrate their special occasions. Skip lunch and tuck in.

The Black Sheep Burra
3 Upper Thames St, Burra, ph 8892 2886
The converted shed is a trattoria so good for the soul. Tuscan Paolo Vitozzi and his Aussie wife Clare keep the wood oven stoked, and the self-serve beer fridge stocked. Pizzas are the main game, but roast lamb or porchetta too, if you’re lucky. Worth travelling for.

Sarah’s Sisters Sustainable Cafe
117 Semaphore Rd, Semaphore, ph 8449 5817
One eco-step ahead of the rest. The 35-year-old business is going strong. Marion Prosser and her crew are the soul of this suburban drag, offering a vegetarian smorgasbord heaving with flavour and earthy inventiveness. For carnivores too.

Faraja
See New Restaurants section.

BEST ITALIAN

Andre’s Cucina and Polenta Bar
94 Frome St, city, ph 8224 0004
Don’t forget the seasonal blackboard specials at this vibrant CBD eatery. Former MasterChef finalist Andre Ursini has made this an authentic Italian experience. Expect big hubbub.

Auge
22 Grote St, city, ph 8410 9332
Starters come in elaborate and beautifully plated small serves designed to set you off on a leisurely food and wine experience. Consider the casual Spuntini Bar alternative.

Ruby Red Flamingo
142 Tynte St, North Adelaide, 8267 5769
A communally accessible trattoria without pretence and alive with personality. An ever-changing menu suits the no-booking-for-less-than-10 policy. Italian is fun again.

Enzo’s Ristorante
46 Port Rd, Hindmarsh, ph 8346 2786
Reliably excellent food is backed by genuinely warm hospitality in a space that never gets too noisy, and any conversation lulls can be filled watching the chef in the semi-open kitchen. Handmade pasta is the treat. Watch the grill and Flintstone steaks.

Chianti Classico
160 Hutt St, city, ph 8232 7955
The uncommon longevity of this benchmark restaurant can be traced to its complexities such as exuding a sense of occasion but leaning to minimum fuss, rustic flavours and generosity. The dessert platter solves the “no-more-room” issue.

The Grill (Stirling Hotel) is nominated in the Hotel category of the Advertiser Food Awards.

BEST INDIAN

Shankers
89 Prospect Rd, Prospect,
ph 8342 1133
Shanker Sabapathy is behind the southern specialties on this Indian menu, teamed with great drinks concocted by his son, Maheson. Chicken chettinad is trumps.

Arya
Level 1, 30/81 O’Connell St, Nth Adelaide, ph 8267 6388
The service is formal in this large, fairly hushed dining space. It’s spot-on for consistent Indian flavours by chef Kalam Singh. They are easy on the ghee.

Beyond India
170 O’Connell St, Nth Adelaide, ph 8267 3820
Extensive choices are key, in the food, the drinks and banquet options. Lamb roganjosh wins special mention for slow-braised meat that melts into a spiced tomato sauce. Make it a night with a movie-meal deal.

Dhaba at the Spice Kitchen
252 Kensington Rd, Leabrook, ph 8431 4288
It has been a big year for chef/owner Ragini Dey who has published a cookbook and seen her restaurant gain national standing. It’s all about the food.

Jasmin
31 Hindmarsh Sq, city, ph 8223 7837
If you love to be treated like royalty, this is your palace. The Singh-Sandu family have been dishing up wonderful food and service for 30 years. Look out for stars and English cricket teams.

BEST ASIAN

Kenji
5/242 Hutt St, city, ph 8232 0944
Try the notorious puffer fish, if just for the thrill. Kenji Ito is arguably one of our most inventive chefs. Great seafood, lots of wow.

Yakitori Takumi
60/55 Melbourne St, Nth Adelaide, ph 8239 2111
The menu is focused on small, barbecued skewers with different marinades and sauces, all cooked on grills behind the bar. Good food, fun, and many sake.

FermentAsian
90 Murray St, Tanunda, ph 8563 0765
This world-class South-East Asian restaurant, with a similarly impressive mega wine list, has talented chef Tuoi Do presenting lively cuisine mostly stemming from her own family gardens. Book ahead.

Nghi Ngan Quan
4/34 Wright St, Ferryden Park, ph 8244 6003
The menu is 15 pages long, covering classic salads, pho, bun vermicelli as well as a grill-yourself chapter, steam boats and hot pots. Good wine list.

Shankers is nominated in the Best Indian category of the Advertiser Food Awards.

Star of Siam
67 Gouger St, city, ph 8231 2527
The consistent bums on seats are well deserved at this pioneer of Thai flavours in Adelaide. It also offers efficient service. Snare a pavement table.

CAFE

Assaggio Cafe
84 Newton Rd Campbelltown, ph 8336 5599
The casual arm of the Italian finer dining Assaggio in Hyde Park. Quick meals, good cooking and plenty of space for families and celebrations. Easy dining.

Cafe Troppo
42 Whitmore Square, city, ph 8211 8812
Enjoy the bohemian vibe, grassy outlook and light meals at a breezy shabby chic footpath table. Take a cider and some dude food. Good coffee, affordable wine.

The Coffee Barun
219 Main North Rd, Sefton Park, ph 8342 2428
Renowned for its freshly roasted coffees and family friendly vibe. Many people drive across town for the beans. Travel for it.

Grind It, Glenelg
4 Moseley St Glenelg, ph 8376 0049
Off the main drag, but attracts a cult following. The coffee is great, but the food also deserves special mention. Brekkie and lunch only.

