Whether you’ve lived in Adelaide all your life, are new to the city, or are just passing through, you’ll definitely want to know what the best cafes in Adelaide are.
It’s almost a rite of passage to venue hop around Adelaide, trying out dozens of new eateries and sharing those experiences with your friends and family.
Adelaide has so many great places to grab a quick meal or coffee, so to help you narrow your search I’ve listed my 10 best cafes in Adelaide that you should put at the top of your list to visit.
Mister Sunshine’s
Trendy, unique and full of sheik, this little coffee shop at 32 George Street in Thebarton is one of the best cafes in Adelaide – if not the best.
Open Monday-Sunday from 7am-3.30pm, Mister Sunshine’s prides itself on “serving fresh, wholesome food, ethical coffee and sweet treats in a happy space”.
Equipped with its own Spotify playlist, the energy at this venue is evident from the moment you step through the door.
Some of the menu specials include banana, walnut and fig loaf with cinnamon butter; the classic bacon and egg sandwich with chilli jam and rocket; and the cafe-staple, smashed avocado.
You can expect to pay around $17-$19 for a main meal.
There is a range of vegan options, and also meals for the kids for the whole family to enjoy.
You can even take home some of Mister Sunshine’s house-made goodies, including jam jars, sauce bottles, coffee beans, freshly baked bread, and more.
UR Caffe
Pronounced “Your Caffe”, this Melbourne Street eatery in North Adelaide really is yours to enjoy (yep, the opportunity to insert a pun was there for the taking, and I went for it).
Open 7.30am-3.30pm Monday to Friday, and opening at 8am on the weekends, UR Caffe uses fresh, local produce in its Asian-inspired menu.
My all-day breakfast menu favourite is the ‘Omega X’ (scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, broccolini, shaved radish and UR’s special recipe spicy Thai coconut sauce, served with sourdough toast), which makes me hungry just thinking about it.
For those with a sweet tooth, you can’t go past the ‘Morning Waffle’ with caramelised banana, fresh strawberries, berry compote and vanilla ice cream.
As far as price goes, you can order anything on UR Caffe’s all day brekkie menu for under $19, which is very good for North Adelaide.
Bakery on O’Connell
Simply put, there is no better bakery in Adelaide. Full stop.
Open 24 hours (and trust me, I’ve had a few late-night steak, cheese and bacon pies after a night out in North Adelaide) this delightful eatery has everything you could ask for in terms of staple bakery items, and it’s all made fresh on site.
Bakery on O’Connell features some old-time classics including beef, chicken, pork, and bacon pies, sausage rolls, and cakes and other pastries, and there is also a vegan option.
The cafe does an assortment of simple breakfast items such as scrambled eggs and croissants for no more than $10.
However, Bakery on O’Connell’s trademark item – and one that I’ve eaten too many of over the years – is the iconic Nutella Heart.
It’s basically a heart-shaped berlina filled with nutella, and topped with pink icing.
It is absolutely to die for.
Peter Rabbit
This cute and quirky hideaway has an entrance straight out of Alice in Wonderland – arguably the best of any cafe in Adelaide – with an atmosphere that is just as magical.
Situated just off Hindley Street, unlike many other Adelaide cafes Peter Rabbit is open until late on Saturdays (how late, you’ll have to see for yourself as it isn’t detailed on their website), which is perfect for those who are hanging out for a late-night coffee or snack.
They also do some great wines and craft beers, meaning it’s also an ideal place to start your night as well.
This funky little venue has an equally unique menu to accompany it, which changes with the season.
What caught my eye was the large Ploughmans Platter featuring cured meats, pickled vegetables, nuts, dip, grilled ciabatta, seeded mustard, butter, and seasonal fruit and veg for $36.
This would be perfect to share with two-four friends.
Like all the best cafes in Adelaide, Peter Rabbit also does an all-day breakfast menu, until 2.30pm, where you can get eggs done your way, or a beef sausage brekky roll.
You may even see some real-life rabbits there…
Ballaboosta
If you’re looking for somewhere with a Mediterranean/Lebanese flavour, then this is the best cafe in Adelaide: hands down.
Ballaboosta – found at 289 Halifax Street in the city – is open 7.30am to 9.30pm most days (shuts at 3.30pm on Sunday) and has a menu to die for.
For $13, you can get the Ballaboosta Breakfast, which is described as “a delectable combination of mozzarella, premium leg ham, cherry tomatoes and a freshly cracked egg, all baked to perfection on top of Ballaboosta’s signature flatbread in our wood-fired oven”.
Yum, yum, yum.
Similarly, the Betty’s Kitchen menu has an amazing range of “traditional soul food” main meals, served with a choice of signature hommus, zaatar, baba ghanouj or labneh dips – I may not be able to pronounce them correctly, but I know they taste good.
There’s also heaps of wood fire pizzas to choose from, and a solid coffee, beer and wine menu.
Just talking about Ballaboosta makes me hungry. I may even drop in for a visit this weekend.
