Top 5 Fine Dining Restaurants in Adelaide
1. Restaurant Botanic
Menu: 14-day dry-aged duck, emu and quandong, kangaroo gelee, and many more
Website: https://restaurantbotanic.com.au
Address: Plane Tree Drive, Adelaide, South Australia 5000 Australia
Contact Details: (08) 8223 3526, [email protected]
Lunch Operating Hours: Sunday: 12:00 PM onwards
Dinner Operating Hours: Thursday to Saturday: 6:00 PM onwards
Google reviews score | 4.4/5 |
FB reviews score | 4.2/5 |
TripAdvisor reviews score | 4/5 |
Total reviews | 5/5 |
Score consistency | 4.4/5 |
Menu size | 5/5 |
Quality of food | 5/5 |
Accessibility | 4.5/5 |
Ambience | 5/5 |
Customer service | 4.5/5 |
Pros
- 2022 Gourmet Travellers’ Restaurant of the Year
- Over 20 different flavour combinations
- Fresh ingredients sourced from the garden
- Menu changes weekly
- Accommodates all dietary requirements and food allergies
Cons
- Only children over the age of 5 can come
- Require the full payment at the time of booking
- Minimum dinner time is 4 hours
Situated in the serene and beautiful Botanic Garden of Adelaide, Restaurant Botanic gives its diners a unique and unforgettable dining experience.
This Adelaide fine dining restaurant combines elegance and youth in its interior and has an open kitchen in the centre to set the stage for the main chef.
Unlike other fine dining restaurants that offer a traditional degustation menu that has an entree and main course, Restaurant Botanic offers 20-flavour combination dishes that are equally mouthwatering.
This new dining setup provides a unique experience to diners and allows them to truly get their money’s worth.
They also source some of their ingredients in the Botanic Garden, so you’re assured that they use only fresh ingredients.
Some of the unique ingredients they source from the garden are marron, green ants, finger limes, and bunya bunya branches.
The menu also changes weekly to accommodate the changes in the micro-seasons unique to the Garden.
Just make sure that you have a lot of time to spare when booking this restaurant, as you’ll need a minimum of four hours to finish everything.
Children under five years old are not allowed in the restaurant, so consider this first if you have kids. If your child is over the age of five and you plan on bringing them, just note that there will be no reduction in menu size and price.
They will also require full payment at the time of booking, and the payment will be nonrefundable even if you won’t make it to the appointment.
On a lighter note, if you have any dietary requirements or allergies, you can notify them by the time of booking so they can accommodate your needs.
2. Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant
Menu: Chef’s choice menu option, signature menu, icon luxury wine match, and more
Website: https://www.magillestaterestaurant.com/
Address: 78 Penfold Rd, Adelaide SA 5072
Contact Details: +61 8 8301 5551, [email protected] (for private events/functions)
Lunch Operating Hours: Saturday and Sunday: 12:00 PM onwards
Dinner Operating Hours: Wednesday to Saturday: 6:30 PM onwards
Google reviews score | 4.5/5 |
TripAdvisor reviews score | 4.5/5 |
Total reviews | 4.5/5 |
Score consistency | 4.5/5 |
Menu size | 5/5 |
Quality of food | 5/5 |
Accessibility | 4.5/5 |
Ambience | 5/5 |
Customer service | 4/5 |
Pros
- View of Penfolds vineyard
- Classy and sophisticated ambience
- Excellent wine list
- Seasonal menu
- Winner of the Best Fine Dining Restaurant Award in the 2016 SA Savour Australia Restaurant and Catering Awards
Cons
- Wait time between meals can be long
- Rare cases of booking problems
Given the Best Fine Dining Restaurant Award by the SA Savour Australia Restaurant and Catering Awards in 2016, it’s no surprise that Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant made it to this list.
With its classy and sophisticated ambience and the magnificent view of the Penfolds vineyards, you are up for the grandest and fanciest dinner experience of your life.
The head chef, Scott Huggins, carefully prepares a new menu each season to accommodate seasonal changes and provide a new culinary journey to the restaurant’s customers.
While you’re served each meal on the degustation menu, the professional staff members will explain the food and everything you need to know, so there’s no need to be intimidated by the new cuisine.
The restaurant also offers an excellent wine list. As Magill Estate houses Australia’s beloved wine, Penfolds Grange, you can expect that the restaurant can provide a wine that perfectly matches your meal.
On the downside, the wait time between dishes can be long. There are instances when servers need to be reminded of your meal because of how long it’s taking.
There are also rare instances of booking problems. There are times when booking details were wrong and times when the restaurant is hard to contact.
3. Chianti Restaurant
Menu: Kingfish crudo, spaghetti vongole, pesce del giorno, purple asparagus, and more
Website: https://www.chianti.net.au/
Address: 160 Hutt Street Adelaide, 5000
Contact Details: (08) 8232 7955, [email protected]
Lunch Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Dinner Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday: 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Google reviews score | 4.6/5 |
FB reviews score | 4.4/5 |
TripAdvisor reviews score | 4.5/5 |
Total reviews | 5/5 |
Score consistency | 4.5/5 |
Menu size | 4/5 |
Quality of food | 4.5/5 |
Accessibility | 5/5 |
Ambience | 4.5/5 |
Customer service | 4.5/5 |
Pros
- Best Italian Restaurant – Formal in the 2016 SA Savour Australia Restaurant and Catering Industry Awards
- Classic Italian dining experience
- Awarded the Ospitalità Italiana accreditation
- Seasonal menu
- Long operating hours
Cons
- Wait time between meals can be long
- Limited menu
Chianti Restaurant has seen thousands of celebrations since its opening in 1985, and it continues to be one of the top choices of locals when picking a fine dining restaurant.
