Best Brunch Spots in Adelaide

Daytime Dining is an Australian sub-culture. From the inside of a dilapidated railway station to a rustic countryside retreat, here’s where the locals eat. 

Bloom, Adelaide  

Housed within a converted tram barn, overlooking the River Torrens in Thebarton, Bloom café is your go-to for seasonally inspired dishes and Instagram-worthy snaps. Within its four walls of rustic charm—made up of exposed brick walls, large windows, high-ceilings and lush greenery—you’ll drool over the locally sourced ingredients. Think dishes like avocado toast, wood-fired baguettes, harvest bowls, baked pancakes and more. On offer is coffee from local roasters 1645 – because what’s brunch without a good espresso?

If you’re looking to kick your usual brunch dates up a notch, Bloom café has introduced an e-bike experience so you can pedal and picnic your way through Adelaide. The adventure starts at the café with some breakfast and coffee, before cruising along the River Torrens Park Trail to Henley Beach and Glenelg. Talk about a ‘wheely’ good time…

Magill Estate Kitchen inside Penfolds Magill Estate, Adelaide

While a late night boogie may tempt you to order a strong espresso martini, Magill Estate Kitchen is logically making it an AM-appropriate treat—after all, who says you can’t have your coffee with a kick in the morning? The wider venue has long held the title of being one of Adelaide’s best eateries (Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant recently being awarded a prestigious chef hat award) and now it's perhaps created SA’s boujiest brunch.

Just 15 minutes from the CBD and encircled by Adelaide’s beautiful foothills, head chef Scott Higgins—who’s worked at Michelin-starred restaurants across the globe–puts his fine-dining approach on brunch staples. Looking out over the rolling vines, you’ll taste test your way through ploughman’s brunch with locally smoked ham and cured fish, smoked trout roulette, french toast croissant with crème anglaise, spicy fired buttermilk chicken and more. Plus, there’s cocktail and drink options to seal the deal. 

The Loose Caboose 

Inside one of Adelaide’s oldest railway stations, sits The Loose Caboose. While the bones of the heritage-listed building in Hindmarsh date back to 1856, there are some tell-tale signs that the menu sits firmly within the 21st-century; avo smash, chilli crab scrambled egg and wild mushroom gnocchi being just a few dead giveaways.

Within the historic venue—which is crowned by stonework, exposed beams and arched windows— you’ll still sometimes see trains zooming by just metres from where you sit. It’s here you can enjoy a unique place to eat brunch in Adelaide, while appreciating a little piece of South Australia’s history. Before you decide what dish to dig into, flip to the last page of the menu where you’ll find a collection of newspaper clippings from the station’s rich history- including a safe heist explosion in 1930. Writers tip: the perfect hangover fix exists! The 'hash bun' is a decadent tower of brioche bun, mini hashbrowns, fried egg and onion jam. Need we say more?

My Grandma Ben, Adelaide 

If artisanal home-style cooking is calling your name, My Grandma Ben inside Plant 4 Bowden should be on your radar. The waste-conscious café feels like a ‘home away from home’. Jars of house-made pickles, preserves and ferments line the shelves, cast-iron style pendent lights drop from the ceiling and wooden touches fill the space. The atmosphere is perfect to enjoy the café’s veggie-focussed menu, which celebrates sustainability and uses local South Australian produce. In simple terms, it serves food that’s a nostalgic reminder of your grandparent’s kitchen.

It's no surprise then that the café is named after founder Jessie Spiby’s own grandma: Ben (a hybrid of Betty and Gran). The 2015 MasterChef Australia contestant looks back to her grandma’s generational ways to create delicious dishes from scratch, including its famed meningie carp that’s been on the menu in different forms over the past six years. There’re also fruity favourites like sesame and cardamom waffles and exotic options like Masala spiced scrambled eggs.

Want to pickle like a pro? The café and bar also host fun hands-on workshops to learn how to create food from scratch, reducing waste in your kitchen.

Nauti Buoy, Adelaide 

Nauti Buoy in Henley Beach is relaxed, wholesome, with a touch of nautical flair. Bringing a playful energy to the fore, the team has created a space that’s refreshing in summer (with a cool and clean fit-out letting in that sea breeze) and like a warm hug in winter, thanks to a toasty fireplace and hot brew.

The seasonal menu is crafted to match the theme of the venue—think french toast with Adelaide Hill’s figs, mascarpone, house orange sorbet, macadamia and maple, sourdough crumpets, pancakes, and their Insta-famous chicken sandos. The cherry on top is the number of furry four-legged friends you’ll spot (and cuddle) while you brunch!

Bottega Bandito, Adelaide 

Bellinis, mimosas and bloody mary’s for breakfast? Yes please. Bottega Bandito in Prospect host boozy brunches every Sunday that are perfect for catching up with the fam, or for an occasion, without breaking the bank. For 90 minutes, you’ll get bottomless drinks and a rolling two course menu with a multitude of dishes (both biggies and smalls) that offer a balance between sweet and savoury.

The café is the sister venue to Anchovy Bandit and is also great for general brunch staples, including its infamous sandos. Each month the team release new sandwich specials, from steak frites twists to mortadella goodness.

You’ll notice hints of Italian flair within the menu and around the venue, which houses a selection of fine cheese, cured meats, house-made condiments and artisanal products extending to their retail shelves. It’s perfect if you want to bring a piece of Bottega Bandito home with you. 

Kitchen Farm Pantry, Adelaide Hills 

Looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Adelaide CBD? The Kitchen Farm Pantry is a paddock to plate family-friendly café and providore sitting inside a revamped barn on eight hectares of rolling hills.

That means what you eat will be sourced locally in South Australia or from the award-winning Newenham Estate, which uses regenerative and permaculture farming principles. It’s in its start-up phase, busy growing seedlings and expanding the market garden so that everything on your avocado toast, from the crunchy green beans to the smoked macadamia and kohlrabi slaw, will be grown from right where you’re brunching. Its mission is to eventually become a zero-waste venue.

It’s the perfect place to catch your breath, with a cosy rustic interior featuring local artwork and goods and outdoor bench seating among the gum trees. 

My Kingdom for a Horse, Adelaide

With multiple award wins under its belt, including Best Breakfast and Best Café Dining in Adelaide for three years running, My Kingdom for a Horse know how to impress. Apart from the CBD based venue’s super fun bright colours, retro wall art and greenery, the café’s coffee is what it prides itself on.

Perfect for the self-prescribed coffee snob, the café is home to one of SA’s best baristas who works at the on-site coffee roastery. The team uses beans both locally farmed and internationally sourced, with a commitment to fair trade. After you fuel yourself with some caffeinated goodness, you can order your own specialty blend as a keepsake.

The seasonal menu features a large range of bites, from cereals and sweets to something heartier like the Traffic Stopper (made up of pumpkin and kasundi polenta slice topped with avo smash, spicy pumpkin and beetroot hummus).

Keep treating your tastebuds with Adelaide’s best restaurants

Take your foodie obsession to the next level with our best restaurants in Adelaide guide, where you’ll find some of SA's best and most unique dining experiences.