Adelaide, South Australia: My Top Picks

About a week ago, my good friend Matthew and I were sent down South to explore the stunning city of Adelaide and surrounds, thanks to Tourism South Australia and Wotif. We spent five days here and did as much as we possibly could. Matt vlogged the whole thing so feel free to check it out on his Youtube channel here if you’d like to see! 

And so, here are my top picks from everything that we experienced. 

Gin Long Canteen (lunch)

This was our first stop in town, straight from the airport. I love places that do good fusion food, and Gin Long Canteen doesn’t disappoint. We had lunch here, and ordered a lot. And I mean, a loooot. I really wanted to try as much as possible and can highly recommended the pomegranate chicken. Matt even claimed it to be the BEST chicken he’s ever had. It’s a great place for groups of all sizes, and I definitely recommend sharing. 

 

 

 

Henley Beach for sunset

What Adelaidean’s get to enjoy, (unlike us jealous Sydney-siders) is having the sun set over the ocean. We were able to experience this up close at Henley Beach, watching on from a gorgeous long jetty. The pictures speak for themselves.

 

 Penfolds Magill Estate Kitchen (breakfast)

Get the breakfast board for two! We shared it between three of us, and also enjoyed some other delicious breakfast dishes (aka CHIA PUDDING goodness – if you’re following on Snapchat you’ll understand my love for this dish). I love the set up of this place, it’s very modern and overlooks the super super well kept vineyard they have here. 

  

Hahndorf

Hahndorf was definitely my favourite thing about Adelaide, it reminded me of the Blue Mountains at home, except that it was only a twenty minute drive from the city … umm, ridiculous right?! It’s such a quaint little spot, being Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement. I’m so glad we came in Autumn, as it meant that we we’re able to enjoy the gorgeous yellow leaves, just as they were falling. Also, if you’ve been keeping up on Instagram and Snapchat, you may have seen the wonderful picnic we enjoyed here, hosted by the lovely duo dream team of Pop Up Picnics! These girls set up gorgeous picnics, saving you the hassle, serving up delicious hand made goodies and styled to perfection as you can see below – check them out here.

The Seasonal Garden Cafe (brunch)

We enjoyed brunch at this beautiful spot. It’s a great cafe in Hahndorf, recommended to me by Lauren Bath. I really felt like a good hearty soup and this place delivered! The staff are also incredibly nice, which I find you’ll always receive in a cute town like Hahndorf!

 

Pike & Joyce (Afternoon)

We visited quite a few wineries, but this was my favourite thanks to the gorgeous restaurant located here. We ordered a grazing board, and it was the best one of the trip. Trust me on this, as we had a fair share of damn good grazing boards, or perhaps it was just the view that went with it? Or maybe even the wine? I’ll never know. I’m actually most keen to return to this place when I come back to Adelaide as the lunch menu sounded and looked amazing. We didn’t get a chance to have lunch here, but if you plan to go, I hear you need to book a month in advance. 

 

Udder Delights Cheese Fondue (lunch)

I’m a big fan of cheese, and if there’s ever an iconic cheese related spot in a new town, I’m so there! This was the BEST Cheese Fondue I’ve ever had! Something about the flavours of this fondue had me wanting more, they wouldn’t tell me their secret recipe, so I guess you’ll have to go and see for yourself. 

 

Mount Lofty House

What I really love about Adelaide is how you can drive twenty minutes in any direction and be somewhere completely different. The beach is twenty minutes from the city, the city is twenty minutes from Hahndorf … everywhere I typed in to maps would have only been a ten to fifteen minute drive. Such convenience! Definitely something I could get used to …

Mount Lofty House is just a twenty minute drive from the CBD, and we had the privilege of staying here for one night! I love boutique hotels, and we were lucky enough to experience some amazing weather during our one night stay. I only wish I had more time to sit on the balcony to watch the sunset, however we jumped in a one minute cab up to Mount Lofty as the view for sunset was just a tad bit sweeter, especially for first timers. I’ll definitely be back here to back in another beautiful sunset! However, on our last morning we were in luck as the sunset was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. The house looks over the stunning Piccadilly Valley. I was exhausted, but didn’t want to miss this, so I brought my bed outside with me and lay down on the little viewing platform that they have on their grounds. It was simply spectacular, these photos are my favourites, but still, they really don’t do it justice.

 

 

 

 

 

And that’s it from me! What did you think of my Adelaide picks? And, I would love to know, for future reference, what’s your favourite spot to see or do or EAT in South Australia? 

Photography by Matthew Vandeputte and myself.