Bowden Beckons: A Travel Guide to Bowden, Adelaide
- How to Get to Bowden
- Where to Eat
- Jarmer’s Kitchen
- Kome Kome Adelaide
- Bobibao
- Nutrition Republic
- Pizza Meccanica
- What to Do
- Relax at Emu Park Reserve
- Learn and watch circus tricks at Cirkidz
- Drink beer at Bowden Brewing
- Visit Parfitt Square
- See art in Praxis ARTSPACE
- Check out street art
- Where to Shop
- Beach Organics Store
- IGA Local Grocer Bowden
- Bowden Cellars
If you think suburbs are just cookie-cutter houses and endless lawns, think again. Bowden, an unassuming Adelaide suburb that used to house warehouses, is about to school you in style.
Here, you can dine in highly rated restos like Bobibao, see picturesque spots like Emu Park, and shop high-quality goodies at must-visit stores like Potted Thoughts!
We’ll share more deets about these below.
How to Get to Bowden
Car: If you’re starting from the CBD, head to Morphett Street, then north to Montefiore Road, passing attractions like the River Torrens and Helen Mayo Park.
Continue driving north until you reach the western corner of War Memorial Drive. Turn left and follow the road northward until you arrive at the entrance of Park Terrace.
Go south of Park Terrace, enter Sixth Street, and make a sharp left at its intersection with Gibson Street. Follow Gibson Street until you arrive in Bowden.
The distance is around 5 kilometers and takes about 11 minutes.
Bus: From the CBD, take the GLNELG bus headed to Adelaide’s entertainment center. Upon arriving at the center, head to Bowden by walking northeast.
Train: Make your way to Adelaide Railway Station and board the train headed towards the Outer Harbor lines.
When you reach the Outer Harbor lines, go northeast until you arrive at Bowden.
Where to Eat
Jarmer’s Kitchen
From chrisjarmer
Address: 18 Park Terrace, Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: (08) 8340 1055
Pricing: $$
Jarmer’s Kitchen is a modern, relaxed, and trendy cafe serving modern Australian cuisine.
Breakfast lovers will enjoy their smashed avo. This morning-exclusive meal features a perfectly poached egg.
Their trademark Bowden burger is best for lunch and dinner. It has a succulent ground beef patty generously topped with crispy bacon, gooey cheese, onions, and tomatoes.
Kome Kome Adelaide
Address: 5 Third St, Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: (08) 8340 1055
Pricing: $$
Kome Kome Adelaide’s unpretentious charm is hard to deny. In the morning, they serve a classic Aussie breakfast, a hearty plate that includes eggs, bacon, mushrooms, bread, salad, and potatoes.
For lunch and dinner, go with their Japanese curry with pork katsu. Their sushi platter, typically with tuna and teriyaki chicken, is a fantastic alternative for dining with a group.
Hot chocolate and cappuccino are their best-selling drinks. You can also try their hot and cold tea for a more refreshing finish.
Bobibao
Address: 7 Second St, Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: 0451 108 110
Pricing: $$
Bobibao’s modern twist on Taiwanese dishes is as beautiful as its chic interior. A refreshing alfresco spot with lush plants and ample shade also awaits outdoors.
Our go-to meal here is their Taiwanese fried chicken. A zest blood orange sauce coats its crispy, salty, and savory meat.
Bobibao’s salt and pepper taro is a must-try for vegans. It features taro slices, seasoned with salt and pepper and offering a satisfying crunch.
Nutrition Republic
Address: 2 Hawker St, Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: 0410 103 354
Pricing: $$
Nutrition Republic is hip and classy and offers health-conscious chow.
Our foodies went with their mouthwatering power bowl, and the meal didn’t disappoint. This nutrient-dense salad bowl has grilled eggs with velvety avocado mash, grain-free super seed, and kimchi or sauerkraut.
The best cold drink for this meal is the Amazonian smoothie. This drink has beetroot, pomegranate, acai, and blueberry.
Pizza Meccanica
Address: 2 Hawker St, Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: (08) 8232 0044
Pricing: $$
Pizza Meccanica’s interior is refined and nostalgic—with a vintage car inside! They specialize in traditional pizza, so expect classic Italian flavors.
Their Margherita is an authentic Neapolitan pizza. It boasts San Marzano tomatoes, creamy fior de latte, fragrant fresh basil, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and luscious buffalo mozzarella.
We recommend finishing these meals with their Bellini. This cocktail is a fusion of sweet marionette peach liqueur, sparkling prosecco, and zesty lemon sorbet.
What to Do
Relax at Emu Park Reserve
Address: Gibson Street Reserve, Gibson St, Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: (08) 8408 1111
Relaxing at Bowden’s Emu Park Reserve is free, making it a must-visit destination for wanderlusts looking to unwind. It’s also family-friendly, so bring your kids and let them play in the vast grasslands.
There are several BBQ grills across the park if you get hungry. In the mood for a picnic?
You can use the tree-shaded spots or the numerous sheds with tables and seating options. Additionally, Emu Park Rerve is a nice spot to get physical, with a basketball ring perfect for friendly shootarounds and a short bike trail.
