Roma Adelaide — Restaurant in Adelaide

One word to sum up Roma? Scrumdumdidilyumptious.

This place isn't just serving food, they're crafting an experience that'll linger in your memory long after the last bite.

I started with a beer in their amazing piazza area, soaking up the atmosphere before even stepping inside. The restaurant itself has this fantastic aura, a perfect blend of cozy and sophisticated. Pen, our waitress, was an absolute star. Attentive without being intrusive, and her jokes and bubbly personality were an absolute delight. Arancini, lamb skewers and the rock melon & capocollo to kick things off? Yes, please. The starters were bursting with flavor, setting the bar high for what was to come. The wine list was great, being provided on an iPad which was a classy touch. The spaghetti carbonara was a creamy, cheesy dream, and the pork cotoletta was cooked to perfection - crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, accompanied beautifully with the apple and caper yoghurt. The steak was also cooked and served beautifully. But let's talk about the dessert. Salted blood orange Panna Cotta with Campari granita and rosemary sherbet. It wasn't just the best dessert I've had at Roma, it was the best dessert I've ever had. Period. A perfect symphony of flavors and textures. Otherworldly. Restaurant Roma deserves way more hype. It's new and it's here to stake its claim as a powerful Adelaide eatery, a place where the food, service, and atmosphere combine to create something truly special. I'll definitely be back, and soon.

Edit: okay, I've been back and it seems that a certain standard has fallen. Service was a bit spottier than last time and we had the feed me menu. It was a shame as I felt some great menu items were missing from this. Worst of all, the dessert I had dreamt about every night since, HAS BEEN RUINED. Olive oil does not belong here!!! Otherwise...

Mostly faultless four-course “Feed Me” menu — flavour, finesse, and service that sets the bar high.

Opted for the chef’s four-course degustation last night and left both well-fed and quietly impressed (and grateful, as ever, for the existence of a dessert stomach).

Standout dish? A deceptively simple rockmelon with prosciutto, laced with chilli honey, olive oil, and fresh basil — the kind of starter that makes you wonder why you’ve ever accepted melon without a supporting cast of spicy sweetness, silky fat, and bright herbaceous lift.

The chicken was a close second: meltingly succulent beneath a punchy nduja sauce, with seasonal greens treated with respect, not boiled into submission.

And dessert? Oh yes. A salted blood orange panna cotta with Campari granita and rosemary sherbet — a triumphant finish that proves there’s always room for dessert, evidence to the contrary be damned.

Service was exceptional — not the usual brigade of students eyeing the clock, but staff who knew their menu, loved their food, and struck that elusive balance of attentive without intrusive.

The interior leans into a 70s aesthetic — hints of retro without full lava lamp commitment. The music? Subtly tribal, mostly drumming — not loud enough to trigger sweat lodge flashbacks, but enough to make you consider the strange alchemy between sound and taste. Drumming while dining: it works.

One small quibble keeps this from a full five stars: the tomato and arancini felt pedestrian — a flat note in an otherwise...

We recently visited Roma with high expectations, drawn in by its elegant ambiance, creative cocktail menu, and reputation for quality Italian cuisine. While the food and drinks truly did not disappoint — everything we ordered was flavorful and beautifully prepared — the overall experience was unfortunately overshadowed by the service.

From the outset, it took about 10–15 minutes to get the attention of a server, and throughout the evening, it seemed like the staff were not actively checking in with guests. We noticed not just our table, but others around us as well, struggling to get assistance. This lack of attentiveness created a sense of being overlooked, which was disappointing, especially given the restaurant’s higher price point.

The pacing of the meal also left something to be desired. Our entrée arrived after 20 minutes, the cocktail came out after 25 minutes, followed by pastas at 35 minutes, and the chicken dish came out around 45 minutes after ordering. While we appreciate that good food takes time, the wait felt excessive.

A particularly unpleasant moment occurred when a server began cleaning the table next to ours while we were still eating, spraying a cleaning solution that got on my face and into the air which I inhaled (made me cough a lot). I’m sure it wasn’t intentional, but it was uncomfortable and concerning.

That said, I want to emphasize that the food and cocktails were excellent — clearly a lot of care and culinary skill goes into the...