The Messy Tomato
A messy tomato doesn’t sound all that appetising, right? Well don’t let the name fool you – there’s a reason this Italian eatery makes our list of the best cafes in Adelaide.
Located at 151 Flinders Street, The Messy Tomato brings traditional home-made Italian food to life through the “joy, warmth and magic” created in the kitchen.
Open until 4pm on weekdays and 1pm on weekends, breakfast and lunch are The Messy Tomato’s specialty.
The breakfast menu is seasonal, with one of the standout breakfast items undoubtedly being the share platter, featuring pork belly bacon, Italian homemade sausages, herb oven-roasted mushrooms, caramelised beetroot, avocado, hommus, greens, sauces, house-made beans, specialty eggs and other in-season specialties.
For lunch, The Messy Tomato’s spaghetti crab is hard to go past, but regardless you won’t be short on choice – there are five pasta specials offered each day, whether it be vongole, mussels, ragu, carbonara and more.
If you’re after quality Italian, this should be right at the top of your list.
Le Souk
If Algerian cuisine is you go, then Le Souk – located on Adelaide’s iconic Gouger Street – should be your first stop.
Describing itself as “the home of innovative, healthy Algerian food”, Le Souk backs that claim up through its amazing, unique menu.
For breakfast, the Merguez Sausage Breakfast, featuring house-made Merguez spicy sausages, eggs, spinach and mushrooms with toast is to die for, while the Chakchouka (minced beef, slow cooked for 6 hours with onion, garlic, crushed tomato and poached eggs in Le Souk special spice blend sauce, served with bread) will have you coming back for more.
It really is unlike anything you’ll eat in any other of the best cafes in Adelaide.
There’s also an assortment of couscous plates and spiced meat baguettes to choose from, and some refreshing, traditional Algerian salads.
Most meals will cost you no more than $20, which is very good for what you get.
Fridays have the latest trading hours (9pm), with the remaining days varying between 2pm and 5.30pm (check their website for specific opening hours).
Café Troppo
Located at 42 Whitemore Square in Adelaide, Café Troppo markets itself as an “environmentally ethical café, using organic and sustainable produce”.
Their menu stays true to their core beliefs, and is stacked full of fresh food meals for breakfast and lunch.
If you’re fortunate enough to visit Cafe Troppo during winter, you’ll be able to order the Brekky Pizza stacked topped with homemade red sauce, shredded spinach and provoletta cheese, a soft-poached egg, san jose chorizo and a drizzle of lemon myrtle olive oil.
They also do some amazing traditional egg-based meals, while the Chai Spiced Coconut Rice Porridge (creamy porridge made with bio-dynamic rain-fed rice, coconut milk and warming spices, topped with toasted nuts and local honey) really is something different that you won’t find in a lot of the best cafes in Adelaide.
Much of the lunch menu is based on a rotating specials set-up, with the Eggplant Burger – comprising spiced eggplant patties in a sourdough sandwich with troppo kraut, smokey ganoush and fried SA haloumi served with a side of salad – being the real standout.
Café Troppo also prides itself on hosting live musicians at the venue, which adds a great vibe to the place.
Utopia at Waterfall Gully
If you’re looking for somewhere with that ‘high-tea’ feel about it, then all you’ll need to do is drive around 20 minutes south east of the city, and you’ll find it there.
Located on Waterfall Gully Road, at the base of the Adelaide Hills, Utopia lays claim to arguably the most stunning views of any of the best cafes in Adelaide.
The expansive setup also caters for weddings, so this isn’t your average cafe – however, it does have a kiosk area where you can grab a quick coffee with friends.
For breakfast and lunch table service, a booking is advised and there are some seriously tasty menu items that will immediately catch your eye, including The Big Gully Breakfast (bacon, free range eggs, house-made smoked ham hock baked beans, mini breakfast sausages, sautéed spinach, field mushrooms, grilled tomato and hash brown, toasted focaccia).
The Buddha Breakfast Bowl (warm quinoa and brown rice mix topped with smashed avocado, chili beetroot pickle, fried chickpeas, feta, poached egg and dukkah) offers another great breakfast alternative.
Main meals will cost you around $32, but gives you a mouth-watering range of choices including Slow Braised Wallaby Shank or Honey and Pepper-Crusted Pork Cutlet.
Commissary
Nestled at 160 Fullarton Road in Rose Park, Commissary is a busy, bustling café that is extremely popular on weekends.
Described as one of the best cafes in Adelaide to eat, it’s pretty obvious why it makes my list (the fact I’m a huge lover of pancakes certainly helps!)
If you’re a sweet tooth like I am, Commissary’s Chocolate Brownie Waffles or Banana Caramel Pancakes are going to hit the spot – and that’s just two of their huge assortment dessert breakfast options.
Don’t even get me started on the French Toast! Yum!
Other popular breakfast meals include the BBQ Pulled Pork featuring poached eggs, mixed greens, hollandaise sauce served on a brioche bun, while there’s also a good selection of vegetarian options all at a good price.
I would highly recommend paying Commissary a visit – opening times vary, and without a website I’d recommend hitting up their Facebook page or giving them a call.
