Find hidden treasures at the 9 best souvenir shops in Adelaide!
I invited my friends who live outside Adelaide for an adrenaline rush at our local amusement parks. After a fun-filled week, they had to say goodbye to our wonderful Australian coastal capital.
However, my friends wouldn’t go without one last hurrah. That means I helped them scour for the best souvenir shops!
We wanted unique items that would remind them of Adelaide’s culture and our experiences. So I pointed out these shops aligned with their interests. I’m sharing them here, too, if you’re searching for quirky keepsakes!
Adelaide Central Market
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Address: 44/60 Gouger Street
Contact: +61 8 8203 7494
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday – 9 am to 5:30 pm
- Friday – 7 am to 9 pm
- Saturday – 7 am to 3 pm
Adelaide Central Market has a lot to offer, such as flower arrangements, gourmet local foods, and handcrafted items. It was established in 1869 as a primary venue for vendors to sell goods. They remain just as lively as they were, with over 70 vendors!
We went there and enjoyed the diversity of products. The market is sectioned according to the type of goods sold, so despite its size, it’s quite easy to navigate. Plus, they also have signage for each section.
The sections we especially liked were Continental and Cheese Avenue and Non-Produce. In the earlier section, we bought specialty cheeses, like aged cheese and a charcuterie board selection.
We went to the non-produce section for its affordable literature, some even sold secondhand!
Pro tip: The Adelaide Central Market has a community kitchen where vendors host live cooking shows! This July, the South Australian Country Women’s Association is having a scone pop-up market. Check out their website to catch their stall and buy artisanal food!
T’arts Collective
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Address: 10G Gays Arcade, Rundle Mall
Contact: +61 8 8232 0265
Operating hours:
- Monday to Saturday – 10 am to 5 pm
- Sunday – 12 pm to 4 pm
T’arts Collective is a place I highly recommend to my friends and anyone looking for unique handmade souvenirs. With 34 local artisans, this shop has ceramics, textiles, paints, prints, jewellery, and more!
Buying here helps Adelaide’s creative community, as the sales directly go to the vendors.
Last June, the shop received a new winter warmer from Maude Bath’s Ghost Gum series. The warmer is reversible and made from machine-embroidered felted wool. This is a practical yet equally stunning souvenir my friend could use during cold weather or even as a jacket in chilly offices!
Their souvenirs can also be bought as a set, even when the products are from different artists. For example, another friend bought jewellery from taxidermy artist Olivia Dryden, whose art uses bones, teeth, and animal parts! This piece was paired with a complementary trinket dish.
Pro tip: T’Arts Collective also hosts art exhibits, in which the displayed works could also be bought! They currently have an event running until the 28th of July, showcasing various paintings, figurines, and clothing. You can catch it at Mill Street, Clare.
Check out updates for the event on their Instagram account.
Jurlique Farm
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Address: 31 Liebelt Rd, Biggs Flat, Adelaide Hills
Contact: +61 8 8393 0518
Operating hours:
- Monday to Friday – 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
- Saturday to Sunday – 10 am to 4 pm
A friend of mine started using locally made skincare products during our stay in Adelaide. They’re healthy for the skin, so she wanted to take some home! That’s why we went to Jurlique Farm.
The farm uses plant-based ingredients to create its skincare line. For example, they use their calendula flowers and manuka leaves to create creams, face washes, and serums suitable for sensitive skin. In fact, this is the product line my friend has been using!
My friend said she’s also been testing one of their bestsellers, the rosewater mist. She carried the travel-friendly bottle during our entire trip and sprayed it to maintain her makeup. The spray also has marshmallow root extract, which helps her refresh after heavy sweating!
Pro tip: Curious about Jurlique Farm’s process of creating skincare? The farm also offers tours and a handpicking class! For farm tours, visitors may choose between a group or solo tour. You may book an appointment through their website.
Opal Diamond Factory
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Address: 32-34 King William Street
Contact: +61 451 770 900
Operating hours:
- Monday to Saturday – 9 am to 5 pm
- Sunday – 11 am to 3 pm
My friend’s mum requested Adelaide-made jewellery before he headed home. What better shop to buy those than the Opal Diamond Factory on King William Street?
The jewellery merchandise was established in 1968 and has since been making bracelets, charms, necklaces, and more using opal, also known as Australia’s national gem!
They also sell gemstones, such as tourmaline, garnet, and sapphire, and other jewellery with metals, like sterling silver and gold. You can also get some custom jewellery, which I thought would be great for my pal’s mum!
Speaking of custom jewellery, the process starts with conceptualisation with their in-house jewellers. He decided on a sterling silver and crystal opal necklace. The final piece can be picked up at their shop or delivered!
Pro tip: Opal Diamond Factory also has collections, namely Altura, Los Colores, and Myriad. Each collection features untreated stones whose natural colour is preserved in the jewellery piece. Altura focuses on sapphires, Myriad uses opals, and Los Colores mixes various stones.
Haigh’s Chocolates
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Address: Adelaide Arcade, Shop 1/112/118 Grenfell Street
Contact: +61 1300 424 447
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 9:30 am to 6 pm
- Friday – 9 am to 9 pm
- Saturday – 9 am to 5 pm
- Sunday – 10 am to 5 pm
Haigh’s Chocolates is a sweets and chocolate shop with multiple branches in Adelaide, and the Grenfell Street branch is along a walk of cafes and restaurants! Since we all have a sweet tooth, we decided to shop here. We also explored the cafes after shopping!
