Soak up gorgeous water views with delicious food thanks to Adelaide’s finest waterside dining options!

Adelaide’s coastline and the CBD’s River Torrens is home to a plethora of unique waterfront dining experiences. From beach bars serving up the best in fresh and locally sourced seafood, to the more daring Indigenous Australian cuisines featuring emu and crocodile on their menus, you’ll be sure to find the perfect restaurant with a view.

Thankfully, there’s something for everyone on this list and even if fancy dining isn’t your thing, a reliable pub meal and a cheeky craft beer while looking out over the ocean might do just the trick. So, without further ado, here’s our pick of the best waterfront restaurants and bars in Adelaide of 2023!

<strong>Jolleys Boathouse</strong>
Photographed by Brendan Homan.
Image via South Australian Tourism Commission.

Jolleys Boathouse

The long-standing Jolleys Boathouse has forged a reputation for itself over its history as one of the best waterfront restaurants in Adelaide. Located on the River Torrens, just a small five-minute walk from the Adelaide CBD, it sits perfectly by the riverbank. Having recently undergone renovations, the venue has been modernised to ensure a lavish experience like no other. Jolleys Boathouse pride themselves on quality service from the second you walk in, and with their menu built on only the best in seasonal local produce, the food is to die for too.

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1 Jolleys Lne, Adelaide, SA 5000
<strong>Malt Shovel Taphouse</strong>
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Malt Shovel Taphouse

Malt Shovel Taphouse is relatively new to the River Torrens waterfront scene, but their upmarket food and drinks offerings are quickly making a name for the business. You can’t ask for a better view overlooking the River Torrens precinct and Adelaide Oval with ample sunlight, perfect for an afternoon or evening dining out. With one of Adelaide’s most extensive craft-beer ranges on tap as well as a vast cocktail and wine list, there’s something that’ll suit everyone’s needs. The kitchen proudly uses locally sourced ingredients in their meals which are curated to be shared while sitting back and relaxing with drink in hand. If you’re looking for Adelaide’s best waterfront bar and restaurant, this is it.

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Festival Centre, Festival Dr, Adelaide, SA 5000
<strong>The Moseley Beach Club</strong>
Photographed by amophoto_au. Image via Shutterstock.

The Moseley Beach Club

When it comes to the best beachside restaurants in Adelaide, no one does it quite like The Moseley Beach Club, offering a delicious variety of both food and drink options including your favourite beers, wines, spirits, and cocktails. A calendar full of events, live music and entertainment is in the works, some of which will be free while others will require purchase of tickets– look out on the Moseley’s social media for further details. With day beds, booths, and sun lounges all available for hire, be sure to check out the website to book before they sell out. Otherwise, bean bags, picnic tables and areas in the casual dining area are first in best dressed so plan ahead!

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Glenelg Beach, Glenelg, SA 5045
<strong>Oyster Bar, Holdfast Shores</strong>
Photographed by Psheriff. Image via Shutterstock.

Oyster Bar, Holdfast Shores

The Oyster Bar is Adelaide’s go-to destination for oyster-lovers. Supplying arguably the world’s best oysters from some of the freshest oyster farms in South Australia’s Coffin Bay, the Oyster Bar is home to an extensive range of both chilled and grilled oysters to tempt your tastebuds. Their menu also consists of other great restaurant eats including trustworthy fish & chips and carefully constructed seafood plates. Located on the Glenelg Marina Pier, you can dine with extensive ocean views and catch one of Glenelg’s famous sunsets. A hand-picked wine list featuring drops from Australia’s best cellar doors is the icing on the cake for this must-visit waterfront dining experience.

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Marina Pier, 10 Chappell Dr, Glenelg, SA 5045
<strong>Red Ochre Barrel and Grill</strong>
Photographed by Taras Vyshnya. Image via Shutterstock.

Red Ochre Barrel and Grill

Red Ochre Barrel and Grill proudly use Indigenous Australian ingredients on their menu to showcase Australia’s rare, exotic and unique produce. With an array of gastronomic delights on offer including kangaroo, emu, crocodile and much more, it’s an opportunity to try out some Australian delicacies in a beautiful setting. With stunning views across the River Torrens and the Adelaide CBD skyline at both day and night, you would be hard pressed to find a better spot to take in the serenity while enjoying a lavish and unique dining experience. One of Adelaide’s best waterfront restaurants!

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War Memorial Dr, North Adelaide, SA 5006
<strong>Sammy's on the Marina</strong>
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Sammy's on the Marina

If you’re a seafood fanatic, you can’t go wrong with the award-winning menu Sammy’s on the Marina has to offer. With the restaurant providing 270-degree views overlooking the Glenelg foreshore, marina and breakwater, it’s the perfect spot to book in a dinner at sunset. Priding themselves on healthy, tasty and fresh seafood cuisine, you can tuck into one of their many seafood platters on offer, including the Sammy’s Classic Platter. And, to show their support to other local businesses, Sammy’s on the Marina only feature locally sourced produce on their menu – so you can feel good knowing you’re supporting more than one South Australian business.

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1/12 Holdfast Promenade, Glenelg, SA 5045
<strong>Seacliff Beach Hotel</strong>
Photographed by Morgan Sette. Image via Shutterstock.

Seacliff Beach Hotel

The Seacliff Beach Hotel is one of Adelaide’s best waterfront pubs with views over the ocean and Seacliff Beach’s iconic palm trees. Not only are the views great, but they serve up a delectable range of food and drinks to match. Their menu focuses on shared platters, running on an ethos that says, “good food is made to be shared.” Serving up all your usual pub-grub favourites with a modern twist, and of course the trademark shared platters, there is plenty on offer in this beautiful waterfront destination. The Seacliff Beach Hotel has a rich history dating back to 1935 and continues to be a drawcard for the area, you should see why for yourself!

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221 Esplanade, Seacliff, SA 5049
<strong>Seamore's Restaurant and Bar</strong>
Photographed by Duy Dash.
Image via South Australian Tourism Commission.

Seamore's Restaurant and Bar

Seamore’s has a fast-growing reputation as one of the most sought-after waterfront dining experiences at Adelaide’s Henley Beach. Their menu is described as a combination of Italian and ‘Australian Surf Club’ with carefully hand-made pasta, hand-stretched pizza, and crowd-pleasing share plates just a small part of their extensive menu. They even offer a bottomless lunch with bottomless cocktail jugs and pizzas for two hours! Looking out over elevated, panoramic views of Henley Beach and its jetty, you cannot ask for much more.

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255 Esplanade, Henley Beach, SA 5022
<strong>Star of Greece</strong>
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Star of Greece

Star of Greece offers remarkable ocean views and a dining experience you will be sure not to forget. Situated in Port Willunga, about a 45-minute drive south of Adelaide’s CBD, Star of Greece provides the perfect dining spot for a day spent down the Fleurieu Peninsula. Dishing up only the best local and fresh ingredients, this restaurant will leave you wanting more. And, their beautifully plated food is just another reason to pay a visit. With the Star of Greece kiosk open during summer on Saturdays and Sundays, takeaway fish and chips should also be atop your wish list.

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1 Esplanade, Port Willunga, SA 5173

Look for group friendly restaurants? Be sure to round up your mates and visit The Top 5 Pubs in Adelaide of 2023! Or, for pizza and pasta, we’ve found The 7 Best Italian Restaurants in Adelaide.

Feature image: The Moseley Beach Club, Glenelg. Photographed by amophoto_au. Image via Shutterstock.
This article was first published on November 18 2020. It was updated and edited by Hunter and Bligh on April 14 2023.