Fuel up at Adelaide’s Best Cafes

Café culture in Adelaide just keeps getting better and better. Here are our favourites.

My Kingdom For A Horse

Two years since opening and this Wright Street haunt continues to impress. The coffee is seasonal, they roast their own beans on-site and the interiors are bright and welcoming. The menu changes seasonally, too, but the “Eggs Benny” with braised ham hock and dill hollandaise remains a long-standing favourite.

191 Wright Street, Adelaide; (08) 8410 7408

Abbots and Kinney

Expect an array of flaky, buttery creations – both sweet and savoury – at this pastry-lovers heaven, which opened in 2015. Owner Jonny Pisanelli says the Abbots and Kinney ethos is about respecting the origins and history of pastry but without being confined. “We have fun with what we do,” he says. Order one of the signature sfogliatelle (of which there’s only ever 12 on hand) or the ever-popular almond croissant.

78 Pirie Street, Adelaide; 0413 542 843

Hey Jupiter

A major refit recently transformed Gallic eatery Hey Jupiter from a small cafe to day-and-night brassiere. The menu thankfully still features their famed roasted pork belly sandwich with cumin-spiced slaw and parsley. Now, as an added bonus, you can order it with ‘frites’.

11 Ebenezer Place, Adelaide; 0416 050 721

Crack Kitchen

Light-filled and buzzy, Crack Kitchen bristles all day long with city workers craving top-notch food and coffee. Co-owner Kim Palmer says the menu is based on the mantra that we eat with our eyes – so whether you opt for The Heist big breakfast, the Magic Mushrooms or the Unsmashed Avocado, expect it all to taste and look amazing.

13 Franklin Street, Adelaide; (08) 8410 1407

Fine & Fettle

Opening in the first half of 2017, this newcomer has already become a regular for many Eastern suburbs café-goers. That’s mostly down to the menu, which hits a happy balance of nutritious and delicious. Most popular item currently? Spiced lamb, served with hummus, burnt cauliflower, pomegranate, herbs and nuts, smeared with chilli butter.

Unit 4, 57 Magill Road, Stepney; (08) 8132 0778

Flinders Street Project

Look up and you’ll see there’s a wry wit at Flinders Street Project – yes, that ceiling is decorated with wooden spoons. The menu boasts all the usual café fare but also dishes less expected. Think: chilli scramble with wombok and Furikake or mushroom and parsnip ragu. The Smørrebrød (Danish open sandwiches) are excellent, too.

276 Flinders Street, Adelaide; (08) 7230 1817

The Flying Fig Deli

It’s a slice of New York in North Adelaide. The Flying Fig is the city’s only Jewish-inspired deli, serving up several variations of the Reuben, as well as lox bagels, latke, blintzes and more. The house-made pickles are mouth-wateringly good.

161 Jeffcott Street, North Adelaide; (08) 7226 1788

Whistle and Flute

With exposed brick, multiple timber accents and pops of verdant greenery, Whistle & Flute has an urban, contemporary feel that suits its modern menu. Opt for the signature blue-swimmer crab scrambled eggs or Thai-style fried chicken with green papaya salad.

136 Greenhill Road, Unley; (08) 8373 2490

Image: Pippy Mount

Seafaring Fools

Set in an Art Deco building not far from the beach, Seafaring Fools has, in a short time, become a firm seaside favourite. There’s a menu of contemporary classics: breaky burgers, buttermilk pancakes and more, but chef Ben Nash also does rolling specials, such as “Just Beet It”, a tumble of roasted and pickled beets, with baba ghanoush, crispy enoki mushroom and poached eggs on toasted rye.

60b The Broadway, Glenelg South; (08) 8376 0702

Handsome and The Duchess

Husband and wife team Shinae and Syed Haider, owners of Handsome and The Duchess, are doing something right. There’s a steady flow of loyal customers at their city cafe, day in, day out – no doubt it’s to take advantage of the excellent coffee, the moreish pastries and lunch bowls, as well as the charmingly eclectic vibe.

16 McHenry St, Adelaide; 0425 729 534

Top image: Abbots and Kinney