Image credit: Joe’s Henley Beach. Venues are listed in no particular order.
Adelaide’s seafood scene is something special—and rightfully so. With the Spencer Gulf, Gulf St. Vincent, and the Southern Ocean practically on the doorstep, this city knows a thing or two about serving up the ocean’s best. From buzzy bayside bistros to sustainable market stalls championing full traceability, Adelaide’s freshest seafood spots are as diverse as the catch itself.
Every day tastes like a bite at the beach with this guide to the best seafood restaurants in A-town.
1. SiSea
Adelaide Central Market’s well-loved nook for seafood, SiSea is no stranger to locals and visitors alike. For Mediterranean tapas-style dining featuring the freshest South Australian catch, pull up a chair by the bar. The mussels are a must-have, whether you’re inclined towards your shells doused in garlicky tomato sofrito or coconut lime and lemongrass sauce. Also a house favourite — the creamy seafood miso chowder with juicy scallops.
Location: Stall 76, Adelaide Central Market
Opening hours: Tuesdays 7am – 5:30pm; Wednesdays 10am – 3pm,
Thursdays 8am – 5:30pm, Fridays 7am – 9pm and Saturdays 7am – 3pm
2. Louca's Seafood Restaurant
Third generation restaurateur Peter Louca runs this Adelaide institution with his family, which means the Greek cooking is simple, flavoursome and good for the soul. Think mezes of sweet grilled local king prawns and beautifully charred octopus, preluding mains that take it up a notch like the pan-fried flathead fillets cooked to a perfect translucence or hearty seafood linguine. A refreshing Greek salad on the side makes this a wonderfully balanced meal.
Location: 242 Pulteney St Adelaide
Hours: Mondays to Fridays 12:30 – 3pm; 5:30 – 9pm,
Saturdays 5:30 – 10pm
3. Jolley's Boathouse
Resting on the banks of the River Torrens, this waterfront boathouse serves up curated seafood dishes that come with a sublime view on the terrace. Food is as fresh as it comes, as Jolley’s menu is built off every early morning delivery and what’s in season. Starters include a tuna crudo in coconut and fermented chilli dressing and chargrilled octopus that combined XO nduja with fragrant basil oil. If it’s available, don’t miss the Humpty Doo barramundi, mussels and scallops in a fennel-kissed bouillabaisse.
Location: 1 Jolleys Ln, Adelaide
Hours: Tuesdays to Fridays 12 – 3:30pm, 5 – 10pm;
Saturdays 5 – 10pm and Sundays 12 – 3:30pm
4. Kickin Inn
Right in the heart of the city on Wright Street, Kickin Inn brings the theatre and mess of a proper seafood boil to Adelaide—and you’re going to want to roll up your sleeves for this one. Choose your seafood (think prawns, crab, mussels, crawfish), pick your spice level from their secret Cajun blends, and watch as everything gets tossed together in a bag before being poured straight onto your table. This is seafood dining as experience, complete with branded bibs, gloves, and a fully stocked bar serving cocktails to match the vibe.
Location:107 Wright Street, Adelaide CBD
Hours: Daily, 12 – 9pm
5. Joe's Henley Beach
This inviting beachfront locale is a no-brainer when you’re in the Henley vicinity. Sporting warm blue-and-white umbrellas and rattan chairs that look out to the waters, the vibes are perfect for a bright, sunny breakfast or brunch. You’re here for a classic — the beer battered South Australian King George whiting fish and chips, which comes complete with a side salad and a beautiful tartare sauce. Also worth ordering are the fish tacos that spell summer in every bite.
Location: 200 Esplanade, Henley Beach South
Hours: Daily, 7am – 3pm
6. Sammy's on the Marina
This award-winning venue set in a classy glass-walled room offers breathtaking water views, as well as some of best service in Glenelg. The commitment to using only fresh, seasonal seafood is the crux of Sammy’s kitchen, and it shows in their exciting menu specials. A firm favourite is the seafood platter that serves up a solid selection of the day’s catch. But if you’re dining in smaller parties, there’s no passing up the king prawns — best ordered together with the warm sourdough or foccacia to mop up all that liquid gold.
Location: 1/12 Holdfast Promenade, Glenelg
Hours: Daily, 11:30am – 2pm, 5:30pm – 8pm
7. Seamore's
If you like seafood with a side of dough and plenty of drinks, Seamore’s make a great offbeat destination along Henley Beach. Helmed by the Vanzati family who owns a slew of established restaurants across the city (among them Hermano Cubanos and New Nordic), this surf club like, spacious restaurant bar is suited for long boozy lunch. The age-old building is an attraction in itself, with a dance floor inside and balcony seats outside facing the ocean. Dig into solid fish and chips or the popular spaghetti marinara, and pair it with freshly rolled out puffy bread or banger pizzas.
