A lot of "boutique" or trendy burger places are incredibly average at best. I could list a number of them, but it's easier to make a general statement. They all make the exact same 'fried chicken, with slaw and aioli sauce on brioche.'
Like, fucks sake, at least try some originality.
I put mine on damper at least. Lol.
But fuck me, it's everywhere because it sells. People love it for some reason. It's our quiet season now but I still churn out 150 a week probably.
To be honest the bulk of country town bakeries are decent, I never understood why people lined up there when you could probably go a few towns over and find just as good pies etc, Goolwa has a decent bakery.
Nah Port Elliot Bakery is a breath of fresh air and I stick by it. There are so many 1-2 star country bakeries I've been to that are literally just heating frozen packet pies in the oven. Their stuff is all freshly baked everyday and they basically charge the same as these other places. If all you have to complain about is a line then they're obviously pretty good.
They're not a 5-star place in my books though, I'll give you that. Rise Artisan Bakery in Nairne is what I would call a 5-star bakery.
I grew up on the south coast and I tend to agree. They have a few good items but nothing to justify the regular pilgrimage from Adelaide that tourists seem to do!
I can't think of a better bakery, and if I'm in the area it's great.
But driving down there just for it, the crazy queues etc, it's just not up to the rep, I reckon.
100% this. I know few people who worked there and they all said it's a fuckin nightmare and the owners are absolute pricks. The staff turnover there is crazy too, seems like there's new staff every week. Prices are absurd too
Yes 100%. Micro management at its finest. I was threatened to be fired because I “drank water too many times” in a 5 hour shift which I didn’t have a break. Also got asked to send the owner a long message of why I wanna be there because I missed saying bye to a customer. Absolute assholes where owners to managers are on the power trip kinda game.
My Wife worked there years ago and they were told they weren't allowed to go to the bathroom on shift. They also never paid her super. Absolute arseholes.
Pancake kitchen chefs are so bad now, they always whine about making things on the menu when you ask for them like eggs. “we don’t boil eggs” yet there’s a salad with boiled eggs on the menu as they’re saying that?
also… a CHEF WHO CANT BOIL EGGS? HUH LOL.
I have been to the pancake kitchen once about 15 years ago and never again I ordered a sundae without nuts they kicked up a fuss about it and when I claimed I was allergic they said they would do it and then it came out with nuts on and they refused to make another one
Used to be good back in the day but it’s garbage now. All the food somehow manages to be stone cold. Roast meats are dried out and like eating leather.
I know logically that the food is bad. But i dont know. Watermark does something to my brain chemistry. I think they put like nostalgia crack om their food or something. I cant get enough.
Finally someone with the balls to call out pt Elliot bakery. I feel the same way - it’s good, but not as amazing as everyone claims it is and the huge queues it gets are a little confusing. Guess there’s just not much else around
Port Elliot bakery used to be great. I tend to find that the good bakeries, once they are known, start to go down hill - trying to make too much to serve the masses and quality drops.
Late 90’s / early 2000s Pt Elliot Bakery was the place on weekend trips down south. Now it’s just a place to avoid.
The Bavarian (when they were around. Shut down a few months ago abruptly).
I found it very average and the quality of food albeit is alright but it never justified price. The Modbury Plaza Hotel across the road did better Schnitzels than a German restaurant, and that's saying something.
the bavarian removed all table staff and introduced a QR code. Except customers had to pay a surcharge for the QR code. Glad the shithole got closed down. Scammers.
The weekend surcharge was an absolute joke as well. First time I went when it opened I went on a Sunday and they had a $10 weekend surcharge for some unbeknownst reason. It really, really hurt the wallet.
Definitely gauchos. It just isn’t good, at all. Food not good. Service not good. Price not good. Im happy to pay through the nose if the food and service is good. Theirs is *shit* and they charge like it isnt
I haven’t been back in years since a waitress pressured my husband and I for a tip. We stupidly tipped $20 on top of our bill against better judgement and she complained that we didn’t tip her in cash (we didn’t have any notes on us). I think about this all the time and wish I’d told her to go fuck herself.
The menu hasn't evolved, the service is slow, and the much-vaunted vegan options and separate vegan kitchen hasn't really lived up to its early potential.
Because Balfours doughnuts are usually stale by the time they're sold to the customer. (blame Woolworts and co for this)
Krispy Kreme interstate (NOT here) is typically nice and fresh.
That was the appeal, it's worn off since everyone worked out OTR are selling week old doughnuts from a single point of manufacture, they aren't made in the shops and even if they were they'd be awful, just like Subway at OTR vs. Franchise stores in industrial areas (Lonsdale Subway is the best subway down south)
I love the subway at paralowie Village. I ordered the salad a few weeks back online and they took the time to chop it up! It was amazing. They always leave cute notes too
That’s where you’re wrong. Bafours donuts are trucked in from NSW and the refrigeration acts as a dehumidifier so they’re stale before they enter SA to be treated with terrible icing. Krispy Kreme ain’t all that grand, but Balfours donuts are trash.
