STEWART DAWES visits a cosmopolitan corner of Adelaide that appeals to his cafe culture sensibilities …
Adelaide has always been regarded as Australia’s most laidback city – indeed as sleepy hollow – and chances are most of the locals like it that way.
However as a visitor to this “city of churches”, tourists may enjoy a taste of the quiet life, but also wish to accelerate into the living culture – the super-highway of Adelaide society, though many Sydneysiders and Melburnians would doubt that such a “freeway of lifestyle” exists.
Well, we can happily report, after a great weekend there, that there’s a corner of Adelaide that lets its hair down and rocks its socks off – but in a genteel, cafe-cum-restaurant-cum-bar kind-of way.
That corner is the North-East of the CBD, mainly referred to as the “East End”. It’s the very trendy and yet equally down-to-earth area around Rundle Street, where we were fortunate to find excellent accommodation in a three-bedroom apartment four floors above Charlick Circuit, which connects with Rundle Street through a semi-paved mall laneway – a truly delightful new pocket of Adelaide.
Formerly the East End Markets, closed down for over a decade, the site lay neglected until the South Australian government realised it would have to partner with developers to spark the area, albeit while retaining the heritage vibe of the key buildings.
Where in Sydney it could have turned into nasty high-rise, on this project the Adelaideans got it right – it’s still leafy and elegant, bordered by a truly beautiful section of the parklands with large ponds and a joy-inducing kiddies play area, yet with the buzz of the city’s finest style precinct just 100 metres away.
Meanwhile about 30 metres from the apartments’ entrance we discovered the excellent Nano Ready to Go Cafe, where owner-barista Lucio was celebrated having just received the award as Adelaide’s Best Cafe 2009. At 23 Ebenezer Place, it’s as “just around the corner” as just-around-the-corner gets, and is the perfect way to start a day exploring Adelaide’s East End.
Right across from this fabulous cafe it was also extremely tempting to visit the Oostende Belgian Beer Cafe, but the weekend stay just didn’t permit a session indoors at that very delectable-looking establishment. Sure is “one for next time”.
First thing I did though was be a good daddy and take my son across to the stunning parklands just across from the heritage-retained East End markets entrance – my son sure loved discovering a street sign with ducks on it – followed quickly by a field full of wild parrots, and then after crossing a few quaint pondy bridges, an immaculate kids playground which, unlike the aggressive overpopulated kids playgrounds in Sydney, was serene and almost deserted – and therefore a joy for son and dad alike.
We planned the next morning to visit the Adelaide Zoo: the new home to Wang Wang and Funi, two giant pandas who are the subject of much local hype to rival that of the adored local AFL football team, the Adelaide Crows.
I wanted to take my son to the zoo, not so much to see the pandas, but just simply because we were staying so incredibly close to it – but after a fortnight of 40C+ days – Adelaide’s hottest November on record – the heat had finally broken and our Saturday morning was washed out. So I took him to see Santa at Myer instead. Great option – we stayed dry and there was a free kiddies train ride inside the store. Forty free rides later and daddy was craving a coffee – thankfully I sure was in the right part of the world to find a good one!
This part of the world is also very close to the historic and heavenly grounds of Adelaide University (head campus), the must-visit Adelaide Museum, and the banks of the River Torrens, making it without a doubt the essential place a first-time tourist visiting Adelaide should stay.
That night I caught up with some old friends, a couple who are both Adelaide born-and-bred, and while the lady could seemingly reel off every fashion outlet, restaurant and cafe within 300 metres of our accommodation plus most of the Italian restaurants, the bloke named every pub within that radius – what an incredible memory through beer-hazed brain cells …. I couldn’t help but record his pub tales and have faithfully transcribed them here – as we sat in our lovely apartment on a Friday night, polishing off an excellent bottle of McLaren Vale shiraz, he began his recounting of the local watering holes:
“From here, without breaking into a sweat, without even needing a beer for the walk, you can go to The Crown & Anchor, The Electric Light, The Tivoli, The Exeter (which has got the best Coopers on tap), The Austral, The East End Exchange, The Griffins Head, The Belgian Beer Cafe, The Botanic, PJ O’Brien’s …
“One (of the above) we used to call The Crowd of Wankers ….. that used to be a Goth Club, bloody horrible place it was too …..
“If you go a bit further, you’ve got The Maid and Magpie which is just a short walk through the parklands, you’ve got The Rob Roy, which they claim is the oldest pub in Adelaide but it’s actually not, but it’s a lovely little old pub and it has the largest selection of malt scotch whiskeys in Adelaide.
“But The Rob Roy is the oldest continuous licensed premises in Adelaide which is in the original building, whereas The British Hotel in North Adelaide is the oldest licensed premises but it’s not in its original building – the old building has been pulled down and it’s been rebuilt. The British Hotel was licensed in 1837 – the oldest pub license in Adelaide.
“….oh, I forgot The Elephant and Wheelbarrow! Your genuine old English pub, just around the corner from your genuine old Irish pub – the Exeter is on the corner, then just down the laneway to the right … it’s not called the Elephant and Wheelbarrow now, they’ve lost the wheelbarrow, it’s just called The Elephant – it’s a genuine “ye olde” English Tudor-style pub.”
Because the Tudors were huge alcohol drinkers.
“And then you have The Hackney Hotel, you’ve got your short walk through the Botanic Gardens which brings you out at The British Hotel, and then you’re into North Adelaide.
“Oh and then you’ve got The Stag, corner of Rundle and East Terrace, another pub in walking distance of this apartment – it’s got this massive big banner up which says “Voted the Worst Vegetarian Restaurant in Adelaide” – I love it ….!!
So you’ve got The East End Exchange, TheStag, PJ O’Briens and The Botanic all in one line.”
His wife’s comment at the end of this recounting: “you would run a marathon to get a beer”.
To find out about the accommodation we stayed in click on the Adelaide Pandas Accommodation website or email Barrie via holidaystays@adam.com.au
Quotes About the Local Accommodation:
“These well appointed, spacious serviced apartments provide ideal accommodation for both corporate travellers and families looking for an extended stay in Adelaide. All of Adelaide’s major attractions are situated close by including the Adelaide Casino, Rundle Mall, theatres, restaurants and cafes. “
“Surrounded by a number of Adelaide’s finest restaurants, shopping precincts and major city attractions, including Rundle Mall, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Zoo and the Torrens River. This contemporary Adelaide accommodation offers well appointed 2 and 3 bedroom apartments that have all of the facilities that you would expect of a world class 4½ star property”
“Adelaide accommodation in spacious heritage style apartments providing that ultimate home away from home experience.”
“Only a short walk to numerous restaurants, cafes, shopping in Rundle Mall, the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Zoo and the Torrens River.”
“These well appointed apartments are situated in a quiet location within an easy walking distance of the Adelaide CBD, restaurants, cafes, shops and parklands.”
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