If you’re looking to add expand your dining repertoire in the City of Churches this year, you’ll want to bookmark our running round-up of the most notable new restaurants in Adelaide.
In a city famous for its phenomenal produce, proximity to some of Australia’s best wine regions and dedicated hospitality industry, it’s always exciting when a new eatery comes to town. Forget Sydney and Melbourne, the real ones know Adelaide is Australia’s real gem for foodies. From a Gothic multi-venue venture in an old church to a string of new openings in the city’s north, browse the latest restaurants to pique the interest and tickle the taste buds of Gourmet Traveller‘s team.
Esmay
Esmay has spent years cultivating a following with keenly attended pop-ups across Australia. A wine bar in Canberra, a pub in Brisbane, a hotel in Perth — Esmay has cut its teeth with a revolving door of diners and venues. Now, it’s finally found a permanent home in Adelaide’s historic Hackney Hotel. Inside the 40-seat venue, Esmay’s chef Alanna Sapwell-Stone is serving up carefully crafted dishes with hyperlocal ingredients. Think: emu pastrami donut. Although creative and elegant, the menu remains highly accessible and enjoyable, with a seven-course tasting experience totalling only $95pp (plus drinks).
“Every [Esmay pop-up] gave me something. From the Hearth restaurant in Perth to the bustle of Canberra’s wine bars, I learned how the setting shapes the experience — and how important it is to create a sense of belonging, no matter where you are.”
Esmay Chef Alanna Sapwell-Stone.
Omada
Omada opened its doors in late 2025 to a community ready to embrace this friendly and stylish new eatery. Located in the heart of Adelaide CBD, Omada is a celebration of contemporary Greek cuisine from local hospitality royalty Simon Kardachi (Fugazzi, Shōbōsho, Osteria Oggi). Expect a menu of Greek classics — including spanakopita, taramasalata, and gyros — with a contemporary twist and locally-sourced produce. The drinks menu is as impressive as the food, showcasing fresh concoctions like a filthy feta martini and clarified baklava cocktail. This loving ode to Greece is destined to attract return customers and become a favourite in the South Australian capital.
Yakisan
Ritzy newcomer Yakisan launched in late 2025 in North Adelaide’s flashy new 88 O’Connell development. The sprawling 180-seat space is serving Japanese fusion dishes with Korean and French influences thanks to executive chef Adam Liston. On top of a range of delicate raw bites (Pacific oysters, sashimi and luxury sushi rolls), Yakisan’s hero is its wood-fired grill, producing succulent Wagyu and charred hispi cabbage. The glamorous seven-day venue does not prioritise flash over substance, providing both a vibrant and delicious dining experience.
Icardis
Another addition to North Adelaide’s revamped O’Connell St, Icardis is a new hearty Italian diner serving pastas alongside woodfired meats and seafood. Billed as a Mediterranean bar and dining room, “inspired by the charm of coastal Europe”, you’ll find an Hellenic-leaning lamb and octopus, alongside swordfish Milanese and vodka rigatoni. Opening in October 2025, Icardis has already proved to be a scrumptious, unpretentious eatery with a legion of well-fed fans.
Orleana Restaurant
Boutique accommodation Kingsford The Barossa has announced chef Jake Kellie (Arkhé) is stepping in as culinary director of Orleana Restaurant. Within the heritage sandstone building, Kellie has reimagined the menu to centre around slow-aged meats and delicately garnished vegetables interacting with fire. Beef intercostal skewers with a burnt chilli glaze are made from thinly sliced local meat marinated in chilli, ginger, garlic, coriander seed, sweet soy and turmeric, then grilled over redgum timber to develop a deep char and smokiness.
Handmade brioche buns, split and filled with slow-caramelised Barossa Dairyman bacon and onion, are made even more decadent with a wodge of wagyu fat-spiked butter. Mains may include Southern Rock Lobster from Ferguson Australia, steamed then grilled, with a silky beurre blanc made from house-fermented koji butter, confit roast garlic and a bright splash of kombu vinegar; or Birdwood venison loin crusted in crushed peppercorns then gently grilled with a house-made quince mustard and bitter leaves.
Restaurant Aptos
Chef and owner Justin James (formerly of Restaurant Botanic) has been busy renovating a historic 157-year-old church in Stirling, turning it into a haunting — and hotly anticipated — multi-venue precinct. Restaurant Aptos and its sister venues, Bar Mary and Bar Cruz, are yet to open (coming autumn 2026), but we’ve listed it here so you can mark your calendars and keep an eye on the Adelaide Hills’ buzziest opening of the year.