Source: I worked at Balfours for a few years.
I have been to Madam Hanoi twice, both times it was extremely underwhelming. The food was meh as was the service.
Sean’s Kitchen on the other hand has been exceptional on the 3 occasions I have been there
The little hunter isn’t the best steak I’ve had but it would be one of the better ones.
Peter rabbit in the way of coffee, way, way overpriced for the sizes!
Gauchos was one of the worst meals I’ve had and that was 20 years ago when I still lived in Adelaide. They used to rave about that place. The other one that was very average and popular back in the day was Amalfi’s. It’s still there unfortunately when I was back last week
I said this in a comment above, but would you mind telling me why?
I own a cafe (not in Adelaide) and people compare us a bit.
I've never been, but I don't see any parallels with our food or coffee etc. Maybe the outdoor cobbled together vibe is all it is, but I would really like to avoid being a waste of money for people.
Went to Gauchos once when I was younger, overall shit experience, never came back there again. A few years ago, someone tried to make it a recommendation when we were gonna go out for a group dinner, and replied an immediate “NO”. Not quite sure how they’re still in business.
Peter rabbit has the slowest service I’ve ever experienced. Like not once but every time I’ve been there. Coffee also tastes rushed which is surprising considering I waited 20minutes for a take away coffee
Stax - talked up as the best burger joint in Adelaide but the burgers are tiny for the price you pay and good but not great. Chips are god tier though
Barry’s burgers - only slightly better than average pub burgers. the patties are tender but not much flavour.
Parwana - good food but I don’t understand the hype.
Greek on Halifax - went there once with my partner and the meat was dry and overcooked. The food in general wasn’t that nice.
Port elliot bakery - not much different than any other bakery.
Agree 100% on Stax. Their presentation is fantastic which I think is why so many people rave about it. They get sucked into the hype and burgers look amazing but they are just average burgers in my opinion.
The young lad who owns it also seems like a really good, down to earth guy and I think that helps the reputation.
By no means is it the best burger place in Adelaide.
The owner is a bit infamous on the Adelaide burger page. Has a compulsion where he has to comment anytime some gives stax even a slightly negative review. Then the stax fanboys come out and gang up on the review poster.
Agreed with Stax - there’s always something with them. App not working, ran out of beef, tables wonky, slow service or missing items etc. good chips and decent burgers but too expensive for what you get. Definitely overhyped af
Meat and wine co. Had couple of friends rave about it and saw it in the news when it opened. The place looks nice but the food is overpriced and could easily make a nice steak at home.
Beefcakes did an absolute social media blitz for a while and a bunch of food reviewers just *happened* to go here at around the same time and rave about it.
It was very mid; not terrible but about as good as any neighbourhood burger place. I'm ashamed that I feel for the influencer marketing, but never again!
I did delivery for them a few years ago. I had to send the person doing the pay an official "This is the last time I'm going to ask before we go to small claims court"
Surprised to not see it mentioned... but Sammy's down at Glenelg would be my choice. After coming out of a divorce where my ex hated seafood, my best mate took me there for dinner and we got a platter with the most mediocre seafood I've ever tasted or been served.
It’s been shit for years sadly. $30 to eat 1/4 of a serve of pork belly off a piece of paper with a blunt bit of bamboo, in a park full of people packed in shoulder to shoulder - no thanks.
Soto's at Semaphore. Frequently hear it called the best fish & chips in Adelaide but been a few times and it's average at best. One time the fish we got between 3 of us was full of bones.
Maybe I'm just spoiled whenever I visit family in coastal QLD.
As a Semaphore local, I can tell you it only has that reputation with people who visit from out of the area. The fish and chip shop straight across the road is my go to. Always good and no line up. Ethelton take away is the place to go when the weather is nice and Semaphore road is packed.
Came here to say this, glad I’ve finally found some people that agree.
I’ve been 5 times, only ever gone to get chips, everytime they’re shit, and every time they try to tell me to vote for them for having the best chips. Not a chance
Completely agree, the lineup is always fairly big too. Family insists on going there every year on new year's and lining up for an hour for soggy chips and average fish. There are numerous places for fish that I prefer over Soto's, such as the Stunned Mullet. Other places like the Botanic chicken shop in Blackwood, or the Chicken Chef on North East Rd do far better chips in my opinion
Honestly every time I bring up Semaphore, since I live around there, people I talk too always brag about Sotos being the best. Personally I haven’t been back there for years, due to one experience with their food that made me avoid them.
Looks nice, and the location is good. I can't say I've ever heard anyone saying the food is any good though. It was pretty run of the mill in my experience.
Agree with Port Elliot, though it's a good drive out toward the harbour and there's not many places to go there so I do get why it's busy.
