It’s that time of the year to indulge in fresh, ocean-inspired dishes while soaking up the sun. Adelaide’s coastal charm offers a bounty of seafood treasures, from buzzy bayside bistros to long-time neighbourhood gems. Every day tastes like a bite at the beach with this guide to the best seafood restaurants in A-town.
Venues are listed in no particular order.
1. SiSea
Adelaide Central Market’s well-loved nook for seafood, SiSea is no stranger to locals and visitors alike. For Mediterranean tapas-style dining featuring the freshest South Australian catch, pull up a chair by the bar. The mussels are a must-have, whether you’re inclined towards your shells doused in garlicky tomato sofrito or coconut lime and lemongrass sauce. Also a house favourite — the creamy seafood miso chowder with juicy scallops.
Location: Stall 76, Adelaide Central Market 44-60 Gouger Street, SA
Opening hours: Tuesdays 7am – 5:30pm; Wednesdays 10am – 3pm, Thursdays 8am – 5:30pm, Fridays 7am – 9pm and Saturdays 7am – 3pm
2. Louca's Seafood Restaurant
Third generation restaurateur Peter Louca runs this Adelaide institution with his family, which means the Greek cooking is simple, flavoursome and good for the soul. Think mezes of sweet grilled local king prawns and beautifully charred octopus, preluding mains that take it up a notch like the pan-fried flathead fillets cooked to a perfect translucence or hearty seafood linguine. A refreshing Greek salad on the side makes this a wonderfully balanced meal.
Location: 242 Pulteney St Adelaide SA 5000
Opening hours: Mondays to Fridays 12:30 – 3pm and 5:30 – 9pm, Saturdays 5:30 – 10pm
3. Jolley's Boathouse
Resting on the banks of the River Torrens, this waterfront boathouse serves up curated seafood dishes that come with a sublime view on the terrace. Food is as fresh as it comes, as Jolley’s menu is built off every early morning delivery and what’s in season. Starters include a tuna crudo in coconut and fermented chilli dressing and chargrilled octopus that combined XO nduja with fragrant basil oil. If it’s available, don’t miss the Humpty Doo barramundi, mussels and scallops in a fennel-kissed bouillabaisse.
Location: 1 Jolleys Ln, Adelaide SA 5000
Opening hours: Tuesdays to Fridays 12 – 3:30pm, 5 – 10pm; Saturdays 5 – 10pm and Sundays 12 – 3:30pm
4. Sofia
Fairly new to the Hutt Street scene, this buzzy Mediterranean bistro is the brainchild of the team behind popular CBD joint Part Time Lover — expect similarly great things! The grazing-style menu rocks small plates that revolve around seasonal produce, and the seafood picks pack a flavour punch. Consider the sashimi slicked in a Sicilian-style dressing, scallops doused in garlic butter and lemony Olasagasti anchovies. On mains, you can’t go wrong with the market fish with hand cut green salsa. Round it off with a bottle from their expansive South Australia-meets-European wine list.
Location: 16 Hutt St, SA 5000 Adelaide
Opening hours: Mondays to Fridays 7am till late, Saturdays and Sundays 12pm till late.
5. Joe's Henley Beach
This inviting beachfront locale is a no-brainer when you’re in the Henley vicinity. Sporting warm blue-and-white umbrellas and rattan chairs that look out to the waters, the vibes are perfect for a bright, sunny breakfast or brunch. You’re here for a classic — the beer battered South Australian King George whiting fish and chips, which comes complete with a side salad and a beautiful tartare sauce. Also worth ordering are the fish tacos that spell summer in every bite.
Location: 200 Esplanade, Henley Beach South SA 5022
Opening hours: Daily, 7am – 3pm
6. Sammy's on the Marina
This award-winning venue set in a classy glass-walled room offers breathtaking water views, as well as some of best service in Glenelg. The commitment to using only fresh, seasonal seafood is the crux of Sammy’s kitchen, and it shows in their exciting menu specials. A firm favourite is the seafood platter that serves up a solid selection of the day’s catch. But if you’re dining in smaller parties, there’s no passing up the king prawns — best ordered together with the warm sourdough or foccacia to mop up all that liquid gold.
Location: 1/12 Holdfast Promenade, Glenelg SA 5045
Opening hours: Daily, 11:30am – 2pm, 5:30pm – 8pm
7. Seamore's
If you like seafood with a side of dough and plenty of drinks, Seamore’s make a great offbeat destination along Henley Beach. Helmed by the Vanzati family who owns a slew of established restaurants across the city (among them Hermano Cubanos and New Nordic), this surf club like, spacious restaurant bar is suited for long boozy lunch. The age-old building is an attraction in itself, with a dance floor inside and balcony seats outside facing the ocean. Dig into solid fish and chips or the popular spaghetti marinara, and pair it with freshly rolled out puffy bread or banger pizzas.
Location: 255 Esplanade Henley Beach 5022 SA
Opening hours: Daily, 11am – 11pm
8. Herringbone
Tucked along the CBD’s Halifax Street, the visibly popular Herringbone boasts heavyweight hospo pros (Peel St co-owner Ben McLeod, former Stone’s Throw head chef Quentin Whittle and manager Paul Tripodi) on the team, along with rave reviews in tow. The herringbone-tiled bar sets the stage here, opening into a light-filled atrium with an indoor tree. The menu is its own unpretentiously rustic yet elegant beast starring seasonal earth-to-table ingredients and refined flavours. We’re talking combinations like the whipped cod roe dip with potato crisps, baked shark bay scallop in nduja and nori butter, and a house citrus-cured ocean trout with golden beets and horseradish. Best enjoyed with a local wine off their curated list of sustainably produced bottles.
Location: 3 Underwood St, Circular Quay, NSW 2000
Opening hours: Tuesdays to Thursdays 5:30 – 10:30pm; Fridays and Saturdays 12:30 – 10pm
9. Oyster Bar Holdfast Shore
The Marina Pier’s foremost Oyster Bar is a classic when it comes to stopping for a bite of seafood to eat along the Anzac Highway. The eponymous oysters are sourced from South Australia’s own Coffin Bay, and come either chilled or grilled in exciting flavours. Standouts lean towards the fresh shells, in an exciting roulette of the chimichurri and fried shallots, corn, crab and chilli salsa, or the Thai style dressing. There’s also other fare such as the salt and pepper squid to satisfy. Pro tip: Swing by on Wednesdays for all day discounted oysters!
Location: Marina Pier, 10 Chappell Dr, Glenelg SA 5045
Opening hours: Mondays to Fridays 11:30am – 9pm; Saturdays and Sundays 11:30am – 10:30pm
10. Secrets by The Sea
To cap off this list, another born and bred Henley Beach stalwart brought to you by lifelong resident and fishing enthusiast Robert Leopardi. It’s no wonder Secrets by The Sea has a welcoming atmosphere that likens a neighbourhood gem, great for casual nights out or a family occasion. From lightly crumbed flathead and chips to grilled Moreton Bay bugs and dukkah crusted salmon, the variety of seafood here is out to impress. For those who shy away from seafood, there are also mains from the grill like a scotch fillet that holds its own. In the Norwood area? Consider getting your seafood fix at Secrets by The Parade.
Location: 207 The Esplanade
Henley Beach, SA 5022
Opening hours: Wednesdays to Sundays 12 – 3pm, 5 – 9pm
