How To Spend 48 hours in Adelaide

Adelaide Hills winery

It’s a tall order – how to spend 48 hours in Adelaide, but with incredible dining, wine and boutique shopping experiences, there is plenty to see and do.

Food and wine have always been at the heart of Adelaide’s identity, with 18 world-renowned wine regions as well as Penfold’s estate (the producer of Grange Hermitage) within the city precinct of Adelaide.

It’s impossible not to drink well in this pretty city.

And great food experiences are available at every turn from one of the best food markets in the city, to rooftop restaurants and cuisine of every flavour and for every budget.

Make no mistake, people in Adelaide like to eat well, and 48 hours in this pretty should be spent eating and drinking with the best of them, with some shopping thrown in for good measure.

Adelaide hills and winery
Sunset over Mount Lofty House at Adelaide Hills

Where to eat

Chianti

For breakfast, lunch or dinner

Where: Hutt Street, Adelaide

Setting: One of Adelaide’s most awarded restaurants, this Italian Trattoria has an upmarket family vibe, with on-street all-weather dining, warm, elegant, spacious interiors and two private dining areas upstairs.

Their best dish: The food menu is refreshed several times a year

Their best drink: Bosworth Sauvignon Blanc 2013

There is an extensive wine list, friendly staff, and a classy feel.

Wine and food on a table at Chianti in Adelaide
A delicious display of wine and food at Chianti restaurant in Adelaide
ribs on a plate at Chianti Adelaide
A perfect plate of Chargrilled Bistecca alla Fiorentina at Chianti in Adelaide

2KW Bar & restaurant

For lunch or dinner

Where: CBD

Setting: In the CBD’s main street with a fabulous rooftop bar, even better cocktails, and an upscale vibe.

Their best dish: slow-cooked grilled octopus with chorizo

Their best drink: choose from their four wine tasting options

This is as slick and chic as Adelaide gets.

a cocktail glass at 2KW in Adelaide
An innovative Pink gin cocktail at 2KW in Adelaide
rooftop bar at 2KW bar & restaurant as staff surveys wine Adelaide
The gorgeous rooftop bar at 2KW bar & restaurant

Star Of Greece:

For lunch or dinner

Where: Port Willunga

Setting: A gorgeous shack atop sandstone cliffs overlooking the ocean serving modern cuisine.

Their best dish: Crisp, freshly fried, and salt dusted calamari

Their best drink: Valdespino Manzanilla Deliciosa

The Star of Greece is a South Australian jewel and is romantic and spectacular dining at its South Australian best.

glasses of wine and food near the seaside at Star of Greece in Adelaide
Enjoy a great dish served up by the seaside at Star of Greece in Adelaide
A group of people enjoying a meal near the ocean at Star of Greece in Adelaide
Indulge in seaside dining at the Star of Greece in Adelaide

Africola

For dinner

Where: North Adelaide

Setting: This restaurant is unorthadox, but always fun. A buzzing atmosphere and vibrant dining room that is always filled with great music, savvy staff, local wines, delicious cocktails, and delectable left field, unexpected South African comfort food style dishes.

Their best dish: Famous for the in-house Peri Peri chicken as well as the Tea sandwich – crisp, roasted chicken skin, chilli mayo inbetween crustless white bread

Their best drink: The spiced rum cocktail

Many restaurant reviewers rave about the eclectic nature of this restaurant and for good reason.

A plate of falafels at Africola in Adelaide
A dish served up at Africola in Adelaide
A restaurant filled with people in Adelaide
The buzzing and vibrant atmosphere at Africola in Adelaide

Where to stay

Mayfair hotel

For luxe accommodation, the Mayfair hotel in the heart of the city has one of the best rooftop bars in town, The Hennesy rooftop bar. This is the best way to start a night out in Adelaide.

The hotel places a modern twist on the heritage-listed building but keeps the old-time charm with locally handcrafted furnishings and top-class hotel facilities.

seating arranged with chandelier atop at rooftop bar in Adelaide
The stunning Hennesy rooftop bar at the Mayfair Hotel in Adelaide
bathroom with soaps and bathrobe at Mayfair hotel in Adelaide
Luxurious living at the Mayfair Hotel in Adelaide

Eos by sky city

For luxury turned up a notch Eos by Sky City caters to the modern guest with a digital concierge tablet where a bath butler can be ordered, an in-room mixologist or even a room stylist. It’s not just the personalised service that they excel at as they have great dining and in-room services.

Rooftop with hottub, pool and palm trees in Adelaide
EOS by Skycity in Adelaide is a place to unwind especially by the rooftop pool
The valet at eos by skycity in Adelaide
Arrive to a valet at Eos by Skycity in Adelaide

Mount Lofty House

For an escape from the city, Mount Lofty House is in one of Adelaide’s fabulous wine regions, the Adelaide Hills but only 15 minutes from the CBD.

Renovated in 2019 Mount Lofty House is a boutique hotel with a charming cottage interior and provides guests with the 5-star experience they deserve. They also have a three-chef hatted restaurant and a well-curated wine selection. 

a bedroom with chairs at Mount Lofty House in Adelaide
A gorgeous and cozy room at Mount Lofty House in Adelaide
A sunset at Mount Lofty House with trees and building in Adelaide
The serene setting at Mount Lofty House in Adelaide

What to see and do

Adelaide Central Market

First opened in 1869, Adelaide Central Market is the world’s leading food and produce market and has over 70 different traders. There is a broad range of fresh food stalls as well as cafes and eateries which are among Adelaide’s favourites that allow sampling the diverse cuisine Australia offers.

Cheese and gin on platter at Adelaide Central Market
Taste foods from over 70 different traders at Adelaide Central Market
vegetables carried in box at Adelaide Central market
Local fresh produce at Adelaide Central Market

King William Road

Newly redesigned in 2018 King William Road is iconic for boutique-style street shopping and dining. Taking a stroll through the street will allow a discovery of elegant cafes as well as modern cuisines to enjoy. There are also gift and homeware shops as well as day spas to spend the day wandering in.

an old style building with flowers and person at King William Road, Adelaide
The village inspired design of King William Road, Adelaide
clothes on rack at King William Road in Adelaide
Shop the boutiques at King William Road in Adelaide

Hahndorf

Hahndorf is a German-inspired historic village located in the Adelaide Hills and offers some of the best wine in Adelaide. Local wineries to visit are The Lane, Shaw & Smith, and Nepenthe Wine among many others.

After exploring the wineries hand-pick the sweetest strawberries at Beerenberg Farm or delight in the art at The Hahndorf Academy.

The Valley vineyards with sunset at Adelaide Hills
The vineyard at the Valley in Hahndorf, Adelaide Hills
Strawberries growing in Beerenberg Farm in Adelaide
Fresh strawberries to be picked at Beerenberg Farm in Adelaide

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