Location: 255 Esplanade Henley Beach
Hours: Daily, 11am – 11pm
8. Fair Seafood Central Markets
As Australia’s first and only seafood wholesaler and retailer offering 100% fisher-to-consumer traceability on every single product, Fair Seafood is serious about transparency—you’d know exactly where, when, how and by whom your fish was caught. The market stall doubles as a kitchen and bar, serving ready-to-eat dishes alongside their retail offerings. Beer-battered market fish with hand-cut chips satisfies the classics crowd, while dry-aged sashimi pushes boundaries. The daily catch menu spans soups, pastas, salads and BBQ, all changing with what comes in fresh. $10 cocktail specials, curated wines, and the knowledge that you’re supporting small-scale fishers and sustainable practices make every visit feel good on multiple levels.
Location:Stall 12, Adelaide Central Market
Hours: Tuesday 7:30am – 5:30pm; Wednesday & Thursday 9am – 5:30pm,
Friday 7am – 9pm, Saturday 7am – 3pm
9. Oyster Bar Holdfast Shore
The Marina Pier’s foremost Oyster Bar is a classic when it comes to stopping for a bite of seafood to eat along the Anzac Highway. The eponymous oysters are sourced from South Australia’s own Coffin Bay, and come either chilled or grilled in exciting flavours. Standouts lean towards the fresh shells, in an exciting roulette of the chimichurri and fried shallots, corn, crab and chilli salsa, or the Thai style dressing. There’s also other fare such as the salt and pepper squid to satisfy. Pro tip: Swing by on Wednesdays for all day discounted oysters!
Location: Marina Pier, 10 Chappell Dr, Glenelg
Hours: Monday to Friday 11:30am – 9pm;
Saturday & Sunday 11:30am – 10:30pm
10. Pearl
Perched in the dunes about 50 minutes south of the city, Pearl is where future-friendly seafood meets Mediterranean soul and Southeast Asian flavour. Head chef Jules’s “obsession” for fish and fire means everything gets cooked on a beast of a custom-made charcoal grill, giving dishes that irreplaceable smoky depth. The ever-changing menu rotates with the catch—stingray, yellowfin whiting, garfish, line-caught nannygai, Spencer Gulf king prawns and Smoky Bay oysters all make regular appearances. Built from reclaimed timbers, the restaurant faces the ocean that supplies most of what ends up on your plate. The Friday night seafood linguine special is the stuff of legend, with wine, beer or cider included.
Location: Boat Ramp, Aldinga Beach
Hours: Thursday 9am – 4pm;
Friday to Saturday 9am – 8pm, Sunday 9am – 5pm
11. Beach Bum
Brighton Road’s Beach Bum is where Hawaiian street food gets remixed through Japanese and Mexican lenses. The poke bowls are the star—diced salmon or octopus served with fresh greens and your choice of sushi rice, soba noodles or salad. Fresh fish tacos bring that coastal vibe, while the tempura-style dishes prove this kitchen knows its way around seafood. The natural timber panelling and woven light shades create a grown-up beach shack aesthetic that’s worlds away from your standard fish and chips hut. Shaved-ice cocktails, Japanese whisky and sake complete the coastal brief, making this the kind of spot where one drink turns into a lazy afternoon by the (metaphorical) shore.
Location: 406 Brighton Road, Hove
Hours: Wednesday to Saturday 5 – 9pm;
Sunday 12 – 2:30pm, 5 – 9pm
12. Secrets by The Sea
To cap off this list, another born and bred Henley Beach stalwart brought to you by lifelong resident and fishing enthusiast Robert Leopardi. It’s no wonder Secrets by The Sea has a welcoming atmosphere that likens a neighbourhood gem, great for casual nights out or a family occasion. From lightly crumbed flathead and chips to grilled Moreton Bay bugs and dukkah crusted salmon, the variety of seafood here is out to impress. For those who shy away from seafood, there are also mains from the grill like a scotch fillet that holds its own. In the Norwood area? Consider getting your seafood fix at Secrets by The Parade.
Location: 207 The Esplanade Henley Beach,
Hours: Wednesdays to Sundays 12 – 3pm, 5 – 9pm
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