llessur Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 (edited) Continuing my theme of adding a few threads to the forum about the city, I thought it was worthwhile providing some information about places to eat and drink. There have been a glut of new bars and restaurants opening across the city since the State Government introduced a new category of liquor licence for venues with a capacity of under 120 people back in 2013 - there are now in the region of 120 new venues operating across the CBD that did not exist in 2012. This number has been increasing by around 20 each year since the change and has had a dramatic effect on the vibrancy and activation within previously quiet parts of the city - especially some laneways such as Peel Street and Leigh Street: Peel Street Leigh Street I thought it was worth mentioning this fact as many of the less than positive posts about Adelaide on this forum seem to have been made by people who have not lived here in the last few years. I have been a resident of Adelaide since 2012 and the atmosphere around the place has genuinely changed immeasurably since then (although I am assured by my wife that the fact this uplift occurred directly after my arrival is a mere coincidence). Whilst it's probably difficult to provide commentary of venues which have already opened, I will try to keep the thread updated with details of new announcements - it may help to provide prospective migrants with an idea of what nightlight and entertainment options exist in the city. The latest announcement is for the re-opening of the former dining hall at Adelaide Railway Station (which has been closed off and used for storage for over a decade) as a bar/restaurant called the Guardsman. The bar will front onto the station concourse and looks like it will be a great addition to the already grand building: According to the press release: "The Guardsman will feature a grand central bar, open kitchen, multiple dining and seating zones, a private room and shopfront serving coffee and takeaway items opening onto the Railway concourse. It includes full restoration of the Hall’s heritage features". It will certainly make it a lot easier for me to grab a beer on the way to home from work... Edited July 19, 2019 by llessur 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 Sounds pretty good. How did you come to choose Adelaide to live in? I didn't plan to live in Sydney as Perth was my first choice. I couldn't get a job there, nor Adelaide, so Sydney was supposed to be the last stop before heading back to the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llessur Posted August 8, 2019 Author Share Posted August 8, 2019 (edited) I came over on a partner visa - I met my Aussie wife back in the UK and as she was from Adelaide we ended up here. Our original plan was to head to Melbourne as we were in our late 20s/early 30s back then and didn't think Adelaide had much to offer. One of the reasons we ended up staying was the increasing amount of vibrancy and entertainment options in the city - it was a lot more fun than we expected so we didn't feel the need to move interstate. These days we've got a toddler so regular trips to bars and restaurants seem like a distant memory. Now we appreciate Adelaide for different reasons - the weather, ease of getting around, short commutes, house prices, parklands etc. I can't image bringing up a toddler in central Melbourne... Edited August 8, 2019 by llessur 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llessur Posted August 8, 2019 Author Share Posted August 8, 2019 The fantastic Pizzateca of McLaren Vale fame has now opened a pizzeria in the CBD, on Gilbert Street - Madre. Looks great Apparently the style is a super-traditional take on Neapolitan pizza, using seawater and sourdough rather than fresh yeast which results in a lighter, easier to digest end product. If they're anything as good as their existing offering at McLaren Vale then I'll be happy! More info: https://citymag.indaily.com.au/habits/plate-and-cup/madre-pizzeria-pizzateca-adelaide-cbd/ https://citymag.indaily.com.au/habits/madre-gilbert-street-pizzateca-adelaide/ https://www.broadsheet.com.au/adelaide/food-and-drink/article/now-open-madre-arrives-cbd-serving-neapolitan-pizza-made-seawater \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRC Posted August 8, 2019 Share Posted August 8, 2019 14 hours ago, llessur said: I came over on a partner visa - I met my Aussie wife back in the UK and as she was from Adelaide we ended up here. Our original plan was to head to Melbourne as we were in our late 20s/early 30s back then and didn't think Adelaide had much to offer. One of the reasons we ended up staying was the increasing amount of vibrancy and entertainment options in the city - it was a lot more fun than we expected so we didn't feel the need to move interstate. These days we've got a toddler so regular trips to bars and restaurants seem like a distant memory. Now we appreciate Adelaide for different reasons - the weather, ease of getting around, short commutes, house prices, parklands etc. I can't image bringing up a toddler in central Melbourne... This is all really positive to hear. We are just waiting on our visas and will be heading to SA (with a toddler in tow) after never visiting anywhere other than WA so it’s brilliant reading all the information you share on here. Thank you 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted August 8, 2019 Share Posted August 