Adelaide suburb guide

Central Adelaide's food scene is a tapestry of drool-worthy cheap eats and elegant restaurants. Bring your appetite when you visit the Adelaide Central Market, the largest covered market in the Southern Hemisphere offering treats like Haigh’s Chocolates. Leigh and Peel Streets in the West End are lined with bars to explore; try Maybe Mae, hidden away behind an unmarked timber wall, or tuck into a soft-shell crab burger at Bread & Bone.

Quirky stores, award-winning galleries and incredible wine regions - there's activities aplenty in South Australia's capital. Drop in to the National Wine Centre of Australia to try some of Australia’s most celebrated wines. At the South Australian Museum on North Terrace, check out the world’s largest collection of Australian Aboriginal artefacts, or head to JamFactory to meet some of Adelaide’s most talented artisans, ceramicists and glass sculptors. 

A stay in Central Adelaide is guaranteed to deliver the city's delights at your doorstep, whether you prefer a swanky hotel or something more simple . In the West End, The Franklin Hotel, a converted pub with just seven rooms, is a stylish central sleeping option. A few blocks north, the luxury boutique Mayfair Hotel has a fantastic rooftop bar, while nearby The Playford mixes luxury with old-world charm.

It’s an Adelaide ritual: hopping aboard the (free) 40-minute tram from the city centre to Glenelg to unwind on the long sandy beach. Kick back with a cocktail at the elegant Moseley Beach Club or feast on fresh oysters at Oyster Bar. The sculpture-studded Coast Park Path connects Glenelg to Henley Beach, where you'll find al fresco eateries like the retro-chic SeaSalt. Delve into smoked eel croquettes as you take in the view.

There's loads to see beyond the action of the shoreline in Adelaide's waterside suburbs. Browse the arts, crafts and fashion on offer at Glenelg's Henley Square Market (on the last Sunday of the month). Wander intriguing galleries found in Port Adelaide, including Cult & Harper and Jackalope Studio Gallery, but you can also get your art fix simply by walking the streets – this area is home to Adelaide’s best street art.

Adelaide's waterside suburbs are the only place to stay if you like the idea of breakfast by the beach, days spent on the sand and sunset coastal walks. Watch the gentle waves and seaside fun from your balcony at the beachfront Oaks Glenelg Plaza Pier Suites, or from an ocean-facing room at Port Adelaide's historic Largs Pier Hotel, complete with laid back bars and a restaurant serving classic pub feeds with a view.