Budget
Pho Thanh
414 grand junction rd, mansfield park. range of vietnamese dishes at reasonable prices. there are a lot of pho places around addison/hanson roads at arndale/mansfield park areas. there are also a lot of nice viet roll places worth checking out. vietmanese rolls will set you back anywhere from $3-5.
Elephant walk
76 melbourne st, +61 8 8267-2006â particularly interesting because it is a small, cosy cafe which is very dimly lit. each booth is separated by straw screens so you can't really see the other patrons. it opens at 8pm and if they're full, you'll have to wait outside for a table.
There are actually a lot of budget eateries in Adelaide. They don't usually look like much from the outside but most have something going for them - the reason that they are still in business. It pays to look through menus plastered onto doors. Cheap eats should be anywhere from $8-14 for a main, and no more.
Midrange
Jasmin
31 hindmarsh sq, â +61 8 8223 7837. arguably adelaide's best indian restaurant. beautifully decorated, with classical music playing and impeccable service. the very hot curries vindaloo and tindaloo are especially good. you might also consider trying the mixed entree or orange sponge cake.
Regent Thai
165 o'connell st, â +61 8 8239 0927. excellent and consistent standard thai menu. the friendly proprietor chang was a refugee from the khmer rouge in cambodia. try the oysters in coriander sauce, the red curry chicken, or ask for a whole fish steamed with ginger and shallots. its sister restaurant at glenelg, phuket, is worth checking out as well. mains $13-18.
Top end
The Manse
142 tynte st, (http://www.themanserestau...) â +61 8 8267 4636. small, peaceful french contemporary restaurant tucked in a quiet corner of north adelaide.
Magill Estate Restaurant
78 penfold rd, magill, (http://www.penfolds.com/b...) â +61 8 8301 5551. while the food here is good, the real stars are the view and the wine list. this restaurant is owned by penfolds, probably australia's best-known premium red wine maker, and overlooks the vineyards on their magill property, not far from the city centre. the grapes grown on this estate are used to make the magill estate label single vineyard shiraz. the wine list allows you to order back vintages of the penfolds and other wines going back 20 or more years.
Windy Point Restaurant
Windy point lookout, belair rd. (http://www.windypointrest...) â +61 8 8278 8255. nice ambiance, excellent service and good food prepared in a unique way with a nice view of the city skyline. for those who wish to have a less formal setting, the adjacent cafe also offers a good selection. usually only open for dinner from 6pm onwards, though lunches are possible with prior arrangements.
Auge
22 grote st, (http://www.auge.com.au) â +61 8 8410 9332. small italian/modern australian fusion restaurant tucked in a corner opposite central market.
Red Ochre
War memorial dr, north adelaide. (http://www.redochre.com.au) â +61 8 8211 8555. modern australian restaurant with a nice ambience situated on the river torrens and with a good view of the city skyline.
North adelaide
Adelaide
Gouger Street
Offers a wide range of tastes to suit many budgets in a variety of asian, italian and seafood restaurants as well as upmarket french, argentinian and many other choices. from friday to sunday make sure to reserve a table to avoid disappointment. gouger street also incorporates adelaide's "chinatown arch" which fronts a large number of budget eating options. as well as the central market, which on tuesdays, wednesdays, thursdays, fridays and saturday mornings are buzzing with produce traders, sights and smells.
Suburbs
Many restaurants in Adelaide allow "BYO". You can bring one or more bottles of wine to the restaurant and the staff will pour it for you and add a service charge to the bill, typically between about $8-20. Often this will work out cheaper than buying wine at the restaurant. Check beforehand with the restaurant.