8, 2019 14 hours ago, llessur said: I came over on a partner visa - I met my Aussie wife back in the UK and as she was from Adelaide we ended up here. Our original plan was to head to Melbourne as we were in our late 20s/early 30s back then and didn't think Adelaide had much to offer. One of the reasons we ended up staying was the increasing amount of vibrancy and entertainment options in the city - it was a lot more fun than we expected so we didn't feel the need to move interstate. These days we've got a toddler so regular trips to bars and restaurants seem like a distant memory. Now we appreciate Adelaide for different reasons - the weather, ease of getting around, short commutes, house prices, parklands etc. I can't image bringing up a toddler in central Melbourne... I don't know central Melbourne but I live almost in central Sydney and there are a surprising number of young families - must admit "RICH" young families, probably, who trade the big gardens of the suburbs for being able to walk everywhere. If you have to commute long distances though, horrible in Sydney! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llessur Posted August 8, 2019 Author Share Posted August 8, 2019 Oh I don't doubt it can be done (especially if you've got money) - most of our friends back in the UK have now had kids and are bringing them up in inner city areas, I can see there would be many benefits. However, we're now living in a city fringe suburb in Adelaide so we get all of the benefits of city life (we're about as close as you can get before you hit the parklands - 5 mins on the train) but we still have the all space and amenity of suburban living. If we were living in Melbourne as originally planned we'd either be paying through the nose renting a tiny city apartment where we'd be tripping over each other all day, or we'd have moved 40km out of the city to be able to buy a place - in which case we wouldn't really be living in Melbourne. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llessur Posted August 8, 2019 Author Share Posted August 8, 2019 7 hours ago, JRC said: This is all really positive to hear. We are just waiting on our visas and will be heading to SA (with a toddler in tow) after never visiting anywhere other than WA so it’s brilliant reading all the information you share on here. Thank you No worries at all Adelaide tends to get a bit of a bad rap on here but a lot of the negativity seems to come from people who haven't been here recently. The city has genuinely changed immeasurably in the last 6 or 7 years - it feels like it is finding its feet and embracing the mid-sized, lower populated city that it is (and all of the benefits that come with that) as opposed to living in the shadow of the larger cities like Sydney and Melbourne. I also thought it's worth adding some comments and threads about the city itself as a lot of the discussions I have read relate to moving to the southern suburbs, well away from the city. Whilst I can fully understand why people would want to live in these beautiful areas, with SA being so city-centric (i.e. a lot of the employment, shopping, bars, restaurants, events etc are located in the city) I also think it's well worth pointing out the benefits of living closer to the city - shorter commutes, easy access to city attractions like footy, cricket, theatre, festivals, wining & dining etc. At the end of the day a commute is a commute - 40 minutes on public transport or driving in peak hour traffic here is no more fun than it is in the UK... Best of luck with your move - it will be a great life for your little one. I miss the UK in many ways but now we've had a daughter I couldn't imagine choosing to bring her up in the UK as opposed to here. The weather, the sports, the open space, the general optimism - it all seems a little bit more wholesome 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llessur Posted September 27, 2019 Author Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) Opened a few months ago now but I thought it was worth a mention: Quote Sparkke At The Whitmore BrewPub and Rooftop Bar A pub headed by women is a distinction worth noting. The hospitality and alcohol industries have historically been dominated by men. It’s a key reason Sparkke made such an impact when it launched its line of socially conscious beers in 2016. (The tinnies are emblazoned with slogans such as “Consent Can’t Come After You Do”, “Change the Date” and “Boundless Plains to Share”.) You can get Sparkke’s beers on tap at its 850-square-metre, 636-person-capacity behemoth venue in the 180-year-old Whitmore Hotel on Morphett Street. The fit-out is softened-up industrial, but sits comfortably with the pub’s early history. An original Georgian frontage is preserved behind floor-to-ceiling glass. In the restaurant, painstakingly preserved brickwork runs into blush-pink archways. Up on the rooftop, there are city views on one side and the perfect vantage point into the treetops of Whitmore Square on the other. In the thick of it all is head brewer Agi Gajic’s lab. The nano-brewery yields around 50,000 litres of limited-release, keg-only beer yearly. You'll find the beer shaken up in a few of the cocktails: ginger beer in the Dark & Stormy, strawberry-balsamic blonde ale in the Sour, and the “Say I Do” fizzing up the spritzes. Head chef Emma McCaskill has serious pedigree; she previously fronted The Pot and Magill Estate Restaurant. At Sparkke, she's traded fine dining