Walking Lower North Adelaide and beyond  is about discovering  new cafes and unique architecture mixed in with art galleries, more parklands and yes, horses.  Major streets include Melbourne St and O’Connell St for cafes, shops and pubs, Kingston Terrace and Lefevre Terrace for magnificent mansions overlooking parklands and Tynte St and Archer St for heritage housing with a difference.

Starting Point  

From the corner of O’Connell St and Brougham Place you can head north along the eastern side of O’Connell St or east along Brougham Place to Stanley St or Melbourne St.

This is a large area and some of the quaint smaller streets such as Margaret St are also worth a look.

Here are 10 highlights of this area:

1. Best street, Stanley St – Walking from the top end at Brougham Place to the bottom end at  Mann Terrace will not take long. Look out for the grand mansions of St Andrews and Nurney House up high and notice how well maintained every house and garden is. Architectural styles differ for nearly every house but the overall effect is charming. St Mary’s Church built in 1870’s is a popular wedding venue. At the lower end of the street are interesting  small cottages and you will find the Kentish Hotel a great lunch stop  – try Whiting and White specials on Wednesdays.
2. Best row cottages, Stanley St – Between 1873 and 1900 a number of attached row cottages were built for widows and homeless people towards the bottom end of Stanley St. Today these renovated cottages are in high demand by city dwellers seeking nature combined with sophistication.

 

3. Best gelateria, Bononia, Melbourne St – The Rocher flavour is THE  favourite gelato and here you can find Bologna inspired natural ingredients and even flavours suitable  for diabetics. Try a hot white chocolate to drink or imported Cuban chocolate or even magnums made in casa for something different.

4.Best nature, Horses in parkland next to Kingston Terrace – Only a hundred metres from churches, pubs and shops in Stanley and Melbourne streets  but you could be in the middle of the countryside. Also a great place for bird watching, in particular rosellas and cockatoos.

5.Best art gallery, David Roche Foundation, Melbourne St – Featuring the late David Roche’s extensive collection of decorative arts, paintings, statues, porcelain, clocks and more sourced from Royals and other notorieties. Guided tour features both home and museum with knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides and a coffee to start. Lots of fun.

6.Best heritage mansion, Bohm Terrace, Archer St – While there are many larger mansions in this part of North Adelaide Bohm Terrace built in 1882 is meticulously maintained with particularly fine lacework and detailing.

7.Best coffee shop, Caffeteca, Tynte St – A café with brilliant barista, coffee and tea. Or go to Melbourne St (First Pour, UR Caffe, E for Ethel all have large followings) or O’Connell St which is also good ( Cibo and Paesano always busy) but for something off the main track try Caffeteca in Tynte St. Great cakes, carefully prepared coffee and finest beans.

8.Best bakery, Perrymans, Tynte St – Opposite Caffeteca is Perrymans Bakery which has been in operation since 1850s. Famous for small Cornish pasties and hot cross buns not to mention apple strudel.

9.Best restaurant, Cliché, O’Connell St – Wandering along O’Connell St you can find a cafe or restaurant to suit any taste. Cliche gets our number one vote for its ambience as well as its authentic French food and wine. Fabulous curved front windows, large and colourful original artwork, magnificent bar and wine display, mega  comfortable seating, not noisy and professional service. What more can you ask for?

10.Best pub, The Kentish, Stanley St – This is a great lunch stop  – try Whiting and White specials on Wednesdays. Or try the ever popular Lion Hotel in Melbourne St for good value bar menu or cook your own steak on the barbecue at The British on Finniss St not far from The Lion.