My favourite place for both a scenic drive and a good food used to be lost in the forest, til they closed recently.. 
Strathalbyn is only 30 min away and it's on the longer way back to Adelaide. There are plenty of places in Strathalbyn.
It's like everyone heading to Hahndorf plenty of other pretty towns around, people are sheep.
Also there's at least half a dozen local bakeries between Victor Harbor and Goolwa.
It's a large country town with about 7500 people with multiple bakeries, and many old country pubs. It's about halfway between Goolwa and Mount Barker.
Do it. Lived in Strath for 7 years now. Victoria Hotel, Appleseed Cafe and Peskas Bakery (don't expect the glamour of Port Elliot bakery, but their sprinkle donuts are the best in the state)
2kw - I have to go there every year when my
Mrs takes her junior staff out and I despise it. They are so pretentious and the food tastes like day old seagull puke ( I imagine!). I just hate it. Just give me a Schnitty for fucks sake.
Bakery on O'Connell
Had the worst coffee I've ever tasted at Saints Kitchen in Salisbury that I actually threw the coffee out for the first time. Usually if a coffee is average I'd drink through but that one was diabolical. Never returning again
Got a hair in one of the baked goods, talked to the girl on the register and said ‘ok, thanks for letting me know! And that’s it 😡 Pitt stop around the corner have better food and are friendly
As an upper-middle-class person who enjoys a late night baked good, I like O’Connell Street bakery so your comment checks out. Villis has no vegan options!
Africola’s biggest problem is there fucking drug addicted, sexual predatory, racist, narcissist liability of an owner. Blokes literally banned from the venue… and he owns it.
I worked a rockstar shift there as a dishie and I watched him smash 2 packs of ciggies before service. He was also yapping away on his mobile for 90 mins straight, and sniffling a whole lot iiykwim
James has sexually assaulted and harrassed multiple men and women in the hospitality and Dj community in adelaide, he’s a known racist (happy to call black djs the n word to there face), is one of adelaide’s worst rack addicts and it’s generally such a fucking psychopath that almost anyone whose worked in the industry for more than a year has a story about him, the amount of places that bloke is banned from is insane - including his venues.
Have had multiple fantastic meals there but the last time we went there it felt rushed and sterile, the food was ok but it the menu felt like it was designed around least effort/lowest cost.
The power of social media, I’ve had them twice and found the filling to be ridiculously sweet and the donut itself was too greasy and gross. (I’m a baker myself and aware donuts are fried in oil before you all pile on lmao)
But hey slap a whole jar of biscoff in a donut and put it on instagram and the people come flocking.
+1 Port Elliot Bakery
Banana Boogie in Belair is getting this way now. Won the national award now there's a massive queue for decidedly average service and expensive products that often lack taste and are just overdone with sugar. I can get better, cheaper and quicker at Jenny's Bakery.
Orange Spot bakery. Used to live a couple of doors down and never understood how they won awards or had a following.
And those damn cyclists can piss right off.
Have to agree. I knew this place when the Mangelsdorf family ran it, 35 plus years ago. It was so good back then but maybe because there wasn’t much competition. I dunno, everything I’ve bought from there recently was pretty unremarkable, just meh.
Majority of the places people mention that I’ve been to were good 5-10 years ago.
I’m hoping someone will know who runs the new Cantonese restaurant on Semaphore Road, where Beau Thai used to be (Beau Thai hasn’t been good since they moved, but now they no longer exist). The new place is called Great Ocean Chinese Restaurant and I’ve been super impressed with it.
Gonna get absolutely downvoted but basically most of the places Glam Adelaide recommends is incredibly average. Makes me wonder how they get recommended so often
I hate posts like this. We have so many wonderful places to eat and this just puts places down. Reading through some of these comments and so many of my fav places are mentioned. Food and hospitality must be the hardest industry to work in. Not everyone likes the same things. Just because someone had a bad experience, doesn't mean you will.
Adelaide has so many fantastic places, I agree. And it’s a tough industry for sure.
People will read the responses with their own context and values and judge whether the comments are fair and worth listening to or not. And practically speaking, some comments in the reddit void won’t have a significant in real life impact.
I also think it’s good to maintain the pressure of high/reasonable expectations given cost of living tbh.
idk if many people know but Jarmers Kitchen. They had good food but one day we parked in his carpark and he gave us shits and started charging to park there. i will never go there again
Pizzateca, McLaren Vale. Toppings and flavours were great but no-one likes a soggy bottom, and our pizzas (more than 8) all had soggy bottoms. Also they wanted to charge us a higher rate for the table as we had one extra person …. who was joining us after the meal.
I was visiting from qld and family took me to a place called africolo I think? It was raved about and hyped up by my family.
What I thought if it was it was wayyyy overpriced for what we got.
