Adelaide's Best Dive and Wine Bars

Dive Bars

The Crown and Anchor Hotel

196 Grenfell St, Adelaide

Affectionately known as the ‘Cranker’, this pub is low key, with no airs or graces. The Cranker is a only a block south of Rundle Street, and is close enough to use as a getaway from the outdoor Fringe hubs. This year the Cranker plays host to the Fringe Club.

Cry Baby

11 Solomon St, Adelaide @crybabybar

The new kids on the block didn’t forget to bring their attitude. Expect Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Led Zepplin on the speakers, and local craft brews on tap. Feeling game? Challenge a friend to a game of pool. Make things interesting by putting the next round on the line.

The Exeter Hotel

246 Rundle St, Adelaide

One of the most iconic pubs in Adelaide. Still housing its original wooden trimmed fridges and bars, The Exeter looks frozen in time. A spacious covered sunroom-style beer garden out the back is a good way to escape the heat. Sitting out the front, however, is a great way to score some clout.

West Oak Hotel

208 Hindley St, Adelaide @westoakhotel

Looking like a doctor’s surgery from the 1960s, the West Oak Hotel has been under transformed to its former glory. Pooch friendly, the beer garden is the perfect spot for a quiet jug, or arrive late and bring your dancing shoes for an outdoor disco.

The Wheatsheaf Hotel

39 George St, Thebarton @thewheaty

One free tram ride towards the Entertainment Centre and a 500m walk is all it takes to feel out of the hustle and bustle of the CBD. This relaxed pub has an eclectic mix of grandma’s old furniture and an ever-changing series of beer taps.

Wine Bars

East End Cellars

25 Vardon Ave, Adelaide @eastendcellars

East End Cellars are the only wine bar in the East End that will supply your take away bottle-o needs. Wines by the glass or the bottle, with a featured winery each week, are delightfully paired with cheese and meat platters featuring local smallgoods. Pop in on the right night of the week and you could also score some free wine tasting.

Hellbound

201 Rundle St, Adelaide @hellbound.winebar

Raw bricks paired with leather couches... What could be cosier? Lavish underground surrounds coupled with an extensive wine list put Hellbound on the map for wine bars. Wine is available by the glass, half bottle or bottle to suit any time of the day or night.

La Buvette

27 Gresham St, Adelaide @labuvettedrinkery

This French drinkery has some of the most stunning decor west of King William Street. Wines by the bottle are the norm, and the comprehensive French wine list is enough to keep any connoisseur happy. The bar menu is available through until midnight, with a full a la carte menu till 10pm on weeknights, and 11pm on weekends.

La Vigne Wine Bar

246-248 The Parade, Norwood

Imported cheese, wine and beer make this dog-friendly spot a go-to on the east side. Happy hour specials for wine and cheese platters make this a perfect place to grab an early drink before heading into the CBD for a night of shows.

Mother Vine

22-26 Vardon Ave, Adelaide @mothervinewinebar

Mother Vine has one of the most impressive wine lists in the East End, coming in at 25 pages long. Wines from Spain, Italy, France, Australia, Portugal and Germany are available, with accompanying maps and information about the regions. An impressive menu featuring French and Asian influences rounds off a great wine bar.

Proof Bar

9 Anster St, Adelaide @proofwinebar
In the business end of town, Proof Bar is the place to be. Leading the way in the small venue movement, this dual level nook is intimate, but boasts an impressive menu. ‘Bottles by the glass’ are available, but who can stop at just a glass?

Udaberri

11-13 Leigh St, Adelaide @udaberri_adl

Over in the West End, Udaberri’s polished exterior and accompanying umbrellas are the focal point of Leigh Street. Sit at the bar and watch the trained bartenders as they burn rosemary and grapefruit for fresh gin and tonics. Or you can retire upstairs to the leather lounges for a more relaxed vibe.

Wined Bar

Hackney Rd, Adelaide @natwinecentre

South Australia has the best wines in the country, and some of the oldest vines in the world. The National Wine Centre’s Wined Bar offers the largest wine tasting experience, hosting 120 wines from across the country in a self-serve enomatic tasting room. The menu showcases local produce in everything from nibbles to meals.