Marianne Waller

Don’t come to Adelaide if you don’t love birds. A zillion adorable alarm clocks will have you up at dawn in search of outstanding coffee, halloumi, smashed avo, spelt crumpets and berry-studded pancakes in cafés on the leafy streets and in parks. Adelaide is a city of tree walks and nature trails – even the CBD and suburbs are stuffed with parks and gardens. And cafés. At the end of each brave pre-prandial stroll or electro-scoot about town, there’s a lovely breakfast spot for all seasons.  Any café worth its black lava salt can do a perfect poached egg over sourdough and house-cured bacon, but is there a potoroo snuggled at your feet, or a chortling maggie praising your bed-head while you sip your açai smoothie? And if you’re outdoors, you’ll still get to enjoy the endeavours of chefs and cooks who celebrate exquisite, sustainably grown local produce. Here are 11 of the best breakfasts you can get in Adelaide.

West End Markets are held every Saturday from 6am-2pm in Davies Park, with more than 150 unique vendors. With fresh produce, delicious food, arts and craft, fresh flowers, live entertainment and stacks of atmosphere, why wouldn’t you go? The markets pride themselves on being a ‘celebration of the eclectic diversity, independence and lifestyle’ that West End is known for. When you’ve finished checking out the markets, wander into West End for more food and coffee or take a stroll along the river to Orleigh Park. 

Struggling to find your spreadsheets/lanyard/purpose in life? Fifty hectares of lush green magic and a slab of homemade banana bread might help. A decent coffee taken under and an ancient oak or next to a glass Victorian palm house can work wonders. Simpson’s Kiosk (aka the Gardens Kiosk) sits at the heart of the perfectly formed, 150-year-old Gardens, right next to a super-birdy lake and marvellous architectural succulents. And it’s all just eight minutes’ walk from Rundle Mall. Forego the morning shower and forest bathe away the blues every day of the week.

Don’t let appearances fool you. In the little hub they optimistically call ‘Highgate Village’, nestled among dentists and physios, is Mad Good Café. Impeccable sources insist that their talented baristas craft, hands down, the most “spectacular” coffee in the land. Go for the righteous Buddha Bowl, and stay for the eggs or the ridiculously good pancakes. 

If you can drag yourself away from the wine-label eye candy on the way in, or the brownie sandwich cookies stuffed with honeycomb buttercream, you’re a better person than we. This roomy, light-festooned spot is a hard favourite for those whose morning glory includes inventive, beautifully presented Mod Oz. Browse the succulents and groovy houseplants at Little Pricks, part of the “studio collective” housed behind the café.   

A go-to for devoted, easy-going breakfasters, Mr Sunshine’s offers bubbles, Bee Gees, Wild Cherry and Bloody Marys along with bacon and eggs and their famous halloumi and tomato sandwich. The eclectic, vintage quirk that defines its playlist also inspires the décor inside. The owners support a variety of good causes such as RSPCA Adelaide and Sea Shepherd. Expect great tunes, decent coffee and good vibes every day of the week.

This is a swishy, hushy new hotel, with imported statement lights and subdued musique. Breakfast is what you might expect – signature eggs benny, shakshuka, continental and full. So far, so so. What gives it the edge over other high-end hotel breakfast nooks is the sweeping, gobsmacking view of the Oval. You’re inside floor-to-ceiling plate glass, curled around the eastern stand, with a small, open-air lounge area among the corporate elite seats. If you can afford to stay on match days, it must be fabulous. But even when the Crows aren’t at home, it’s worth a gander. 

This renovated Victorian corner house provides Adelaide’s planet-loving morning people with local, ethically grown fare magicked into modern breakfast staples that satisfy every corner of your soul. Owner Lee Boys has created a bustling, dog-friendly community-with-a-conscience for vegans, vegos, and ’vores of every stripe without a hint of earnest Birkenstock. We can’t get over the pancakes with berry compôte, sumptuous mascarpone and a fresh flower sprinkle. Big ticks for the virtuoso baristas and the option to add a nip of SA Ginny Pig gin to your juice. 

A train runs every 30 minutes up the hill to Belair National Park. On arrival, eager ramblers fuel up first at the Sheoak. Sit for avos smashed with pea purée, grilled asparagus and saltbush dukkah paired with fresh-squeezed juices. Then go walkies with a breakfast bagel stuffed with the eggs, salmon and veg of your choice. On the return trip, pop in for an excellent coffee or restorative smoothie of the day. The hills, and you, are alive!  

Not every former bank in SA is a crime scene. Crack Kitchen’s light-filled, Scandi-fabulous spaces serve perfectly poached eggs, great coffee, and delicious, exquisitely styled plates of seasonal produce, creatively reimagined. Their sourdough vanilla waffle will make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck (in a good way) with its milk sorbet, chocolate and salted caramel topping, and warm and informed staff will even bring you bubbles if you fancy.