10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Adelaide

Adelaide’s West End is known as one of the coolest ‘hoods in Australia. Known for its street art, independent store, bars, and restaurants, it’s west of the city’s downtown core. Wander the laneways once the sun goes down, and you’ll find plenty of excitement from boutique cocktail bars to round-the-clock nightlife.

Centered around Peel, Leigh, and Bank Streets, the West End is a hub for funky art installations, fun events, and festivals. Whether you’re looking for tiki cocktails, local wines from the Barossa Valley, or just a chance to rock out to live music, the West End’s where it’s at.

The Ebenezer Night Markets are held throughout the warmer months of December to March in Ebenezer Place, a quaint laneway with connects to the east end of Rundle Street. Held on 10 Fridays (check listings), the night market offers you a chance to try delicious fresh-cooked street foods from around the world as well as shop for artisan crafts, jewelry, homewares, and clothes.

Try to arrive early or get there late as the market gets very busy. Along with shopping, and excellent people watching, there’s always live music and other entertainment so you can make a night of it.

2KW Bar in the heart of Adelaide’s downtown makes for an exceptional after-dinner destination. Perched on the 8th floor of a heritage building, this chic rooftop bar and restaurant offers up excellent views over the city skyline including the iconic Adelaide Oval.

Live music is offered regularly so if that’s your thing, check their website to schedule your visit. The 2KW also dishes up up modern Australian meals and innovative cocktails, you’ll want to add it to you weekend list for a late-night snack destination.

The Adelaide Festival Centre is a performing arts center in the heart of Adelaide, hosting theatre, dance, music, and comedy events. One of Adelaide’s most popular cultural landmarks, the Festival Centre has several venues including the Festival Theatre, Dunstan Playhouse, and Space Theatre.

Aside from performances, the center also hosts a variety of events and festivals, such as the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and the OzAsia Festival. These events attract visitors from all over Australia and the world, providing a platform for local and international artists to showcase their talents.

The Grace Emily Hotel is an historic pub in the heart of Adelaide’s West End that dates to the 1800s but is now a popular live music venue. Look out for vintage poster art inside, as well as the retro wallpaper. Well known for supporting the local music community, the Grace Emily has also played host to international artists such as Ben Folds.

Don’t miss the ‘Billy Bob’s BBQ Jam’ open mic nights with the house band and a BBQ to get on stage and sing and be part of a South Australian musical legacy.

The Holey Moley Golf Club is in Adelaide's bohemian West End district, a mini golf spot with a twist lets you tee off accompanied by cocktails, music, and karaoke. This mini-golf course is not your typical put-put golf course, as it's filled with unique obstacles, popular culture references, and fun challenges to keep you entertained.

There are special deals available for families and children to play, and adults are catered to with the option to book cocktails on arrival - including a concoction with Red Bull served in a mini bathtub complete with rubber duckies.

Tucked away in the west of Adelaide’s Park Lands, Adelaide Gaol Tours are run by the Gaol Preservation Society offering historic, and scary ghost tours of the now-closed jail. Go deep on a 4-hour Paranormal Investigation tour delving into the ghostly phenomena occurring at the Adelaide Gaol or take the Murder and Mayhem tour which covers the darker side of life and death at the gaol.

Not in the mood for grisly details about murder and hangings? Try the Twilight Tour, specially designed for younger visitors and those who prefer their evenings not to be haunted by horror.

The Lion Arts Factory is an award-winning live music space and arts center in Adelaide’s trendy West End housed in a heritage red brick factory. Showcasing a range of music styles from indie rock to hip hop, electronica to jazz, the venue is a late-night favorite for the city’s music-loving locals.

Along with live music and DJ nights, the Lion Arts Factory also hosts live comedy and theater performances and is a popular venue for Adelaide’s annual Fringe Festival. The lion statue on the roof is the original that took a local stonemason three months to carve back in 1906.

Plain Jane is a popular night club on Leigh Street in Adelaide’s funky West End open for cocktails, dancing, and tapas each weekend. Arrive early in the evening to chill out to live music and snack on tapas-style cuisine, then as night falls, join the gangs of up-for-it Adelaideans, dancing to RnB and House till early morning.

What happens at Plain Jane doesn’t stay at Plain Jane: the club website hosts a photo gallery of all the fun moments from the previous week’s club night. Get fancy, upgrade your experience, and book a private VIP booth with premium escorted entry, and bottle service.

Jive is a long-running live music venue in Adelaide’s CBD which attracts local artists and international touring acts such as Chic and Nile Rogers, and The Cat Empire. With its famous sunken dancefloor—which gives guests at the bar a clear sightline of the stage—Jive has been at the heart of South Australia’s live music scene for more than two decades.

Check listings to see who’s in town when you visit, who knows what emerging talent you’ll catch! But make sure you stop by Jive to enjoy an authentic slice of Adelaide’s live music scene.