Learn and watch circus tricks at Cirkidz
Address: 27 Fifth St, Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: (08) 8346 5735
Cirkidz is Bowden’s youth-based circus school open for workshops and regular classes. Their troupe of trainers is ready to whip you into circus shape, and they’ve got quite the repertoire.
They teach juggling, hula hoop, basic tumbling, and even constructing human pyramids!
Drink beer at Bowden Brewing
Address: 12 Fourth St, Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: (08) 8346 5735
Bowden Brewing is one of the best spots in Bowden to relieve stress. They craft a myriad of original tapped beers, but our favorites are their All Day Session IPA and Oatmeal Stout.
The golden All Day Session IPA is a blend of malts like Munich, wheat, and sour grapes. Its Centennial, Citra, and Cascade hops lend a fruity, citrusy kick.
Then, there’s the Oatmeal Stout, a brew flexing velvety smoothness and hints of chocolate and coffee. The blend of malts, including ale, Munich, and flaked oats, tame the East Kent Goldings hops’ bitterness.
Visit Parfitt Square
Address: 121 Drayton St, Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: (08) 8408 1111
Parfitt Square is a break from the urban bustle. The expansive lawned areas are ideal for outdoor games like tag, soccer, football, or frisbee and walking with cats or dogs.
There are also BBQ facilities for sizzling cookouts. Moreover, an enclosed playground is nearby, offering swings, forts, climbing platforms, and whimsical animal structures.
A canopy of healthy and towering eucalyptus trees provides the playground shade, so too much sunlight isn’t an issue. Furthermore, there’s a shed within the vicinity casting additional cover.
See art in Praxis ARTSPACE
Address: 68-72 Gibson St, Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: (08) 7231 1974
Praxis ARTSPACE is one of Bowden’s art havens. This independent atmospheric art gallery houses semi-dark exhibition rooms showcasing poignant artworks.
There’s Pierre Mukeba’s collection that features a gritty and dark art style embodying chaos through abstract and haunting imagery of severed limbs and human-animal hybrids.
And then there’s David Hume’s Fleurieu, Perceptions of Place, an exhibition fusing photographic printmaking methods like wet chemical printing, oil coloring, and lenticular printing.
This collection showcases the beauty of the Fleurieu Peninsula through photographs.
Check out street art
You can travel the streets of Bowden and see street art from respected and unknown artists. The best spot to start is in Drayton Street, where Hyde and Seek Arts’ artwork made of recycled materials colors the walls.
You can then head to East and Second Street for the vibrant purple and blue cartoony murals and letterings by the respected street artist Eli Coventry. Continue and you’ll discover colorful floral paintings on the corner of Eighth and Ninth Street.
On the corner of Thirteenth and Fourteenth Street, you’ll see a cute echidna sculpture by Glen Romanis.
Where to Shop
Plant 4 Bowden
Address: 5 Third St, Bowden, SA 5008
Contact Details: 0415 064 950
Pricing: $ to $$
Plant 4 Bowden is a unique marketplace known for its stalls offering eco-conscious and top-tier finds, like Color Cosmetica Vintage’s clothing and Purple Maiden’s skincare.
Liquor lovers should visit Full Circle Spirits to see their new and iconic drinks, from smooth whiskies to luxurious red wines.
If the shopping spree gives you the hunger blues, grab a sweet treat at Cakeboy Donuts or a decadent pie from Shirni Parwana.
Beach Organics Store
Address: Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: (08) 8554 2956
Pricing: $ to $$
The products of Beach Organics Store are testaments to sustainability and quality. They sell velvety raw organic chocolate and aromatic coffee roastery beans and extract, which fuels our mornings.
In addition, Beach Organics is a treasure trove of rare and organic spices. They have hand-crafted artisanal sea salt, varieties of coconut oil, and vanilla beans.
They also provide recipes that showcase the store’s products in delightful and creative ways. The friendly staff taught us how to whip up a mean Arabica coffee choco ice cream and cocoa chocolate yogurt with cacao nibs!
IGA Local Grocer Bowden
Address: 1 Third St, Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: (08) 7325 0389
Pricing: $ to $$
IGA Local Grocer Bowden is the neighborhood’s trusted grocer. The store boasts a curated selection of fresh produce.
Common local products include plump tomatoes, crisp red apples, and succulent beef. Shelves also brim with pasta, rice, sauces, and spices.
And we can’t forget the delightful assortment of baked goods and deli items. You can score freshly baked bread, delectable pastries, and a selection of cheeses and cold cuts.
Bowden Cellars
Address: Red Shed La, Bowden, SA 5007
Contact Details: 0482 919 357
Pricing: $ to $$$
Leaving Bowden without purchasing a bottle from Bowden Cellars is a bad travel move. This bottle shop proudly showcases a selection of South Australian liquor, all produced by local artisans.
Our most-bought bottle here is the Colab and Bloom Tempranillo, a drink with luscious dark berries and delicate notes of spices.
Then there’s the Full Monte 2023 Montepulciano Gin. This exceptional South Australian gin weaves the essence of Montepulciano grapes with juniper, citrus, cherries, and more botanicals.