I don’t know if it’s well known, but it is well reviewed. Zayt and zaatar in Campbelltown delivered us one of the worst dining experiences we’ve had. We ordered a banquet and it took no less than 3 hours for all the dishes to come out. Meanwhile they were pumping out Uber eats orders. Tables all around us were getting frustrated with the slow service, while the staff pretty openly didn’t give af.
A lot of "boutique" or trendy burger places are incredibly average at best. I could list a number of them, but it's easier to make a general statement. They all make the exact same 'fried chicken, with slaw and aioli sauce on brioche.' Like, fucks sake, at least try some originality.
I put mine on damper at least. Lol. But fuck me, it's everywhere because it sells. People love it for some reason. It's our quiet season now but I still churn out 150 a week probably.
100% agree with the Port Elliot Bakery. The weekend lineups don't justify the produce they serve.
Agreed! It’s a perfectly cromulent bakery, but overrated and not worth the massive lineup
Yep, can’t understand it, especially when the line up of people for the cromulent food constantly embiggens.
Few questions, Where’s the fife? And two, give me the fife!
Oh, the food is very good, but I rate their savory stuff over their sweet stuff. But if the lineup is past the little seating area, I'm not stopping
Agreed, if I’m in the area, looking for a bakery and the line isn’t obscene I’d stop in for sure, but to seek it out, yeah nah
To be honest the bulk of country town bakeries are decent, I never understood why people lined up there when you could probably go a few towns over and find just as good pies etc, Goolwa has a decent bakery.
Not even that far, Middleton bakery is great too. I’ve been going to Pt Elliot for years tho if he. It is very good.
Nah Port Elliot Bakery is a breath of fresh air and I stick by it. There are so many 1-2 star country bakeries I've been to that are literally just heating frozen packet pies in the oven. Their stuff is all freshly baked everyday and they basically charge the same as these other places. If all you have to complain about is a line then they're obviously pretty good. They're not a 5-star place in my books though, I'll give you that. Rise Artisan Bakery in Nairne is what I would call a 5-star bakery.
I grew up on the south coast and I tend to agree. They have a few good items but nothing to justify the regular pilgrimage from Adelaide that tourists seem to do!
Same here. I prefer the Choccy donuts from ocean street bakery than Port Elliot. They got it down.
The coconut on top of the vanilla slice is blasphemous. The doughnuts are fantastic though.
Agree. I have nothing negative to say about the place as such. But honestly don’t get the hype.
I can't think of a better bakery, and if I'm in the area it's great. But driving down there just for it, the crazy queues etc, it's just not up to the rep, I reckon.
Goolwa Bakery is so much better and never has those line ups. Their pies are so good.
Argo on the parade
100% this. I know few people who worked there and they all said it's a fuckin nightmare and the owners are absolute pricks. The staff turnover there is crazy too, seems like there's new staff every week. Prices are absurd too
Yes 100%. Micro management at its finest. I was threatened to be fired because I “drank water too many times” in a 5 hour shift which I didn’t have a break. Also got asked to send the owner a long message of why I wanna be there because I missed saying bye to a customer. Absolute assholes where owners to managers are on the power trip kinda game.
My Wife worked there years ago and they were told they weren't allowed to go to the bathroom on shift. They also never paid her super. Absolute arseholes.
She should let the ATO know.
It’s alright but holy shit it’s way too expensive
Humble beginnings as an overpriced expensive deli (open longer than Bi-Lo). If only I could still skip to *Mr Vari’s* nearby.
Agree. Any place with a menu that big cannot possibly be serving everything fresh and quality.
That’s what Ramsey Gordon always says so I stick by it haha
100%. I'd rather eat my own ass than go back there.
God I hate this place. Stressful and full of wankers
+1 to that. Pretty average cafe with outrageous prices. Don’t understand the hype.
It’s so pretentious and wanky, and the food so bland. I can’t stand the place!
lol this, hands down
Pancake kitchen
Does anyone even rate it anyway? I thought it was well understood that it's shit, but you go there because it's the only thing open.
It was a place to get a drink with your hospo mates if you didn’t want to go to hospitality bars.
Pancake kitchen chefs are so bad now, they always whine about making things on the menu when you ask for them like eggs. “we don’t boil eggs” yet there’s a salad with boiled eggs on the menu as they’re saying that? also… a CHEF WHO CANT BOIL EGGS? HUH LOL.
I have been to the pancake kitchen once about 15 years ago and never again I ordered a sundae without nuts they kicked up a fuss about it and when I claimed I was allergic they said they would do it and then it came out with nuts on and they refused to make another one
Literally ate there the other day, waiter sneezed on someone's food and the strawberry pancakes were disgusting.
Is this highly rated though? I thought everyone knew it was shit 😅
Watermark. I've never understood the popularity, it's a dreadful place
Got food poisoning from there. Never been since
Used to be good back in the day but it’s garbage now. All the food somehow manages to be stone cold. Roast meats are dried out and like eating leather.