for approachable pub-grub that draws on her Indian heritage. Start with her famous paratha (a layered, roti-style flat bread) or pork and ginger dumplings in chicken broth before moving onto a curried lentil and beetroot salad, chicken schnitzel burger with curry-leaf mayo, or Angus beef rump cap with sweet and sour tomatoes. There’s also a bottle shop stocked with growlers and squealers to take away, plus a small florist curated by Evie Harrison. From: https://www.broadsheet.com.au/adelaide/cbd/bars/sparkke-whitmore Edited September 27, 2019 by llessur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llessur Posted November 26, 2019 Author Share Posted November 26, 2019 (edited) Quote Mum Cha brings dumplings to Rundle Street A new dumpling house in the East End will combine contemporary yum cha dishes with a focused wine list and tea selection, all courtesy of the team behind Mother Vine wine bar. Located at 279 Rundle Street – just around the corner from Mother Vine in Vardon Avenue – Mum Cha is set to open on Monday. “We wanted to create a new offering, one that was missing in the East End,” says general manager Patrick Madden, who for the past three years has managed Mother Vine alongside executive chef Kwan Yi Ying. “There’s a lot of potential lunch trade around this area. There’s a lot of hospitality people who finish work and want to get a late-night fix. “Plus, she [Ying] does the best dumplings.” Frank Hannon-Tan, Pablo Theodoros, Melissa Theodoros, Kwan Yi Ying, Patrick Madden and Julie Sayasane are the team behind Mum Cha. Located in the premises previously briefly occupied by chef and restaurateur Jock Zonfrillo’s Italian wine and snack bar Mallozzi (which closed in July) and before that Restaurant Iberia, Mum Cha is a narrow venue split across two floors of white walls, exposed stone and feature tiles. The menu is designed to suit a range of tastes and will regularly change, although dumplings will remain a staple. Madden says he and Ying – who was raised in Hong Kong – have been speaking about the idea for a dumpling bar for some time. “We have worked together for four years and quite often we’ll have lunch together … and [we’d] say, ‘Wouldn’t it be good if we did dumplings?’ “There are some great dumplings, on great menus, at great restaurants around the city – but it’s just one menu item, whereas we’re having that as the focus.” Mum Cha’s dumplings will include the Korean-inspired kimchi mandu (which is packed with fermented vegetables and tofu), a prawn dumpling for seafood lovers, and a signature Shanghai dish – the soup dumpling. “The dumplings will vary between three and five [per serve], but they are all hand-rolled in-house and have a garnish or element added to the dish. So, it’s not just steaming 12 dumplings and sticking them on a plate,” Madden says. There will be hot and cold dishes and roving bite-sized extras such as salt and pepper tofu and marinated roast pork with crispy skin. “Throughout the service there’ll also be yum cha dishes that come out that are not on the menu,” Madden says. “Staff will come around and you can opt to have a plate of that or you can say no.” For those after something larger, and gluten-free, options will include Ying’s take on Hainanese chicken rice. “We poach the chicken breast, make a chilli sauce in-house, add shallot oil and hot chicken broth, and you eat it together just like that,” she says. “It’s very simple, but very delicious.” And, of course, there’s tea. Mum Cha has three herbal teas: jasmine, chrysanthemum and ti kuan yin (a variety of Chinese oolong tea) served as a loose leaf in traditional pots. “Having tea in yum cha is the traditional way,” Ying says. “There is no way you can get rid of it. You sit down and people will ask you which type of tea you would like straight away. You have tea and then water is second and then you order your alcohol.” Chef Kwan Yi Ying is a tea connoisseur. The popular Chinese lager Tsingtao will be available, and the wine list will be simple but thoughtfully curated, Madden says. “We want to keep it to around 20 to 30 wines, exciting wines, wines that we believe suit dumplings, aromatic white wines, grower champagne, white burgundy – stuff that we love. Plus, we want to take care of our friends in the wine industry. “We will also have the Mother Vine wine list available for people who want to stretch out a bit.” Mum Cha will be open on Mondays from 11.30am to 5pm and Tuesday through to Saturday from 11.30am until late. From: https://indaily.com.au/eat-drink-explore/the-forager/2019/11/27/mum-cha-brings-dumplings-to-rundle-street/ Edited November 26, 2019 by llessur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Kash Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 (edited) On 09/08/2019 at 09:09, llessur said: it feels like it is finding its feet and embracing the mid-sized, lower populated city that it is (and all of the benefits that come with that) as opposed to living in the shadow of the larger cities like Sydney and Melbourne. I concur with the above. We moved here in 2011 from Edinburgh (a similar 'mid sized city' and found it all (adelaide) a bit flat initially in the CBD). Theres definitely been an uplift in the atmosphere in the city and around the laneways you mention, in addition to the Oval redevelopment which has added to the vibrancy over the last few years. Leigh and Peel St are great spots. The whole interstate 'Adelaide's just a big country town' chat is getting kind