Adelaide might be best known for its wine regions, but when it comes to Italian food, this city knows how to twirl a fork. From handmade pasta that melts in your mouth to wood-fired pizzas bubbling with golden cheese, Adelaide’s Italian restaurants capture the essence of la dolce vita (minus the cost of the airfare).
Where to find the Best Italian Restaurants in Adelaide?
Across the city, you’ll find everything from bustling trattorias where the smell of garlic and basil hits you the moment you step inside, to refined dining rooms offering contemporary twists on regional Italian classics. Think silky ravioli stuffed with ricotta and spinach, osso buco so tender it barely needs a fork, and tiramisu that deserves its own standing ovation.
Pair these plates with South Australian wines (or imported Italian drops if you’re feeling extra fancy), and you’ll quickly see why Adelaideans have such a soft spot for Italian dining. The hospitality is just as important as the food. Warm, generous, and always with a side of Italian charm.
We’ve rounded up the 10 best Italian restaurants in Adelaide where you can indulge in carb-loaded comfort, refined feasts, or casual plates with friends and family. Whether it’s a quick pizza night or a long, lingering dinner, these spots prove that Adelaide does Italian exceptionally well.
The 10 Best Italian Restaurants in Adelaide
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Read moreItalian cucina Osteria Oggi is located in Adelaide CBD, which is perfect because there's nothing like a plate of artisanal pasta to cheer you up after a long day in the office. Pasta is the specialty here and it's made in the basement by a team of ladies working on a marble table in the cellar. Expect light, simple flavours and melt-in-in-your-mouth pastas and gnocchis. There is also a substantial list of small plates for sharing.
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It's perfect for enjoying hearty Italian classics from a family run kitchen since 1975.You need to try the award winning pizzas, considered some of the best in South Australia.Look out for friendly, long serving staff who remember their regulars.Read moreSince the mid-eighties not much has changed; Adelaide folks can still rely on La Trattoria restaurant for fresh, authentic, mouth-watering Italian meals until late every night of the week. The menu comprises award-winning pizza, traditional veal and chicken dishes as well as every southern Italian pasta imaginable. The dining room is large and family-friendly but sit al fresco beneath the heaters for a bit of fresh air.
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Read moreFugazzi Bar & Dining Room is a lavish New York inspired Italo-American Bar & Dining Room luxuriously appointed with marble countertops and intimate banquette seating. Serving decadent cocktails, creative 'snacks', pasta and luscious Italian dishes including steak and seafood, Fugazzi also has a comprehensive wine list including Australian, Italian and French wines.
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Read moreAny Italian-food lover worth their porcini salt, respects this classic Italian restaurant. After 30 years, it has re-named back to Chianti. Relentless in award winning, start with Australia's best breakfast." Or make it your business to break bread over a power lunch. Supreme local produce sings with European flavours. Char-grilled South Australian octopus with olives, slow-cooked Adelaide Hills rabbit with pancetta, Barossa chicken roasted under a brick, and a stellar wine list to boot.
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It's perfect for old-school romance with flickering candles and Italian classics done right.You need to try the scaloppine al funghi with white wine, cream and fresh mushrooms.Look out for crisp linen, silver service, and staff who treat you like family.Read moreOnly minutes from the CBD in the suburb of Norwood, Ambrosinis is run by third-generation father and son team Remo and Matthew Ambrosini. The menu offers a wide range of dishes, including house made bresaola, a salt cured beef, succulent roast duck with orange glaze, risotto and popular offal dishes of chicken livers and lamb brains, but vegetarian, vegan and gluten free choices are also available. Ambrosinis is a popular destination for all occasions, business luncheons to group celebrations or intimate dinners by candlelight.
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It's perfect for catching up with family over pasta that tastes just like nonna used to make.You need to try the veal saltimbocca with crispy prosciutto and sage butter.Look out for the vintage framed photos of the Parisi family through the decades.Read moreAt Parisi's, contemporary Italian food is warmed with Italian hospitality and that's why this Hyde Park restaurant has been voted Adelaide's suburban best. Situated on the fashionista boulevard of King William Road, the cafe offers a number of different dining spaces, including a suave, modern dining room and an elegantly rustic courtyard area.
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Read moreOsteria Polpo serves up a taste of Veneto on East Terrace, with a menu that leans into cicchetti, house-made pasta and hearty northern Italian flavours. Think polenta, radicchio, seafood and the sort of comforting, old-school dishes that make a long lunch feel perfectly justified. The dining room has a warm charm, while the wine list is built for easy pairing and a second glass. It’s generous, convivial and pleasingly unpretentious, with a little Venetian magic.
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Read moreHotel dining in Adelaide just got a whole lot more exciting at Market and Meander Bar and Eatery at Hotel Indigo. Enjoy a mix of modern Australian and international favourites, with extensive dining options spanning from breakfast right through to dinner. The interior features high brick feature walls paired with touches of American oak and locally crafted ceramics. From Parilla grilled meats to freshly caught seafood and luxe desserts, what will you choose on your next food adventure
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Read moreThe first thing you notice upon visiting Nonna and I in Norwood is the vibrant green mural of rolling lush hills and mountainside that decorates the restaurant. The second is the aromatics of the kitchen that appease the appetite with hints of Italian produce being crafted into something special. Nonna and I is full of all the Italian classics made with traditional recipes and the same care and attention of grandma's kitchen. The restaurant is intimate but does cater to large group and function bookings.
Photography: Sia Duff
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Read moreThere's a certain buzz in the atmosphere when you step inside the timber and leather adorned Anchovy Bandit, located in the Northern Adelaide suburb of Prospect. Expect all the food and trimmings that come with hospitable Italian style dining. There's the long tables filled with share plates of wood-fire flatbreads, and cured meats, as well as generous bowls of housemade pasta and sides. But the real star of the show is the signature wood fire pizzas, topped with high-quality produce, served straight from the fire.
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