An Insider’s Tips on How to Do Radelaide

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Adelaide born and bred, comedian and known barfly Cam Knight has seen the city at its best. Here are a few of his tips for making the most of your time in the understated SA capital.

Stay in the city at one of the boutique accommodations, like the Adabco Boutique Hotel, which is set within the beauty of a Heritage-listed, 19th-century Venetian gothic style building. If that’s not your style, The Mayfair is a 1940s-inspired, Hollywood-style boutique hotel in the heart of the city — slated for completion in October of this year.

Wake up with the best coffee at the Coffee Branch on Leigh Street in the West End. Owner Josh has the palate of a genius, the speed of a mouse on Red Bull and the memory of an elephant that just snorted a mouse on Red Bull.

Hire a free bike. Sounds like an oxymoron but Adelaide City Bikes has a free bike hire scheme. The whole place is flat and gridded so it's impossible to (a) get exhausted or (b) get lost. Adelaide city is low density and it still has a lot of original buildings standing. You can explore North Adelaide, River Torrens, or the various parklands that surround the city and still have plenty of time left over for drinking (and eating).

Take a stroll down Ebenezer Place. It feels like a little Melbourne-esque laneway hidden between Rundle and Grenfell Streets with a lot of quirky shops selling one-of-a-kind items well worth a gawp. You’ll want lunch or brunch, yeah? Hey Jupiter will serve you a delicious amount of French food without the snootiness. There’s also Nano. They make their very own bread and do simple, restrained, tasty Italian food.

Get thee to a pub. Order a Coopers beer at The Austral or The Exeter on Rundle Streett, or turn a corner and head to The Crown & Anchor on Grenfell Streett. The Wheatsheaf out in Thebarton is the place for craft beer, and The Grace Emily on Waymouth Street is the best pub for live music. There’s a lot to chose from (or ‘heaps’, as the locals would say). Radelaidians are super-friendly people who will love to help you have a top night out. Feel free to start a conversation up wherever you go.

Hunt out a different style of bar like Udaberri on Leigh Street in the West End, which has been made out of a shipping container. The food is pintxos, the Basque region’s version of tapas, or you can simply order a 1kg rib eye steak like a boss. Press Club Food & Wine do one of the best burgers in town and regularly change their beloved wine list.

Take in a night of comedy at the Rhino Room on Frome Street. There are always big name comedians from interstate or overseas on, plus some excellent local acts. The Howling Owl Cafe downstairs is not only a cafe; it's a bar and an art gallery showcasing some very talented local artists. You’ll also find the Urban Cow Studio tucked in to this building. Their art gallery has an opening night on the first Wednesday of every month, which includes wine, music and fun. Their shop showcases jewellery and all sorts of exciting new work from emerging or established artists.

Visit Adelaide when the Fringe is on. The festival is huge — it’s like a circus exploded in the East Parklands. There are over 900 different events to choose from, including cabaret, magic shows, circus, comedians, puppetry, dance and so much more. Check out shows running late into the night at Rhino Room, Producers Bar, Gluttony and The Garden Of Earthly Delights. Rundle Street usually closes to traffic at night over the Fringe weekends, so you can roam the streets in a bleary haze taking in the energy of it all without fear of being run over.

Get out to McLaren Vale for a day or two. It’s easily one of Australia’s greatest wine regions and is seriously only about 35 mins south from the city. Some of the vineyards, like Chapel Hill, have accommodation which are very handy post tasting tour for a cheeky nap. Spoiler: it’s almost impossible to feel hung over waking up to the beautiful landscape of the Adelaide Hills. Don’t believe me? Check this out.

Do a tasting tour or have a very, very understanding friend or partner who elects to drive you around. Coriole, Samuel’s Gorge, Alpha Box & Dice, Primo Estate, Chapel Hill and D’Arenburg should get you going. If you get chatting with the wine makers they may have a few drinks with you and recommend some top places to visit, whilst also letting you into their intriguing world.

Grab a bite at The Famous Star of Greece in Port Willunga, perched atop the cliffs looking out to one of the most stunning ocean views whilst savouring the freshest seafood around. Sounds terrible, huh?