Enoteca Lounge & Cucina — Restaurant in Adelaide

Enoteca Lounge & Cucina in Adelaide’s East End is a shining example of Italian dining done right. With roots tracing back to the iconic Enzo, this modern eatery carries the torch with pride, delivering not just a meal, but a full sensory experience.

From the moment we walked in, Alessandro and the team set the tone with exceptional service. Warm, professional, and incredibly knowledgeable, they made us feel like honoured guests rather than just customers. Alessandro’s passion for Italian cuisine and wine was infectious, and his guidance through some Italian wines made our dining experience all the more enjoyable.

The restaurant itself is beautifully appointed, think plush red velvet bench seating, sleek modern decor, and a layout that balances intimacy with vibrancy. The ambiance is inviting and warm, with subtle lighting and attention to detail that speaks to the quality Enoteca aims to deliver.

The food? Outstanding. Every dish full of flavour, texture, and great balance.

We enjoyed:

Pane Fresco – Warm, house-made bread served with olive oil and balsamic and chilli. Simple, comforting, and a great start to the meal.

Coffin Bay Oysters – Fresh, briny, and meaty.

Arancini al Prosciutto – Perfectly crisp on the outside, these golden bites were creamy on the inside with savoury prosciutto and provolone. Each one was rich, indulgent, and beautifully seasoned.

Tagliatelle with Wagyu Short Rib Ragu – This was the standout dish of the night. The house-made tagliatelle was silky and perfectly al dente, but the real hero was the Wagyu short rib ragu, deeply rich, slow-cooked to perfection, and layered with flavour. Every bite was hearty, comforting, and utterly moreish. A brilliant execution of a classic Italian staple.

Panzanella Salad – Light and refreshing, this classic Tuscan bread salad was a welcome contrast to the richer dishes.

Tiramisu – Classic, light, and incredibly moreish. The mascarpone was cloud-like, and the espresso soaked biscuits gave just the right amount of bitterness to balance the sweetness.

Gianduja Tart – This was Gianduja heaven. A crisp pastry shell held a luscious, velvety filling of chocolate and hazelnut that was smooth, rich, and beautifully decadent without being too heavy. It was the perfect finale to an incredible meal.

Enoteca Lounge & Cucina is more than just a restaurant, it’s a love letter to Italian hospitality. From the service to the atmosphere to the phenomenal food, everything feels thoughtfully curated and executed with passion. A true standout in Adelaide’s dining scene, and one we’ll be recommending (and returning to)...

I made a big mistake to book for a busy Saturday night during Fringe festival. I phoned around and no one had any table available except Enteroca. I should have asked more questions before agreeing to booking. Arrived at 6pm promptly , sitting outside which was nice with pleasant weather. Our waiter dropped off menus then disappeared. We hailed down another waitress to help with drinks and food order. Menu was very small; about 4 entrees and 4 mains. We chose 2 entrees; burrata and salumi platter to start. The burrata was the size of a pin pong ball on a few strips of marinated capsicum for $26!! We ordered all the mains to try. 4 to share between 4 people. Pasta and gnocchi dishes were ok, barramundi was nice but the porterhouse steak was probably the worst steak we have ever had anywhere in Australia. We ordered medium, it came out well done, extremely dry and no seasoning. We were asked to leave after 90 minutes as soon as we declined to order desserts as they had another group (looked like walk in without booking) waiting for our table. My husband paid the bill when I was in the bathroom. I then realised that they charged for the bread that we didn’t order. At that point I didn’t bother to search for our waiter to have it removed. Service was just terrible. No one came to check on us or ask how was the food. They just honestly couldn’t get rid of us fast enough. Also I wasn’t told about smaller menu when I phoned to book nor did they warn me of time limit. None of us are wanting to return for...

I was here 12 months ago with my wife and the food was fantastic. I then brought my family in and the 7 of us really enjoyed it just as much.

This time, the menu has changed and unfortunately the food was terrible. Everything was bland and did not taste fresh.

PANE FRESCO: Bread was regular crusty bread. balsamic flavor was sweet but to get to it you had to dip into the olive oil which was deep so the bread was completely soaked. Too much olive oil not enough balsamic. Only a couple of drops.

FIORE DI ZUCCA Was ok, lacked seasoning.

WAGYU BRESAOLA CROSTINO: The thinly sliced meat over a slice of bread seemed a little dry, and chewy.

RAVIOLI Was ok. Not really anything to brag about, but very flavorless.

MEZZE MANICHE This dish was pretty bad. Commercial pasta, chunks of broccoli and chunks of sausage in a soupy runny pesto. There was a pool of runny pesto at the bottom of the bowl.

GRILLED GREENS: Was covered in some not very tasty spice and the broccolini tasted like wet socks.

I wish you the best of luck, but pretty much we did not like...