Their July featured product is a milk macadamia and coconut block. The chocolate used is rich and thick, which goes well with the crunch of macadamia nuts. The toasted coconut flakes also bring out a buttery, sweet taste!
Right now, the chocolate shop is celebrating its 110th founding anniversary. They released a selection of milk and dark chocolate sweets in commemoration, all packed in an assortment box!
This is their most recommended gift and souvenir set, as it highlights their all-time best-selling flavours, such as the dark Turkish delight and milk mango!
Pro tip: Ran out of chocolates at their Grenfell Street branch? They have multiple stores in Adelaide, with their Greenhill Road offering visitor tours! Through the tour, visitors learn about their chocolate-making process. You can book this solo or as a group through their website.
Miss Gladys Sym Choon
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Address: 235A Rundle Street
Contact: +61 8 8223 1500
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 10 am to 6 pm
- Friday – 10 am to 7 pm
- Saturday – 10 am to 5 pm
- Sunday – 12 pm to 5 pm
My friend actually bought a pair of shoes at Miss Gladys Sym Choon when his shoes’ outsoles separated from overuse. He commented on the artisanal designs, durability, and comfort of the shoes, so I thought, why not recommend it too?
Its founder, Gladys Sym Choon, is a historical icon in Australia. She was the first woman to run an imported goods shop at 18 years old, amid the now-defunct Immigration Restriction Act, which was strict towards immigrants.
Today, the founder’s legacy lives on through her fashion shop, standing in the very place where it was first established in 1929.
My friend bought sneakers here, which, aside from their comfort and function, sport bright colours and patterns, a trademark of this store’s items.
He also bought boots for his shoe-lover girlfriend, which he knew she would like for their kitschy flower patterns against the shoe’s black colour!
They also sell women’s and men’s fashion, accessories, jewellery, and more.
Pro tips:
- The Miss Gladys Sym Choon franchise has two other stores, namely the Mr. Choon store exclusively for menswear and a larger venue in Aldinga called Miss Gladys on Sea.
- All stores and online shops have an ongoing footwear sale while stocks last! This is recommended for people who want to buy their shoes as a souvenir or gift without emptying out their wallets.
Sea-Witch Images
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Address: 117 Lipson St, Port Adelaide
Contact: +61 8 8447 5000
Operating hours: Wednesday to Sunday – 9 am to 4 pm
Website
Sea-Witch Images is not as scary as it sounds. It specialises in capturing the best images of Australian waters, ports, and maritime history!
My friends wanted to check this out, as their hotel was close by, and it served as a remembrance of where they stayed in Adelaide.
Their images range from vintage to contemporary pictures, some already aged and brown, while others look like they’ve just been freshly taken.
They also have a digitised collection of pictured ships, yachts, and boats; antique paintings; and vintage photobooks.
You can browse their online gallery to get a glimpse of what they offer! This is one of the best places for art and history lovers to check out in Adelaide.
Pro tip: Curious about a photo’s story or how the picture was acquired? Ask the staff of Sea-Witch Images about its history! They have a wealth of knowledge about Port Adelaide’s history captured in the photographs.
Gallery 33
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Address: Shop 7 Adelaide Arcade
Contact: +61 8 7120 7095
Operating hours:
- Monday to Friday – 9 am to 5:30 pm
- Saturday – 9 am to 4 pm
Gallery 33 is a great shop for souvenirs featuring Aboriginal art.
Even if I’ve been here multiple times, the art never fails to amaze me! One of the paintings that caught my eye is Trinity Bird Mpetyane’s Tyankern Dreaming. It depicts the mulga berry, also known as tyankern, an important historical symbol to Trinity and his country, Ilkawerne.
I suggested to a friend that they should buy the shop’s tea towel. The towel features patterns and bright, vibrant colours celebrating Aboriginal heritage.
They also sell homeware, such as home decor and kitchen equipment, and sustainable products made from bamboo, suitable for environment-conscious people. Many of my household items are from here, and I told my friends to buy them as well so we could match!
Pro tip: Buying from Gallery 33 is beneficial to Aboriginal and indigenous communities, since the sales go directly to the artist or their chosen communities!
Orchard Bookshop
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Address: Adelaide Arcade, Shop 26, 112/118 Grenfell Street
Email: [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday – 10 am to 5:30 pm
- Friday – 10 am to 6 pm
- Saturday – 10 am to 3 pm
Close to Gallery 33 is Orchard Bookshop, a bookstore featuring handpicked reads, ranging from new releases to vintage collectibles! They also accept secondhand book donations through their website.
The store is also open to book requests submitted through their online form. It’s a great way for my bookworm buddies to get souvenirs.
I also liked that they have a diverse collection of reads from every genre and for any age group. Some of my friends picked out romance books and fantasy stories, while I browsed through their non-fiction section!
This month, the staff informed me they restocked rare Russian and Eastern European books. One book that piqued my interest was Murder of the Romanovs by Bulygin and Kerensky. Certain editions of this book are said to be out of print, so spotting one in this shop is quite the surprise!
Pro tip: Orchard Bookshop hosts pop-up events and community activities centred on promoting reading! Learn about them through their newsletter or website.