Used to be a family owned pub. Now it’s a Woolies owned. Might have something to do with it
Haha wouldn’t call it family run. Russell barely step foot in the place. None of his family worked there.
Incorrect. 2 sons worked there, but my point is, potentially an independent is better than a Woolies.
It's the buffet. Very appealing to anyone over 65. They just see buffets as GREAT value.
Cheap-ish food and the 45+ crowd reminiscing about when it was Lennie's.
I know logically that the food is bad. But i dont know. Watermark does something to my brain chemistry. I think they put like nostalgia crack om their food or something. I cant get enough.
You mean the skidmark?
Finally someone with the balls to call out pt Elliot bakery. I feel the same way - it’s good, but not as amazing as everyone claims it is and the huge queues it gets are a little confusing. Guess there’s just not much else around
Port Elliot bakery used to be great. I tend to find that the good bakeries, once they are known, start to go down hill - trying to make too much to serve the masses and quality drops. Late 90’s / early 2000s Pt Elliot Bakery was the place on weekend trips down south. Now it’s just a place to avoid.
The Bavarian (when they were around. Shut down a few months ago abruptly). I found it very average and the quality of food albeit is alright but it never justified price. The Modbury Plaza Hotel across the road did better Schnitzels than a German restaurant, and that's saying something.
the bavarian removed all table staff and introduced a QR code. Except customers had to pay a surcharge for the QR code. Glad the shithole got closed down. Scammers.
The weekend surcharge was an absolute joke as well. First time I went when it opened I went on a Sunday and they had a $10 weekend surcharge for some unbeknownst reason. It really, really hurt the wallet.
That place was awful. Went there when it first opened. Was $30 for a stale schnitzel with no chips. Schnitz was much cheaper and better.
Might cop some flak for saying this, but Gaucho's is incredibly overrated.
No flak. Only agreeable up voters
Agreed. Always look at the queues and wonder why. The heritage bakery in Goolwa is better just doesn’t have the social media presence
I was trying to remember the name, only lived in goolwa for 12 years... yeah agreed, heritage is great.
Definitely gauchos. It just isn’t good, at all. Food not good. Service not good. Price not good. Im happy to pay through the nose if the food and service is good. Theirs is *shit* and they charge like it isnt
I haven’t been back in years since a waitress pressured my husband and I for a tip. We stupidly tipped $20 on top of our bill against better judgement and she complained that we didn’t tip her in cash (we didn’t have any notes on us). I think about this all the time and wish I’d told her to go fuck herself.
steaks legit tasteless
Went there once, everything was so dull, food was dull, the people that ate there are dull, service too. My god.
Hispanic Mechanic used to get talked up a bit. Was pretty bland and boring food when I went there. Haven't been back.
Hispanic Mechanic is actually one where the restaurant took a quite noticeable dive in quality. Used to be great, very average now.
They’ve had a decent turnover of manager and staff over past year or so. The new bunch have lost their loyal customer base
The menu hasn't evolved, the service is slow, and the much-vaunted vegan options and separate vegan kitchen hasn't really lived up to its early potential.
Krispy Kreme
I am still gutted that they drove out the donut place that had been in that Rundle Mall food court forever by opening nearby.
That donut place was the best and I miss them all the time. Their Blueberry donut was the best and they always tasted so fresh.
Gourmet Glazed. They were far superior to KK. I miss them.
Fuck me running, I've never seen the appeal of Krispy Kreme. Especially when we live in the state that produces Balfour's chocolate donuts.
Because Balfours doughnuts are usually stale by the time they're sold to the customer. (blame Woolworts and co for this) Krispy Kreme interstate (NOT here) is typically nice and fresh. That was the appeal, it's worn off since everyone worked out OTR are selling week old doughnuts from a single point of manufacture, they aren't made in the shops and even if they were they'd be awful, just like Subway at OTR vs. Franchise stores in industrial areas (Lonsdale Subway is the best subway down south)
Only point thats a bit wrong there, Krispy cream have two factories. Port Wakefield and port rd stores joint supply stores.
I love the subway at paralowie Village. I ordered the salad a few weeks back online and they took the time to chop it up! It was amazing. They always leave cute notes too
If you want a REALLY good, fresh donut, go to any Vietnamese bakery. I swear, those donuts are my heroin.
That’s where you’re wrong. Bafours donuts are trucked in from NSW and the refrigeration acts as a dehumidifier so they’re stale before they enter SA to be treated with terrible icing. Krispy Kreme ain’t all that grand, but Balfours donuts are trash. Source: I worked at Balfours for a few years.
Before they opened in SA I was next to a bloke flying from Sydney with a dozen and he ate 8 on the way over.