The Stranded Store
14 The Strand, Colonel Light Gardens, ph 8177 2220
Serious food emanates at this suburban gem, attracting local mums as well as a wider crowd happy to travel for the goods. Love the weekend brekkies.

BEST CHINESE

CitiZen
401 King William Rd, city, ph 8212 8383
Big and busy, and a back-of-the-main-menu list of “authentic” dishes including live seafood, jellyfish and abalone, which attract Chinese family groups. Good spot to go with a crowd.

Concubine
132 Gouger St, city, ph 8212 8288
The smart interiors evoke the mood of a 1930s Shanghai salon. Chef Kenny Ting makes things interesting with SA produce often the hero, like Barossa chicken. Enjoy the local connection.

From Orient
125-127 Pirie St, city, ph 8232 4020
A rather stylish setting lends a finer dining feel, but the innovative Sichuan-oriented menu is the star, with local produce augmented by lots of chillies and peppercorns. Chef Li Peng brings us a menu that is an Asian adventure. Prepare to be surprised.

Park Lok
130 Grote St, city, ph 8212 8316
You wonder if those live lobsters nearby know what’s what. If squeamish about this, request another seat because a visit here is not complete without prawn cabbage rolls, or salt & pepper Moreton Bay bugs. Feel free to make a mess.

T Chow
68 Moonta St, city, ph 8410 1413
A distinctive set of duck dishes is one of the lures to this heart-of-Chinatown restaurant. Its Chuichow cuisine is part of an authentic menu that may surprise conservatives. Peking duck a standout.

LUNCH IN THE CBD

Georges on Waymouth
20 Waymouth St, city, ph 8211 6960
A long-standing lunch spot in the Waymouth food precinct, where service is reliably primo. The wine list is a heady mix which owner George Kasimatis loves to explain. For conservative lunchalots.

Pizza e Mozzarella Bar
338 Pirie St, city, ph 8164 1003
Within its first year, this pizza-plus became so popular, bookings are a must. The pizzas cover a dinner plate, so consider sharing. If you like them, they will teach you how to make them.

Pranzo
46 Exchange Place, city, ph 8231 0661
Italian food within the hour doesn’t feel rushed, doesn’t carry compromises. Give credit to the service, particularly when co-owner Abdulla Daher is in charge. For lunchalots on a schedule.

Press Food and Wine
40 Waymouth St, city, ph 8211 8048
Modern Australian is a truly apt description for this diner applying Mediterranean, South American and Asian rules to our best steaks, offal, fish and more, without the cheffy tizz. There’s tapas too.

Chianti Classico
See Best Italian section.

REGIONAL

Appellation, The Louise,
Seppeltsfield Rd, Marananga, ph 8562 4144
Chef Ryan Edwards’ menu is slowly changing with some tidy Asian flair applied to local foods, and a 600-strong wine list. More contemporary plans afoot.

d’Arry’s Verandah
d’Arenberg Winery, Osborne Rd, McLaren Vale,
ph 8329 4848
Chef Peter Reschke’s artful menu is a world of foods to match d’Arenberg’s wines. Oohs and aahs.

Hentley Farm
Cnr Gerald Roberts and Jenke rds, Seppeltsfield,
ph 8562 8427
Expect the unexpected. Chef Lachlan Colwill will appear now and then to guide you through the degustation-style Discovery menu. One for special times.

Fino
8 Hill St, Willunga, ph 8556 4488
Feel the love for earthy flavours of the Fleurieu. Chef David Swain allows them to shine. Taste the region.

The Elbow Room
Cnr Stumphill and Main Rd, McLaren Vale, ph 8323 8686
Just a little longer please. It’s a given with dreamy views and Nigel Rich’s Fleurieu-driven menu. Relax.

Maximilians
15 Onkaparinga Rd, Verdun, ph 8388 7777
New owners have swept away time-warp memories at this white-walled farmhouse. Chef Tom Reid maps an exciting hills food trail. Great food for children too.

Terroir
See New Restaurant section.

HOTEL

The HWY
290 Anzac Hwy, Plympton, ph 8297 8155
A multi-award winner with a smart collection of areas including an elegant dining room nicely separated from the after-work and weekend buzz. Great outdoors.

The Lion Hotel
161 Melbourne St, Nth Adelaide, ph 8367 0222
Mod multi-functional spaces and great pub attitude keep the customers streaming in. Upmarket pubbing.

The Grill (Stirling Hotel)
52 Mt Barker Rd, Stirling, ph 8339 2345
Even a day-time patisserie and new pizzeria feature in the collection of spots to park yourself. The stylish Grill restaurant has an ambitious menu. A cut above.

Victory Hotel
Main South Rd, Sellicks Hill, ph 8556 3083
It can be described as knockabout, but wine folk love the glorious cellar of owner Doug Govan. Killer views.

The Daniel O’Connell
See the New Restaurants section.

SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Magill Estate
78 Penfold Rd, Magill, ph 8301 5551
This restaurant reopened too late in the year to be hailed in our reviews, but deserves mention for its supreme wine and dine experience, which at full throttle commands the highest price in the country.

Chloe's Restaurant
36 College Rd, Kent Town, ph 8362 2574
With no fine-dining category this year, Chloe’s still deserves honourable mention, again as a special
occasion destination where the service and food is delightfully over-the-top.

BAR

Clever Little Tailor
The Collins Bar, Hilton City
Cork Wine Cafe
Proof
Udaberri

WINE LIST

Appellation
The Barn, Mt Gambier
FermentAsian
Fino
Victory Hotel

Source: The Telegraph, 26 October 2013