We all need a friend we know we can pop in on at any time. For the good people of Adelaide, that’s Sofia Bistro.
No traditional service hours here. This Mediterranean restaurant is serving all day on weekdays and from 12pm on weekends. Coffee at 4 pm on a Monday? No worries. Sofia is your answer to a loose end.
Local Guides are brought to you by your friendly concierge, Worktones. We’ve got the plug on the best restaurants, cafes, bars and other gems in the neighbourhood by those who know a thing or two about serving up good times in the area.
Sofia Bistro is in the same family as other long-time Adelaide venues such as Part Time Lover and Whistle & Flute, so they’re well in tune with the hospitality community down South. We knocked on their door to find out what they’d recommend eating, drinking and doing in Adelaide.
The Sofia team helping us put together this guide to Adelaide:
- Luke Turton Co-Owner & General Manager
- Hannah Koch, Venue Manager
- Stewart Wesson, Co-Owner and Executive Chef
What's your go-to when you knock off?
- Luke - Proof. A place where one plus one equals three. Respect fermented in banter - The unspoken code. It feels like civility for the common soul. The crew there are in the business of raising people up. The (quaffable) drinks are just the medium.
- Hannah - Jug of larger at the Exeter but I've been known to dabble with a Smokelovers margarita!! always fun to be had down that end of Rundle Street!!
- Stewart - Bar Torino for a Peroni and spritz or Arab Steed for a pint and a roast sandwich.
Where are you eating on a day/night off?
- Luke - Oggi. A silky pasta course midway through, a slurp of grape juice, and suddenly the world’s got that golden filter. That’s usually where we disappear to. Sit at the bar and let go.
- Hannah - I’m a big Bai Long on Hutt Street kinda guy. They’ve never once let me down and are only getting better - their eggplant dish is my go-to! The staff there go above and beyond, will forever be a big fan.
- Stewart - Kiin Restaurant for the burrata with Nan Jim and roti. BBQ City for the 3 BBQ assorted meat with rice, or The Ghan Kebab House for 3 skewers, rice, bread, yoghurt sauce.
It's staff party time... where would you take the whole team?
- Luke - Amalfi is where I would love to take the team, a place where it all evens out. Pizza, beer, warm lights, the night going soft, a table full of all of us.
- Hannah - Lil trip up to Norton Summit for multiple cocktails at The Scenic Hotel, roo schnitzels for all if you will! That beer garden will always hold a place in my heart.
- Stewart - We really like to take our teams to different restaurants within the group. We will take the team from Part Time Lover to Sofia and vice versa. It creates one big family across our group.
You have a 15 minute lunch break... where are you grabbing a quick bite?
- Luke - Nano on Ebenezer Place. Eggplant Parmigiana Nano Stick. Come onnnnnn. Everything made in-house… come onnnnnnn.
- Hannah - Chinatown Cafe always. These guys are forever hustling and know how to do a quick lunch. Their chicken and rice will go down in history.
- Stewart - Chinatown Cafe, chicken and rice, Asian greens, laksa broth, chilli oil, Coke Zero.
Gotta kill time... where are you going window shopping?
- Luke - My compass will point to Streetlight Records for a little bittah window shopping. An important shop, one of the real ones.
- Hannah - Love a little strut down Ebenezer Place, Van Brussels make amazing clothes!!! Rachel is absolutely beautiful, she's a big fan of our restaurant and I'm a big fan of her clothes! Match made in heaven x
- Stewart - Central Markets, see what fresh produce is in season and around.
Sofia Bistro use Worktones olive Mo Aprons with custom embroidery.
Photography by Jack Fenby.