of long now. My current boss in Sydney came out with this in our first videconference. I replied that those who live in New York or London probably think the same about Sydney. She went a bit quiet and quickly changed the subject to work Edited November 29, 2019 by Johnny Kash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llessur Posted August 18, 2020 Author Share Posted August 18, 2020 Been a while since my last update but when someone opens an axe throwing bar it's probably worth a mention... Quote NEW! Adelaide’s axe throwing warehouse & bar has officially opened MANIAX Axe Throwing has opened its doors in Adelaide, and yes, you can legitimately throw axes. Axe throwing is a thing and Adelaide is finally getting a world leading facility to do it at, in the former Coca Cola site on the outskirts of the Adelaide CBD. MANIAX Axe Throwing adds an exciting option for your next group event, perched in amongst its trendy western based neighbours, such as The Wheatsheaf, The Gov, Plant 4 Bowden and more recently announced, Bloom Café by the Peter Rabbit team. Since opening Australia’s first urban axe throwing warehouse in Sydney in 2014, MANIAX Axe Throwing has sent shockwaves through the otherwise common choice of group entertainment options down under. Also taking Melbourne, Brisbane and recently Perth by storm, it was bound to throw its way to South Australia. Local Adelaide owners, Adam and Renee Schilling, came across the highly successful and alternative sport when on holidays in Canada and thought it just might be a hit over here. “I wanted to give it a try, but it was completely booked out. It was then I knew all this craziness might just excite our local Aussie market and be something huge. I was determined to bring it back to Australia,” Schilling expressed. “It started with beers, a bunch of different types of axes, mates and some knocked up axe targets in my backyard. We lived in Coogee in Sydney at the time, surrounded by apartments.” The Adelaide location will house one of their iconic 4-tonne trees and the duo plan for MANIAX Adelaide to serve craft beer and cider to complement the food and beverage options on offer as part of your event. Punters range from individuals looking to try a new skill, parties with a difference for special events, to corporate functions for small and big players such as BHP, KPMG and Facebook. MANIAX runs an internationally recognised League for those looking to take it up as their next sporting option, with the chance to compete on the world stage. Maniax Axe Throwing Adelaide is located at 33-34 Port Road, Thebarton and is open Monday – Sunday from 9am to 10pm. From: Quote https://glamadelaide.com.au/a-legit-axe-throwing-warehouse-is-coming-to-adelaide/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llessur Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 (edited) Quote Remy’s Deep Dish Pizza & Bar has opened and the food looks incredible Authentic deep dish pizza, booze, and a damn good time is Josh Rivers’ promise to visitors of Remy’s Deep Dish Pizza & Bar. The pizza bar has officially opened after six months of renovations, completed by Josh and his father Damon. Remy’s is the first of three new venues for the father and son team, and is located in Rundle Mall’s No Fixed Address Lane (formerly known as Lindes Lane). Josh is the brains behind iconic coffee and brunch destination C.R.E.A.M at Brighton, and says Remy’s will similarly take inspiration from American cuisine. “I never like to do things that have been done multiple times,” says Josh. For this reason, he says Neapolitan pizza was out of the question for Remy’s, instead landing on deep dish pizza. “We cooked deep dish pizza at CREAM about three years ago … I thought I’d revisit it and give it another crack,” says Josh. Josh reached out to the team behind Pequods, one of the most famous deep dish restaurants in America, and has since worked to refine the Remy’s menu to produce “the most authentic version of deep dish pizza I can offer.” Five pizzas currently feature on the menu, and Josh intends to add more flavours after the Remy’s team master the fundamentals of the deep dish cuisine. The classics are there – red sauce and triple cheese, pepperoni and mozzarella, snag and shrooms, and vegetarian. Josh says future deep dish toppings may include double cheeseburger, macaroni cheese and bacon, and Mexican (think pulled pork, Jalapeños, corn chips, and sour cream). Remy’s will also serve traditional style hot dogs, and an Italian beef sandwich straight out of Chicago, which Josh calls, “f*cking awesome.” As far as booze goes, there are a few on tap, and more available in cans, along with a full wine list, and some fun cocktails, including Hard Frozen Cola (yep, it’s exactly what it sounds like, frozen cola with a house spirit of your choosing). Josh is a self-described “interior design junkie” and Damon is a structural engineer, so the two have handled the Remy’s fit-out independently, as they did with CREAM, and will with the other No Fixed Address Lane restaurants. Josh says his seventeen years in the hospitality industry has taught him how the design had to play out to maximise efficiency. With the help of a few friends who are handy with tools, Remy’s has come together and marries dive bar with “nice pizza restaurant.” “We get everything the way we want it, and it flows properly,” he says. Remy’s can seat fifty inside, and about seventy outside, with floor to ceiling windows. Find