Adelaide Car Hire

Eating out in Adelaide

The Botanic Gardens opened in 1857, modelled on English gardens, it features plenty of native trees and plants. The Bicentennial Conservatory that towers over the gardens houses a tropical rain forest environment and it is the largest glasshouse in whole Australia. You can explore the gardens and collections, immerse yourself in artworks and architecture, relax on the lawns or reflect by a lake, and discover unique wildlife either using one of their self-guided tours or with one of their highly experienced tour guides. Festivals, events, masterclasses and kids’ activities are planned year-round at the hardest part is choosing which ones to enjoy!

With heady claims of the most beautiful cricket ground in the world the Adelaide Oval doesn’t disappoint. The Adelaide Oval hosts interstate and international cricket matches in summer, plus national AFL and state football matches in winter There's no electronic gimmickry on the 104-year-old standard bearer for the redeveloped Oval – just letters and numbers painted onto wood and carefully slotted into place. What most people don't realise is that it is possible to go inside the scoreboard for an insight into how it all works. The stadium tours let you into the magical world of levers, switches and pulleys.

Adelaide Zoo, one of Adelaide’s most iconic attractions, is home to more than 2,500 animals and 250 species of exotic and native mammals, birds, reptiles and fish exhibited over eight hectares of magnificent botanic surroundings. It is the second oldest zoo in the nation and represents a significant part of South Australia’s heritage and social history. It’s full of diversity, colour and unique things to see and do. It offers an intimate zoo experience and is the only major metropolitan zoo in Australia to be owned and operated by a conservation charity. There are free walking tours which run every half hour, overnight tours, feeding sessions and a children’s zoo. You can also pay a visit to Wang and Fu Ni who Australia’s only giant pandas.

The main focus of The South Australian Museum is the astonishingly ancient history of the land of Australia, with the Origin Energy Fossil Gallery displaying some of the oldest fossils in the world. Split over two levels the amazing Australian Aboriginal Cultures gallery is one of the largest collections of Aboriginal artefacts in the world. The Museum is open every day from 10am–5pm, including weekends and all public holidays except Christmas Day and Good Friday with free tours that depart hourly.

If one of your reasons for visiting Australia is for the wine (and who could blame you) then the National Wine Centre of Australia needs to be on your list of things to do in Adelaide. Southern Australia is full of premier wine regions such as the Barossa, Clare and McLaren Vale all of which make for amazing longer breaks but if you are short on time the wine centre will scratch that itch perfectly. Based just outside the city centre, and part of the University of Adelaide, it's essentially a function space. But the café employs the Enomatic system – whereby you can use a card to get sample-sized pours of wines from dozens of top labels from across Australia. Award winners are handily corralled into one area.

Adelaide’s Central Market has been the epicentre for Adelaide’s food scene for over 140 years now. Southern Australia is famed for its rich bounty of produce, from farm-fresh fruit and vegetables, artisan cheeses, smoked meats to seafood you’ll find it all under one roof here. To discover the best of the market, join Mark Gleeson’s early morning walking tour, during which you’ll enjoy generous tastings and meet the people behind the stalls. With over 250 vendors here there is something for everyone to enjoy and you’ll have a hard time leaving without eating something.

Eating out in Adelaide

Over the last few years the culinary scene in Adelaide has gone from strength to strength. Italian food, in particular, is seriously good in Adelaide, with everything from Australia’s first pizza restaurant to some supreme high-end indulgences. The new kids on the block like Vietnamese, African and Mexican are also make a splash, while celebrated modern Australian eateries continue to wow the locals and tourists alike. If you really want to sample all that Australian cuisine has to offer make sure you try one of the restaurants offering degustation’s, they often use some of Australia’s most unique indigenous ingredients.

Restaurant Orana

Restaurant Orana was awarded Australian restaurant of the year in both 2018 and 2019 and has been blazing the trail for indigenous ingredients to become more mainstream. Chef and owner Jock Zonfrillo’s intimate dining room isn’t an easy place to find from the street. Located up an unsigned staircase at the back of Bistro Blackwood it only serves to add to the excitement of eating there. The title of finest restaurant in Australia also come with a loft price tag so make sure you have plenty in the budget if you are planning a visit here.

Africola Restaurant

Africola puts a modern spin on African cuisine and it’s so popular you’re going to need to make a booking in advance. It’s one of Adelaide’s most talked abouts restaurants and it certainly deserves this spotlight shining on it. Its fun, generous, attitude has challenged the haughty fine-dining norms across the city. If you’re lucky enough to be able to get a table, try to be seated at the bar so you can see the kitchen work its magic. Sample the charred pork neck with anchovy sauce and massive grilled peppers and prepare to have your taste buds changed forever.

Shobosho

Shobosho means fire station in Japanese and this restaurant centres itself around smoke and flames. They blend smoke, steam, and fire; ancient traditions of Japanese yakitori, with the finesse, skill & texture of all that is raw, cured, pickled and fermented. The menu is personally served by chefs across the bar and features a raw and snack selection, yakitori, noodles, dumplings, bao, robata grilled and spit roasted meats. One thing we can guarantee is that this is a sushi restaurant like no other you’ll have been to.

Botanic Gardens Restaurant

If you took a trip to the Botanic Gardens you won’t have been able to miss the Botanic Gardens Restaurant. The quaint former tearoom is set right in the heart of the garden, ringed by glass walls and whitewashed timber create a sophistication and class that will transport you to a different world. Paul Baker packs a lot into each dish – drawing more than 50 ingredients from the garden but still manages to show a delicate restraint with his menu. As you’d expect from a restaurant set in spectacular gardens each dish is beautifully decorated with just-picked flowers and leaves. Highlights of the menu include coffee crusted kangaroo, rich lamb tartare and slivers of squid served with pear.

Peel Street like to keep things simple, their food is straightforward, fresh and delicious. Peel Street led Adelaide's embrace of multi-cultural menus, thoughtfully combining Asian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean ideas, it’s unique approach to dining means that their tables are full all year round. Vegetable dishes are a bright and inviting such as turmeric-roasted cauliflower folded with cashew-nut cream. Their salad of banana blossom and shredded chicken with chilli jam, peanuts, lime leaf and lemongrass is unmissable. Everything from the exposed brick and polished concrete interior to the zen like calm kitchen speak to the easy harmony that make this restaurant one of the best in Adelaide.

Transport in Adelaide

Adelaide international airport is the main airport servicing Adelaide. The major airlines include Jetstar, Virgin Australia, Qantas, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific and Regional Airline Express.It is located just 10 minutes or 5.6 KMs from the city. The A6 main road run directly from ADL into central Adelaide.

Car rental in Adelaide Airport

You can find most majot brands either in or close to the terminal such as Alamo, Hertz and Europcar, however some of the national and local companies operate there too such as East Coast car rental which you may find cheaper depending on the time of year. The further you can book in advance normally returns the bigger discount. An example economy car such as a Kia Rio or similar with East Coast, booking a month in advance could cost in the region of $ 30 per day, or for something larger like a Toyota Corolla or similar it could be around $ 36 per day.