Jolleys Boathouse Restaurant (also great for dinner): 1 Jolleys Lane, Adelaide; www.jolleysboathouse.com; email jolleys@jolleysboathouse.com; ph 8223 2891; open seven days, lunch Sunday-Friday, noon-2pm, dinner Monday-Saturday, 6pm-8.45pm.

River Cafè (also great for dinner): War Memorial Drive, North Adelaide; www.rivertorrenscafe.com.au; email info@redochre.com.au; ph 8211 8666; open for lunch Monday-Saturday, noon-2.30pm; dinner Monday-Saturday, 6pm-9.30pm/

LUNCH AND DINNER

Áuge Ristorante: 22 Grote Street, Adelaide; www.auge.com.au; email enquiries@auge.com.au; ph 8410 9332; open lunch Tuesday-Friday, noon-3pm, dinner Tuesday-Saturday, 6pm-late.

Cos: 18 Leigh Street, Adelaide; www.justcos.com.au; email cosbar@e-access.com.au; ph 8231 7611; open for lunch, Monday-Friday, noon-3pm; dinner, Monday–Saturday, 6pm-late.

Enotecca: 262 Carrington Street, Adelaide; www.enotecacucina.com.au; email enoteca@italiancentre.com.au; ph 8227 0766; open lunch, Wednesday-Friday, noon-3pm; dinner Wednesday-Saturday, 6pm–late. Chef Brent Kemble-Beech cooks some of Adelaide’s best food. The restaurant is big and cavernous but we can focus entirely on the food.

Melt Pizza Tapas Wine: 1/160 King William Road, Hyde Park; www.melt.net.au; email pizzeria@melt.net.au; ph 8272 8186; open Wednesday-Monday, 11.30am-late, food all day.

The Pot: 160 King William Street, Hyde Park; www.thepotfoodandwine.com.au; email eat@thepotfoodandwine.com.au; ph 8373 2044; open Tuesday-Saturday, noon-late, food all day; Sunday, noon-6pm; closed Monday.

The Jasmin Indian Restaurant: 31 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide; www.jasmin.com.au; ph 8223 7837; open lunch Thursday-Friday, noon-2pm; dinner Tuesday to Saturday, 5.30pm-9.30pm.

MA INLY BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

Georges on Waymouth: 20 Waymouth Street, Adelaide; www.georgesonwaymouth.com.au; email george@georgesonwaymouth.com.au; ph 8211 6960; open Monday to Thursday, 7am-6pm; Friday, 7am- late. Private functions by arrangement – reservations essential.

Bistro Dom: Shop1/24 Waymouth Street, Adelaide; www.bistrodom.com.au; ph 8231 7000.

OPEN LATE

Red Ochre Grill: War Memorial Drive, North Adelaide; www.redochre.com.au; email info@redochre.com.au; ph 8211 8555. Dinner during the Adelaide Writers’ Week and Adelaide Festival, with executive chef Ray Mauger, head chef Dennis Whetstone and guest chef moi (Ann Oliver). Open seven days from the Friday until March 13 inclusive; 6pm–late. Visit the website for full details (normal trading hours, Monday-Saturday, 6pm-10pm).

MARKET PRECINCT

As ian Gourmet: Western Wall (opposite Camera Co), Adelaide Central Markets; ph 8231 9657; open Monday to Wednesday, 9.30am-4.30pm; Thursday, 9.30am-5pm; Friday, 9.30am-9pm; Saturday, 9.30am-3pm; closed Sundays. Good any time but does a fab Sarawak laksa on Fridays.

Dumpling King Café Restaurant: Shops 4 & 5, 85 Grote Street (just inside Moonta Street); ph 8212 1886; open Sunday-Wednesday, 10.30am-9.30pm; Thursday to Saturday, 10.30am-10.30pm. If you’re from Shanghai, this may not impress, but it’s the best we’ve got in Adelaide.

Lucia’s Pizzeria & Spaghetti Bar: Shop 1 & 2, Western Mall, Adelaide Central Markets; www.lucias.com.au; ph 8231 2303; open Monday-Thursday, 7am-3pm; Friday, 7am-9pm; Saturday, 7am-3pm. Food all day, fab coffee and everything is inexpensive. This is an Adelaide institution.

And don’t forget Haigh’s Chocolates – my kind of lunch (or breakfast).

TREAT YOURSELF

Ch loe’s Restaurant: 36 College Road, Kent Town: www.chloes.com.au; email office@chloes.com.au; ph 8362 2574; open lunch Monday-Friday, noon-2.30pm; dinner Monday-Saturday, 6pm-9.30pm. Stunning cellar, fab food and an old-style restaurant.

Windy Point Restaurant: Windy Point Lookout, Belair Road, Belair; www.windypoint.com.au; email info@windypoint.com.au; ph 8278 8255. Fifteen minutes from the city centre, stunning view with good food, wine list and service.

GET OUT OF TOWN

Aquacaf: 94 Barrage Road, Goolwa; www.aquacaf.com.au; ph 8555 1235; open 8am-5pm; closed Tuesday and Wednesday (except during school holidays); Friday and Saturday dinners. Best to book weekends as this is Adelaide diners’ favourite, and for good reason.

Other favourites in the McLaren vale region: Fino, D’Arry’s Verandah, The Kitchen Door.

CHEAP FAST AND GOOD

Check out www.galaxyguides.com – the list is regularly updated and reliable.

COOL THINGS

Adel aide City Bikes: This is a fabulous scheme and it’s free. You can collect a bike from several collection points – our favourite pick-up and drop-off, mainly because there is food and a nice cold beer at the end of it, is the Golf Links Par 3, located immediately behind River Cafè and Red Ochre Grill. You can park your car and ride to the beach along the bike track. Even for those who are not fit and want to take it slowly, the ride wouldn’t take more than an hour.

SHOPPING

I get really mad when people say there is no shopping in Adelaide. Sure, we don’t have a Louis Vuitton shop, but what we do have is a well-kept secret. We have Australia’s best-priced vintage and small antiques stores, and tremendous ’60s Danish and designer furniture.

A favourite city shop just across the road from the Adelaide Central Markets is Antique Market, at 32 Grote Street. Downstairs are endless small antiques, especially jewellery ranging from Victorian through to modern, with fantastic sections of costume pieces from the ’40s to the ’60s. We have also bought heaps of lovely small pieces of cutlery which we use in our catering. Upstairs is stuffed with fab vintage clothing.

Two other favourites are Hero Designs, which is just off of Rundle Street at 2 Ebenezer Place, and Exclusive Vintage Clothing at 35 Brand Road, Prospect. There are plenty more, so if you are from out of town, ask your friends.

The other shopping must in Adelaide is the Jam Factory, where exquisite one-off pieces can be purchased for a song. This retail space has recently received a dramatic makeover designed by Adelaide’s legendary craftsman Khai Liew. Khai Liew also has his own gallery on Magill Road, another street well worth wandering along.