adelaide CBD cafes

This tiny deli brings Vietnamese-inspired sangas and toasties to the city. Most popular is the Pho-nomenal, bursting with brisket and Asian herbs.

Occupying an iconic corner in Adelaide’s East End, Exchange Coffee has long been at the front of the pack in the city’s specialty coffee scene. Come for Market Lane coffee brewed every which way, produce-driven brunch dishes and a signature sandwich worthy of cult status.

A small, relaxed city hang serving sandos and pastries with a Filipino twist.

Meeting for coffee in the city? This cool spot has you covered with sandwiches, quality coffee by Rio and pastries by Prove.

A laid-back neighbourhood coffee shop that’s like a second home for the city’s south-end locals. House-roasted coffee, hearty salads and bagels baked on-site are all part of the equation here.

Lounge on the lush front lawn with a coffee or beer.

The “accidentally nostalgic” menu features slow-cooked sarsaparilla pork with apple slaw, a sous vide chicken roll, and an inspired spin on the ham-and-cheese toastie (with Hawaiian pizza DNA).

A little corner of France in Adelaide’s East End, Hey Jupiter has been throwing down champagne breakfasts and Bloody Marys for more than a decade. If you come for dinner, it transforms into a laid-back spot for small plates and big-flavoured French classics.

A cheap and charming Asian bakery.

This cafe-bar hybrid is in a restored octagonal kiosk on North Terrace. It was the first food and beverage joint for Adelaide’s innovation precinct Lot Fourteen. The brunchy menu here, by the owner-chef of Fine & Fettle, is Asian-inspired takes on brekkie staples.

Everything a city espresso bar should be, and nothing more.

Pastries from Italy and beyond, made fresh every morning. The sfogliatelle – a strudel-like Italian number – is unmissable, equal only to the house croissant.

Say “yiasou” to this very modern Greek eatery, with traditional roots.

The Central Market's tiny but mighty falafel stall has moved to a bigger site and introduced breakfast, coffee and deli products for sale.

Callum Dinnison lives just a two-minute drive from his cafe, Mister Pigeon. That's probably for the best, because many of his possessions have ended up at Mister Pigeon. To furnish the cafe, Dinnison pilfered his own place. No wonder it feels so homey. The end result is a community-focused cafe with comfy couches, a book exchange and excellent toasties. It's a relaxed spot that feels miles away from its inner-city surrounds.

This cafe in the former Paddy's Lantern site opened in October 2020. The interior’s had a refit and a new kitchen installed, but the trusty Synesso espresso machine that served Paddy’s so well for over a decade remains. Come for the “barista’s breakfast” (a potent coffee trio); handmade dumplings; a croissant with soft-shell crab and scrambled eggs; and halal bao buns with “beef bacon” and egg.

Drink coffee and see it roasted in the one light-filled space.

A brunch and specialty coffee spot that welcomes families with genuine enthusiasm.

At this Hutt Street patisserie, you'll find miso cookies, plum and rose Danishes and chai blondies. Plus, there's quiche with freshly-foraged porcini mushrooms, flourless brownies and whisky-and-almond knots.

Eat dessert like a true Parisian.

This hole-in-the-wall lunch spot serves up egg-and-bhaji naans, blackened cauliflower salad, fresh juices and breads made in-house.

Warm up with hearty Polish eats and a shot of vodka.

Jonny Pisanelli’s fourth patisserie store mixes tradition and invention.

This vegetarian and vegan favourite offers the warmth of a home-cooked meal in the heart of the city.

Top up your caffeine levels while your bike gets an oil change.

Asian-inspired grab-and-go lunches such as vegan ramen, rice bowls and black sesame and charcoal buns

This slick cafe on a quiet strip of the CBD is a true family affair.

A city cafe loved by both vegetarians and meat lovers alike.

A tiny coffee shop and florist in the CBD’s south end.

Pocket breads and grain salads served fast.

Brunch with an Eastern-European flavour in a former laboratory.

Sustainable food and decor get more than a token nod at this cafe.

More South Australian than a pie floater.

Linger among the books, or take away an ethically sourced coffee.

Expert coffee with a fresh macaron or cronut on the side – yes please.

A vegan cafe with a variety of unusual juices.

Seize the day with a Nutella-filled crepe or cheesy buckwheat galette.

Salads that command attention.

Size doesn’t matter when the coffee is this good.

The best of the Central Market, crammed into a corner deli.

Handmade croissants and Belgian-style waffles from the founders of Burger Theory and Pearl's Diner.

A tiny coffee spot where you can't help but chat with your fellow customers.

Handcrafted chocolates until well after sundown.

An easy choice for fast, modern Vietnamese.

Sip coffee while you wait for your haircut at this cafe-salon hybrid.

Score a doughnut and a coffee at this intimate Italian cafe, then return after work for an aperitif.

Wine, specialty coffee, breakfast cocktails and an all-day fusion menu – this laneway venue has all the bases covered.

A retro-styled cafe in the Central Market.

Mediterranean-inspired Mexican for a unique breakfast or lunch.

A striking venue inspired by the grandest of public spaces.