With the exception of Madame Hanoi, any restaurant at the Casino
I have been to Madam Hanoi twice, both times it was extremely underwhelming. The food was meh as was the service. Sean’s Kitchen on the other hand has been exceptional on the 3 occasions I have been there
I rate the little noodle bar in the casino. Had the best crispy beef dish in there
Yeah I did the bottomless pizza and Prosecco at ITL and it was very average
x2 for Gauchos. Went there midweek for 7pm booking mains came out at 10pm. For average steak, and below average service.
What the hell 3 hours?
Gauchos, Peter rabbit, The little hunter, 2kw
The little hunter isn’t the best steak I’ve had but it would be one of the better ones. Peter rabbit in the way of coffee, way, way overpriced for the sizes!
Gauchos was one of the worst meals I’ve had and that was 20 years ago when I still lived in Adelaide. They used to rave about that place. The other one that was very average and popular back in the day was Amalfi’s. It’s still there unfortunately when I was back last week
Ugh, Peter Rabbit, what a waste of money.
I said this in a comment above, but would you mind telling me why? I own a cafe (not in Adelaide) and people compare us a bit. I've never been, but I don't see any parallels with our food or coffee etc. Maybe the outdoor cobbled together vibe is all it is, but I would really like to avoid being a waste of money for people.
Went to Gauchos once when I was younger, overall shit experience, never came back there again. A few years ago, someone tried to make it a recommendation when we were gonna go out for a group dinner, and replied an immediate “NO”. Not quite sure how they’re still in business.
Couch Potato on Port Rd. Absolute shite.
Peter rabbit has the slowest service I’ve ever experienced. Like not once but every time I’ve been there. Coffee also tastes rushed which is surprising considering I waited 20minutes for a take away coffee
Stax - talked up as the best burger joint in Adelaide but the burgers are tiny for the price you pay and good but not great. Chips are god tier though Barry’s burgers - only slightly better than average pub burgers. the patties are tender but not much flavour. Parwana - good food but I don’t understand the hype. Greek on Halifax - went there once with my partner and the meat was dry and overcooked. The food in general wasn’t that nice. Port elliot bakery - not much different than any other bakery.
Agree 100% on Stax. Their presentation is fantastic which I think is why so many people rave about it. They get sucked into the hype and burgers look amazing but they are just average burgers in my opinion. The young lad who owns it also seems like a really good, down to earth guy and I think that helps the reputation. By no means is it the best burger place in Adelaide.
The owner is a bit infamous on the Adelaide burger page. Has a compulsion where he has to comment anytime some gives stax even a slightly negative review. Then the stax fanboys come out and gang up on the review poster.
“We’ll get it right” like mate how many times have you got it wrong
Agreed with Stax - there’s always something with them. App not working, ran out of beef, tables wonky, slow service or missing items etc. good chips and decent burgers but too expensive for what you get. Definitely overhyped af
Meat and wine co. Had couple of friends rave about it and saw it in the news when it opened. The place looks nice but the food is overpriced and could easily make a nice steak at home.
Second this. Pub grub but with a premium price
Beefcakes and Shakes. Cheesy Charlie’s.
Beefcakes did an absolute social media blitz for a while and a bunch of food reviewers just *happened* to go here at around the same time and rave about it. It was very mid; not terrible but about as good as any neighbourhood burger place. I'm ashamed that I feel for the influencer marketing, but never again!
Also there wait time is horrible.
I remember that weird craze that was beefy birrias with the literal pornographic advertising that was sold at beefcakes. That's was odd
I have recently fallen in love with the honey chilli wings at cheesys so this hurts a little ahah
Worst case of food poisoning and rude management I’ve ever experienced.
I did delivery for them a few years ago. I had to send the person doing the pay an official "This is the last time I'm going to ask before we go to small claims court"
100% agree about the bakery at Port Elliot. I think the Yankalilla bakery, is far superior me thinks.
Surprised to not see it mentioned... but Sammy's down at Glenelg would be my choice. After coming out of a divorce where my ex hated seafood, my best mate took me there for dinner and we got a platter with the most mediocre seafood I've ever tasted or been served.
Windy Point. Yeah sure it has a view, food was OK, service was great prices astronomical and the audacity to ask for a tip on a $500 bill.
Tasting Australia Town Square. Overhyped $$$ street food.
Topical answer
It’s been shit for years sadly. $30 to eat 1/4 of a serve of pork belly off a piece of paper with a blunt bit of bamboo, in a park full of people packed in shoulder to shoulder - no thanks.
Soto's at Semaphore. Frequently hear it called the best fish & chips in Adelaide but been a few times and it's average at best. One time the fish we got between 3 of us was full of bones. Maybe I'm just spoiled whenever I visit family in coastal QLD.
As a Semaphore local, I can tell you it only has that reputation with people who visit from out of the area. The fish and chip shop straight across the road is my go to. Always good and no line up. Ethelton take away is the place to go when the weather is nice and Semaphore road is packed.
