Top 10 places in Adelaide to taste the Mediterranean
Mediterranean food seems to be going through a resurgence across town, with new eateries opening up in the city and suburbs. Here are just a few of these must-visit venues that are getting everything right when it comes to great Mediterranean fare.
Sofia
Owned by the Part Time Lover crew, Sofia is a place for everyone. The Hutt Street venue is the fun older sibling to the original venture, but the European version. When opening the venue in May this year, the team said this style of dining suits them: that being a venue appropriate for daytime, night time and all ages. SALIFE’s top pick when tasting the menu was the octopus with tomato and chilli oil.
Sofia / Photograph Matisse Chambers
Miss Moody Pizza Bar
Miss Moody Pizza Bar has brought a slice of Sicily to Goodwood Road, Goodwood. Owner, Pietro Polizzotto, has named this stylish eatery in honour of his wife’s occasional moodiness when she gets hungry. Hence, the spot offers a range of food sure to fix any angry/moody cravings, including wood oven pizza with particularly thin bases, traditional pasta recipes and ever-changing tiramisu flavour options (when SALIFE visited, we got a taste for the Biscoff iteration).
Miss Moody Pizza Bar
Olive
Olive, named after the one ingredient that ties the entire Mediterranean together, is a restaurant by the Sprout Food Group on Pirie Street. Owners Callum Hann and Themis Chryssidis said when opening this restaurant, they wanted to represent the entire stretch of the Med, from Greece all the way through to Morocco. To showcase this, they’ve opted for food that isn’t intimidating but has the ability to challenge your taste buds.
Olive / Photograph Matisse Chambers
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Reno’s
The newly-opened Reno’s is lovingly named after owners Frankie and Claudia’s father, who instilled entrepreneurial mindsets in his children from day one. “My family have always been business owners. I learnt what it means to be your own boss from a young age and the work ethic that it takes”, says Frankie.
“Our grandmother, who passed away in September, was a big influence in our life in terms of food and hospitality. Her eggplant parmigiana is one of the main dishes for us, which is also Reno’s favourite.”
Originally, the Reno’s brand was going to be “this high-class kind of hidden gangster restaurant,” but after plans for a private dining venue fell through, owners pivoted their vision to provide great quality food “but with a bit of a playful, not-so-high-end twist.” Recognising a lack of quality grab-and-go options in Adelaide’s CBD, the Reno’s team endeavours to dish up traditional Calabrian meals in takeaway form.
-Paris Kemp
Reno’s
Dino’s
Andrew Papadakis, who previously owned Meze Mazi on Prospect Road, has opened Dino’s on the corner of Hindley and Gresham streets. However, unlike the Prospect Greek restaurant, Dino’s is more casual and relaxed. They don’t take bookings, so diners can walk in as they please. But that doesn’t mean they compromise on quality and delicious tasting food. Dino’s specialises in traditional Greek pockets — instead of pita — that are stuffed with traditional fillings including feta, chips, onion and tzatziki.
Dino’s
Rita’s
Rita’s is the latest venture to open in North Adelaide on Melbourne Street and is there to bridge the gap between fancy and casual. Although the main cuisine on show is Italian, the head chef, Darcy Dawes, is mixing things up by fusing Asian cuisines where those flavour combinations work best. This creates interesting dishes including burrata with Chinese chilli oil and venison backstrap with lemon myrtle and thyme.
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Rita’s / Photograph Jack Fenby
Oliveti
Oliveti is brought to the diners of South Australia by the crew behind Spread, Don’s Deli, Bar Lune and Dolly. It is a casual restaurant located on Broadway in Glenelg, with its food offering a modern take on an Italian style, all while including some Middle Eastern influences as well. This means the menu ranges from options such as spaghetti vongole to olive oil braised octopus and porterhouse steak. This eatery is designed to be a casual place you can pop into, without the hustle and bustle of the city lifestyle.
Oliveti
Longplay Bistro
From the owners of Clever Little Tailor and Pink Moon Saloon comes a European-inspired brasserie, Longplay Bistro, on Pirie Street in the heart of the city. While the menu is mainly French inspired, the head chef assures SALIFE that there are also influences from Spain and Italy, featuring nostalgia dishes. The changing menu currently includes bootleg bucatini in vodka sauce and venison tartare with house crisps.
Longplay Bistro
Trak
Trak on Greenhill Road in Toorak Gardens is the sister restaurant to Halifax Street venture Herringbone, but it’s not a copy-and-paste replica. Instead, diners can expect a Mediterranean influence that still incorporates the same ethos, quality and passion that goes into Herringbone with items cooked in-house, daily and locally sourced. Trak is low-key luxury with a curated wine list and relaxed atmosphere. Though the menu changes seasonally, the dishes have Mediterranean flavours with specific nods to Italian cuisine.
Trak
Molly’s
Molly’s is located inside Glenelg’s The Colley Hotel, which was formerly the Jetty Bar. It is a modern Italian restaurant that brings a quality dining experience to this seaside precinct. The menu plays in the Italian style, with a range of antipasti, pizza, pasta and desserts, showcasing dishes such as rigatoni alla vodka and conchiglioni. But the space is the most notable part about the new venture, with a large balcony that can fit around 90 people overlooking Moseley Square.
Molly’s
The article originally featured in the 2024 issue of SALIFE Food+Wine+Travel magazine.