Remy’s Deep Dish Pizza & Bar at 2-10 No Fixed Address Lane off of Rundle Mall, (formerly known as 2-10 Lindes Lane off of Rundle Mall). From: https://glamadelaide.com.au/remys-deep-dish-pizza-bar-is-opening-in-the-cbd/ Edited March 4, 2021 by llessur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 On 09/08/2019 at 07:39, llessur said: No worries at all Adelaide tends to get a bit of a bad rap on here but a lot of the negativity seems to come from people who haven't been here recently. The city has genuinely changed immeasurably in the last 6 or 7 years - it feels like it is finding its feet and embracing the mid-sized, lower populated city that it is (and all of the benefits that come with that) as opposed to living in the shadow of the larger cities like Sydney and Melbourne. I also thought it's worth adding some comments and threads about the city itself as a lot of the discussions I have read relate to moving to the southern suburbs, well away from the city. Whilst I can fully understand why people would want to live in these beautiful areas, with SA being so city-centric (i.e. a lot of the employment, shopping, bars, restaurants, events etc are located in the city) I also think it's well worth pointing out the benefits of living closer to the city - shorter commutes, easy access to city attractions like footy, cricket, theatre, festivals, wining & dining etc. At the end of the day a commute is a commute - 40 minutes on public transport or driving in peak hour traffic here is no more fun than it is in the UK... Best of luck with your move - it will be a great life for your little one. I miss the UK in many ways but now we've had a daughter I couldn't imagine choosing to bring her up in the UK as opposed to here. The weather, the sports, the open space, the general optimism - it all seems a little bit more wholesome I have a feeling that Adelaide started changing for the better about the same time as Perth. Changing licensing laws, lots of smaller bars opened up, not only in the City but outlying suburbs. They started doing up a lot of the old heritage buildings instead of demolishing them and turned them into pubs, restaurants. They opened up laneways, small bars popped up and what was once shut off and dirty is now packed and thriving. I always enjoyed Adelaide on work visits. Bit older buildings than Perth but had the same sort of size to the City centre. I was out looking for a restaurant one night and saw a sign outside a bar for a steak and a pint for $10. Didn't really have a good look at the place before I walked in as it was raining and the place was close to the hotel. I didn't fancy getting soaked. I remember it was down some steps, sort of under the buildings, like old cellars. I walked in and realised it was a semi strip joint. Lots of young ladies hanging around in not much clothing, lots of pool tables. I was only there for a steak and a beer and it was a decent price. Surprisingly good meal and a couple of the girls came and sat at the table after. It was early evening too so not many patrons. Had a nice evening, the girls were both students, about the same age as my youngest. Had a nice chat and a laugh and back in the hotel by 9:00. That place has probably gone if they've tidied it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 Just back home from the Fringe in Adelaide. China Town was really busy, plenty of people still rocking up to eat late. A few new places around the bottom end of town since we were last there too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benj1980 Posted April 13, 2023 Share Posted April 13, 2023 I fly to Adelaide tomorrow, for Gather Round - AFL. Is there a dress code in Adelaide, things they don't like? I heard flannel shirts were a no, I'm partial to a flannel shirt! Anything we should know, family of 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llessur Posted April 13, 2023 Author Share Posted April 13, 2023 (edited) Haha, I've never had any problems with flannel shirts or dress codes. Pretty sure you'll be fine wherever you end up going, especially family places. The oval dress code is pretty lax, maybe have a check on the website but unless you're in the members area then anything goes apart from nudity, swimwear and maybe thongs? Members (western stand) is slightly stricter but it's still pretty casual - no ripped jeans is one rule I remember. Hope you enjoy Adelaide and that the weather stays fine, I was at the Oval last night for the Crows game and the atmosphere was great. The game day village thing on Elder Park looks good for the kids, maybe see if you can get a booking for the zip wire over the River Torrens! Edited April 13, 2023 by llessur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted April 14, 2023 Share Posted April 14, 2023 It is even busier inHahndorf (usually is!) because of the AFL. Game in the new Mt Barker oval so people making a weekend of it in Hahndorf it would seem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llessur Posted April 28, 2023 Author Share Posted April 28, 2023 On 13/04/2023 at 18:58, benj1980 said: I fly to Adelaide tomorrow, for Gather Round - AFL. Is there a dress code in Adelaide, things they don't like? I heard flannel shirts were a no, I'm partial to a flannel shirt! Anything we should know, family of 5. How did you find Adelaide @benj1980? I hope you had a great time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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