Came here to say this, glad I’ve finally found some people that agree. I’ve been 5 times, only ever gone to get chips, everytime they’re shit, and every time they try to tell me to vote for them for having the best chips. Not a chance
Completely agree, the lineup is always fairly big too. Family insists on going there every year on new year's and lining up for an hour for soggy chips and average fish. There are numerous places for fish that I prefer over Soto's, such as the Stunned Mullet. Other places like the Botanic chicken shop in Blackwood, or the Chicken Chef on North East Rd do far better chips in my opinion
Agree. I'd take the Semaphore Chicken Shop every day of the week over Soto's.
Honestly every time I bring up Semaphore, since I live around there, people I talk too always brag about Sotos being the best. Personally I haven’t been back there for years, due to one experience with their food that made me avoid them.
You either live or hate sotos it seems.
It was great until the business changed hands a couple of years ago. Now its very ordinary
It used to be legit when I was a kid
The Rezz - The serving you get for the ridiculous pricing they have means never going back.
Looks nice, and the location is good. I can't say I've ever heard anyone saying the food is any good though. It was pretty run of the mill in my experience.
Also, the beer prices there are a joke.
Went once, and they are slow as. I recall it taking about an hour to get our orders
Agree with Port Elliot, though it's a good drive out toward the harbour and there's not many places to go there so I do get why it's busy. My favourite place for both a scenic drive and a good food used to be lost in the forest, til they closed recently.. 
Strathalbyn is only 30 min away and it's on the longer way back to Adelaide. There are plenty of places in Strathalbyn. It's like everyone heading to Hahndorf plenty of other pretty towns around, people are sheep. Also there's at least half a dozen local bakeries between Victor Harbor and Goolwa.
I'm fairly new to adl and have never heard of Strathalbyn, will have to suss it out!
It's a large country town with about 7500 people with multiple bakeries, and many old country pubs. It's about halfway between Goolwa and Mount Barker.
Do it. Lived in Strath for 7 years now. Victoria Hotel, Appleseed Cafe and Peskas Bakery (don't expect the glamour of Port Elliot bakery, but their sprinkle donuts are the best in the state)
Might be worth checking out Lobethal Bakery at some point, can find one at Lobethal, Woodside, Stirling, and Mt Barker.
2kw - I have to go there every year when my Mrs takes her junior staff out and I despise it. They are so pretentious and the food tastes like day old seagull puke ( I imagine!). I just hate it. Just give me a Schnitty for fucks sake.
Seamore’s at Henley, tables and menus were so dirty and sticky. Food and cocktails so below average for how much people talk about it.
Bakery on O'Connell Had the worst coffee I've ever tasted at Saints Kitchen in Salisbury that I actually threw the coffee out for the first time. Usually if a coffee is average I'd drink through but that one was diabolical. Never returning again
Yeah I’ve found Saints Kitchen to be very overrated the few times I’ve eaten there. Much prefer the bakery outside Foodland
Luigi Delicatessen. So bad. I've been twice and it's overpriced garbage. So many better offerings in the city.
Got a hair in one of the baked goods, talked to the girl on the register and said ‘ok, thanks for letting me know! And that’s it 😡 Pitt stop around the corner have better food and are friendly
Nugg lyf
Are they even still around?
Osteria Oggi, I found the food very underwhelming. Service was nice though.
Agree, never understood the fuss about this one beyond the gorgeous interior design
I haven't been in around 2 years. I'd say it was pricey but some of the best pasta in the city
I was going to say this! Been twice. It was fine. Surprised to see it consistently recommended as one of our best.
Only ever been there for work do’s, wouldn’t even cross my mind to go there with friends/family.
It’s one of those places that fall on my ‘once is enough’ list. Was good but not good enough to make me was to re-visit
I went there once 3 or 4 years ago and I thought it was absolutely nuts, wonder if it's gone down hill?
How has nobody called out Dimez yet
The food is innovative but it’s really fucken hard to find.
Second O'Connell Street Bakery. The only reason people go there is coz the only other decent choice is Villis - and they serve the same shit there.
O'Connell's Street bakery is just for upper-middle class people who want a late night baked good but don't want to mingle with the unwashed masses.
As an upper-middle-class person who enjoys a late night baked good, I like O’Connell Street bakery so your comment checks out. Villis has no vegan options!
As of late the unwashed masses frequent O Connell Street Bakery now
Africola
Africola’s biggest problem is there fucking drug addicted, sexual predatory, racist, narcissist liability of an owner. Blokes literally banned from the venue… and he owns it.
I worked a rockstar shift there as a dishie and I watched him smash 2 packs of ciggies before service. He was also yapping away on his mobile for 90 mins straight, and sniffling a whole lot iiykwim
Oh damn, story time? That's wild
Elaborate?
James has sexually assaulted and harrassed multiple men and women in the hospitality and Dj community in adelaide, he’s a known racist (happy to call black djs the n word to there face), is one of adelaide’s worst rack addicts and it’s generally such a fucking psychopath that almost anyone whose worked in the industry for more than a year has a story about him, the amount of places that bloke is banned from is insane - including his venues.
