Adelaide has never been shy about its dining scene, but the past year has delivered a new wave of restaurants that raise the bar even further. The city that already punches well above its weight on produce, wine and culinary talent has spent the past year opening restaurants that feel legitimately world-class; eateries where the venue is as considered as the menu, and where a long, unhurried dinner is very much the point. From reimagined heritage venues to bold new concepts in the heart of the CBD, our dining scene continues to reward those who pay attention. Here are six restaurants that have caught ours.
Huami
SkyCity Adelaide has long been in search of a restaurant that matches its setting. Huami, from Shanghai-born Chef Johnny Zhong, may well be it. The menu is built around showstopper cooking, wood-fired Peking duck, South Australian wagyu, Manuka honey char siu, and weekend yum cha that draws a crowd for good reason. The room is theatrical in the best sense: dragon columns, Cantonese opera references, a 700-bottle wine wall and sweeping views of the Riverbank. Bold, beautiful and completely committed to the experience.
SkyCity Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide | @huami.adelaide
Omada Bar & Grill
The cobalt blue door on Currie Street is your first clue that something interesting is happening inside. Omada, the Greek word for “team”, is Simon Kardachi’s (Fugazzi, Shōbōsho) latest venture, this time alongside chef Andy Ferrara, and it brings a bold Mediterranean sensibility to the heart of the CBD. Greek flavours are reimagined through the lens of South Australian produce: chargrilled Kobe octopus, whole salt-baked flathead, saganaki with spiced honey, and a lamb plate that arrives with chops, ribs and sheftalia. The wine list moves between local and Greek bottles with equal confidence. This is a table for people who like to make a night of it.
46 Currie Street, Adelaide | @omada.bargrill
OZIN
The East End’s rise as a serious dining destination shows no sign of slowing, and OZIN is one of its most compelling recent additions. Set inside a 1920s heritage building on East Terrace overlooking Rundle Park, the restaurant is the work of co-owner Neeraj Kumar, with Chef Vicky Ratnani bringing a kitchen shaped by stints across India, Germany, Kuwait and Dubai. The result is charcoal-driven cooking with real depth, expertly charred meats, complex layered flavours and handcrafted cocktails designed to work alongside the food rather than compete with it. Sophisticated, considered and worth the trip to the eastern edge of the city.
6 East Terrace, Adelaide | @ozin_restaurant
COLAC
Port Adelaide has been having a moment, and COLAC, the beautifully reimagined Colac Hotel, is a large part of why. Reopened in August 2025 after a significant transformation, the venue now houses multiple distinct experiences under one roof: the elegant six-course degustations at Elliot’s Restaurant, the more relaxed wood-fired pizzas and live jazz of Bootleg Social, and the breezy rooftop cocktails at Belles Botanica. Head Chef Grant Schooling leads the kitchen with a menu that takes its surroundings seriously, and two on-site distilleries (Imperial Measures and Dock) mean the spirits list is as local as it gets. A rewarding reason to cross the bridge.
1 Santo Parade, Port Adelaide | @colac.portadl
Station Road
Festival Plaza’s newest resident has wasted no time making its presence felt. Station Road occupies a prime position on the ground floor of Festival Tower, where Head Chef Baine Stubbs, formerly of Melbourne’s Vue de Monde, brings a French-inspired, modern Australian menu that is refined without being stiff. Grilled king prawns with ‘nduja, kingfish ceviche, a 1kg Stockyard wagyu T-bone, and a four-course ‘feed me’ option at $89 a head make for a menu that rewards both the indecisive and the committed. A striking marble bar, intimate wine bar and alfresco seating complete the picture. It works equally well for a celebratory dinner or a carefully considered glass before curtain up.
Festival Plaza, Adelaide | @stationroadadelaide
Angry Penguin
The Adelaide Festival Centre has long been a cultural landmark. Now it has the restaurant to match. Angry Penguin, named for the 1940s modernist movement that shook Australian art, opened in February 2026 under Executive Chef Alex Katsman, whose seasonal menu celebrates South Australian produce through refined European technique. Coffin Bay oysters with cucumber and gin sorbet, ocean trout with warrigal greens and dashi broth, and a grill section anchored by SA eye fillet make for a menu that earns its setting. The interiors are equally considered, with Sidney Nolan’s portrait of the fictitious poet Ern Malley on loan from the Art Gallery of SA taking centre stage. Come for the pre-show dinner; stay for everything else.
Festival Theatre, King William Road, Adelaide | @angrypenguinrestaurant
