Adelaide's Best Laneways: A Guide to the City's Coolest Streets

Adelaide has a secret, and it lives in its laneways. Hiding behind the main streets, these narrow little strips are where the city really comes alive; with the bars and restaurants that locals keep to themselves. Until now. Here are Adelaide’s best laneways, and what you can do once you’re in one.

Inside Adelaide’s Laneways

If you only walk the main streets of Adelaide, you’re missing the whole point of the city. In some ways, that makes it a little like Melbourne. Because the good stuff here is all down the laneways. We’re talking about the local wine bars, the hole-in-the-wall restaurants, the secret cocktail dens and the cafes you could sit in for hours just people watching.

Here’s where to find Adelaide’s laneways, and the best spots within them to eat drink and be merry.

Peel Street

Peel Street is where Adelaide’s laneway scene was born, and it’s still the one everyone talks about, especially if they’re a first time visitor to the city. Today, Peel Street is a buzzing pedestrian strip connecting Currie and Hindley Streets, at its best after dark when the bars fill up on a Friday night.

For food, Peel St Restaurant is absolutely a rite of passage. Its ever-changing blackboard menu dabbles in Asian and Middle Eastern influences, and the vibe is quick-fire, communal and completely unpretentious. For drinks, Clever Little Tailor is a must; a friendly wine and cocktail bar offering all the comforts of a local favourite with plenty of class and top-shelf whisky, as well as a rotating tap of craft brews.

And if you can find it, Maybe Mae is one of the city’s best kept secrets. Hidden in a converted stock cellar between Peel and Leigh Streets, this underground cocktail bar has an art deco speakeasy feel, a concealed entrance behind a timber-clad wall and expertly crafted seasonal cocktails. Happy exploring!

Leigh Street

If Peel Street is the life of the party, you can imagine Leigh Street as its more sophisticated older sibling. One of Adelaide’s original laneways before they were popular, Leigh Street is widely considered one of the best in the city. It has a string of wine bars, restaurants and boutique spots worth checking out.

The Leigh Street Wine Room is unmissable; set in a former dry cleaner with design cues taken from Parisian bistros and with a wall of natural wines and elegant European-inspired share plates of handmade pasta and fresh seafood.

For something more low-key, Leigh Street Luggage is a former travel goods store turned wine and cocktail bar, kitted out with vintage suitcases, a plane propeller and a strong focus on Amari, vermouth and cocktails. Pink Moon Saloon rounds things out with a covered laneway bar that feels like an Uber-hip Scandinavian hideout, punching well above its size with great cocktails.

Vardon Avenue

Head to the East End and you’ll find Vardon Avenue, a lively strip that has a completely different energy to the West End laneways. This one’s a little broader, sunnier and more social. In warmer months, venues like East End Cellars, Mother Vine, NOLA and El Cheeky Flamingo spill onto the street for famous street parties (especially during Fringe season) that fill the avenue with tables.

East End Cellars has been here since 1998 and grown into a local institution, with over 15,000 bottles on the shelves and a focus on small makers and the stories behind their labels. Meanwhile, Mother Vine next door has tables spilling onto the street, with South Australian and French wines dominating the list and tapas and share plates making it easy to stay well into the evening. On a slightly different note, NOLA brings something completely different to the avenue, with a New Orleans-inspired bar and kitchen that’s loud and a total crowd favourite.

Ebenezer Place

Right behind Rundle Street in the chic East End of the CBD, Ebenezer Place is Adelaide’s quirkiest laneway and arguably its most charming, too. It shuns motor traffic for pedestrians, with store owners hanging out front of their shops and niche fashion boutiques and trinket stores taking up most of the space.

The newest arrival worth knowing about is Jewels of Thought Records. Opened in early 2026, this record store is designed to be about far more than flipping through crates, combining high fidelity audio, pour over coffee, natural wine and Adelaide’s vibrant music scene under one roof.

Mr Goodbar upstairs in the historic East End Produce Market building is a brilliant spot for a late drink, with specialty gin, smooth cocktails and a lowkey loft atmosphere that’s hard to leave. And for dinner, the Thai restaurant Shobosho is right on the doorstep, with a grapevine-covered patio, a Tuk Tuk sharing menu and zingy dishes.

Gresham Street

Gresham Street may not be the most famous of Adelaide’s laneways, but it’s the go-to for locals in the know. And now you are too. Shorter and not quite as packed out as the others, Gresham has a more local feel that makes it pretty idea for a chilled evening.

La Buvette is the undisputed star here. The interior immediately transports you to Paris, with imported French art lining the walls and the very Parisian option of spilling out onto the street drink in hand. Wines come from French and South Australian natural producers, and French spirits line the shelves for classic cocktails and signature aperitifs. If you can get access to the secret vault below the bar, even better. For something completely different, the Bibliotheca Bar and Book Exchange is a small European-style bar built around spirits, classic cocktails and books (lots of them!).

Where to Stay in Adelaide

Adelaide’s laneways are best enjoyed slowly, which means you’re going to want a great base to come back to. Here are four solid options depending on your vibe and budget.

Mantra Adelaide Central

Set within Adelaide’s iconic T&G building in the heart of the CBD, Mantra Adelaide Central offers generously sized one, two and three bedroom apartments with separate living areas, putting you a short stroll from every laneway on this list. Hard to beat for location.

Mantra Tonsley Adelaide

If you’d rather be on the city’s southern fringe with easy access to McLaren Vale, Mantra Tonsley sits within the Tonsley Innovation District at the gateway to South Australia’s beautiful wine region and stunning southern beaches. Modern, apartment-style rooms and free parking make it a great shout for those with a car.

The George, Glenelg

For something a little more special, The George is Glenelg’s newest boutique hotel, sitting right on the corner of Colley Terrace and Jetty Road with over 60 rooms, all with private balconies. Soda Rooftop above it is Glenelg’s first true rooftop bar, with sweeping views of the beach and the Adelaide Hills. Worth it for the sundowners alone.

Glenelg Motel

The ultimate affordable option if you want to stay near the beach is Glenelg Motel. Just a five minute walk from Glenelg Beach, with an outdoor pool, free parking and consistently praised for its friendly staff and clean rooms. Sometimes simple is exactly what you need.