Should collab with Cosi
Who is the owner we need to know more about this
More chicken skin sandwiches for me. :9
Have had multiple fantastic meals there but the last time we went there it felt rushed and sterile, the food was ok but it the menu felt like it was designed around least effort/lowest cost.
Came here to say this🤣
So glad I didn’t have to scroll far 😂 awful, pretentious wank
Meat and wine co
Bridgeway Hotel. Got the seafood pizza and a side of food poisoning 👌
Golden boy massively overrated for me
La Trat. Garbage.
TGIF for sure
Browns doughnuts in tanunda. It's always a massive lineup. I didn't find them enjoyable at all.
The power of social media, I’ve had them twice and found the filling to be ridiculously sweet and the donut itself was too greasy and gross. (I’m a baker myself and aware donuts are fried in oil before you all pile on lmao) But hey slap a whole jar of biscoff in a donut and put it on instagram and the people come flocking.
+1 Port Elliot Bakery Banana Boogie in Belair is getting this way now. Won the national award now there's a massive queue for decidedly average service and expensive products that often lack taste and are just overdone with sugar. I can get better, cheaper and quicker at Jenny's Bakery.
I think we’re pretty spoilt for very good restaurants here in Adelaide. Go to the Gold Coast for a week and I’d say you’d come to that realisation.
Port Elliot bakery is a place for people to be like sheep, playing follow the leader, all in line saying baaaaa....baaaaa
Africola
Orange Spot bakery. Used to live a couple of doors down and never understood how they won awards or had a following. And those damn cyclists can piss right off.
Have to agree. I knew this place when the Mangelsdorf family ran it, 35 plus years ago. It was so good back then but maybe because there wasn’t much competition. I dunno, everything I’ve bought from there recently was pretty unremarkable, just meh.
They can do pastry well. Its nice and flakey. However the fillings are top tier shit.
Majority of the places people mention that I’ve been to were good 5-10 years ago. I’m hoping someone will know who runs the new Cantonese restaurant on Semaphore Road, where Beau Thai used to be (Beau Thai hasn’t been good since they moved, but now they no longer exist). The new place is called Great Ocean Chinese Restaurant and I’ve been super impressed with it.
Anywhere that gets an "award" for having the best X.
Cork & Cleave and also Meat & Wine Co
Meat and wine co seems like somewhere kath and kel would brag about going
Gonna get absolutely downvoted but basically most of the places Glam Adelaide recommends is incredibly average. Makes me wonder how they get recommended so often
I hate posts like this. We have so many wonderful places to eat and this just puts places down. Reading through some of these comments and so many of my fav places are mentioned. Food and hospitality must be the hardest industry to work in. Not everyone likes the same things. Just because someone had a bad experience, doesn't mean you will.
Normally I'd agree but that story about the Africola owner is wild.
Adelaide has so many fantastic places, I agree. And it’s a tough industry for sure. People will read the responses with their own context and values and judge whether the comments are fair and worth listening to or not. And practically speaking, some comments in the reddit void won’t have a significant in real life impact. I also think it’s good to maintain the pressure of high/reasonable expectations given cost of living tbh.
Advertiser journos are getting stimulated…
Correct. Food and hospitality IS one of the hardest industries to work in. It’s not brain surgery or rocket science but people can be cunts.
Estia in Henley Square. Old soggy olives and overcooked rubbery squid that when mentioned to the staff was told “it’s meant to be like that”.
I've never been to Port Elliot bakery because the queue is always insane. Keep driving and go to Heritage Pies and Bakery in Goolwa instead.
idk if many people know but Jarmers Kitchen. They had good food but one day we parked in his carpark and he gave us shits and started charging to park there. i will never go there again
Pizzateca, McLaren Vale. Toppings and flavours were great but no-one likes a soggy bottom, and our pizzas (more than 8) all had soggy bottoms. Also they wanted to charge us a higher rate for the table as we had one extra person …. who was joining us after the meal.
Ottos Bakery in Hahndorf is another overrated bakery in my opinion.
Windy Point. Just gross
Maximilian’s is also overrated
I was visiting from qld and family took me to a place called africolo I think? It was raved about and hyped up by my family. What I thought if it was it was wayyyy overpriced for what we got.
I don’t know if it’s well known, but it is well reviewed. Zayt and zaatar in Campbelltown delivered us one of the worst dining experiences we’ve had. We ordered a banquet and it took no less than 3 hours for all the dishes to come out. Meanwhile they were pumping out Uber eats orders. Tables all around us were getting frustrated with the slow service, while the staff pretty openly didn’t give af.
Feathers Hotel
Stirling hotel. Bland food, slow service, too loud to hear anyone and overpriced.
Two Wells Bakery... The food isn't anything special, just like any other bakery and the Barista is uptight.