The restaurant is one of the first in South Australia to be awarded the Ospitalità Italiana accreditation by the Italian government and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Australia, so you’re guaranteed an authentic Italian cuisine experience.
The place can get busy because of its popularity, but we like that it doesn’t get too noisy and you can still hold a conversation with your company.
The servers also seemed well-trained in the service industry. They’re friendly without being overbearing and know exactly when to check up on you.
It’s just a pity that the wait times between meals are sometimes long. The service would’ve been perfect if not for this.
They also offer a limited menu compared to the other entries in this list. The menu, despite being seasonal, limits the choices the diners can make, especially when they have dietary requirements or food allergies.
Nonetheless, the current menu still holds some of the best meals you can have in Adelaide. The restaurant’s Abrolhos Island scallops and Kerwee Angus sirloin are among our favourites.
4. Lenzerheide Restaurant
Menu: Potato and leek soup, bundnerfleish, beef steak tartare, barramundi-grilled, and more
Website: https://www.lenzerheide.com.au/
Address: 146 Belair Rd, Hawthorn Adelaide SA 5062
Contact Details: 08 8373 3711, [email protected]
Lunch Operating Hours: Wednesday to Sunday: 12:00 PM onwards
High Tea Operating Hours: Friday to Sunday: 12:00 PM onwards
Dinner Operating Hours: Wednesday to Sunday: 6:00 PM onwards
Google reviews score | 4.7/5 |
FB reviews score | 4.5/5 |
TripAdvisor reviews score | 4.5/5 |
Total reviews | 4.5/5 |
Score consistency | 4.5/5 |
Menu size | 4.5/5 |
Quality of food | 4.5/5 |
Accessibility | 5/5 |
Ambience | 5/5 |
Customer service | 5/5 |
Pros
- Open for high tea
- Elegant and cosy ambience
- Excellent customer service
- On-site parking
- Has reserved disability spaces and wheelchair access
Cons
- Cakes and sandwiches can be improved
- Private rooms aren’t as beautiful as the main dining place
If you’re looking for an old-school fine dining experience, then Lenzerheide Restaurant is your best bet. The restaurant’s elegant and cosy ambience will make you feel like you’re having a royal dinner.
Despite being fine dining, you will not feel intimidated by the atmosphere because of how welcoming the ambience is. The staff members are attentive and friendly which adds value to the experience.
The classical European-inspired dishes feature the finest locally produced ingredients, making the food some of the finest you’ll get in Adelaide.
The Onkaparinga Valley venison and barramundi are among the mains that need special mention for their rich flavour.
Unlike the other restaurants on this list that only offer lunch and dinner, Lenzerheide is also open for high tea. You can come over and taste their savouries, scones, specialty tea, and espresso coffee.
The cakes and sandwiches, however, can be improved. The cakes aren’t the best if compared to some cafés in Adelaide, and the sandwiches are sometimes dry.
The private rooms are also rather plain compared to the main restaurant. They don’t have the same elegance and ambience as the main hall, which can be disappointing when you hire them for a special function.
5. d’Arry’s Verandah
Services: King oyster mushroom, lobster medallion with blue swimmer crab, prawn ravioli and lobster bisque, and more
Website: https://www.darenberg.com.au/
Address: Osborn Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171
Contact Details: (08) 8329 4848, [email protected]
Lunch Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday: 12:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Google reviews score | 4.8/5 |
FB reviews score | 4.8/5 |
TripAdvisor reviews score | 5/5 |
Total reviews | 4/5 |
Score consistency | 4.6/5 |
Menu size | 5/5 |
Quality of food | 5/5 |
Accessibility | 4.5/5 |
Ambience | 5/5 |
Customer service | 4.5/5 |
Pros
- Guests receive complimentary access to the Salvador Dali Exhibition
- Extensive and world-renowned wine list
- View of the vineyard
- Open 7 days a week
- 2021 Best Restaurant in a Winery by the Restaurant and Catering Awards for Excellence
- Flexible menu choices
Cons
- Not open for dinners
- Can get busy
d’Arry’s Verandah is bringing back life to a restored 19th-century homestead with its delicious food and wine.
This restaurant is one of the restaurants owned by the famous d’Arenberg winery in South Australia. It serves some of the best wines in Australia and has won awards like the 2021 Best Restaurant in a Winery.
What we like about this restaurant is its flexible menu. Customers can choose the classic eight-course degustation menu or select their own two or three-course meals from the à la carte menu.
The degustation menu changes constantly to follow the season and provides a more appropriate dining experience to the customers.
d’Arry’s Verandah’s signature dish—lobster medallion with blue swimmer crab, prawn ravioli and lobster bisque—is a must-try when you come to visit the restaurant. The surcharge of $18 will be worth it once you take a bite of the juicy lobster.
Just note that the restaurant is only open for lunch, so if you’re planning a dinner date, you might want to consider other restaurants.
The place can also get busy at times because of the number of tourists visiting the place and the cube near it.
On the brighter side, you’ll receive complimentary access to the Salvador Dali Exhibition and a breathtaking view of the rolling hills and vineyards while having lunch.