The James Place Hotel is a historic pub set over three levels right in the heart of the city. The pub and dining section is located on the first floor and is a lot smaller than what you’d imagine. The menu is simple and straight forward, and would be classed as your typical pub fare.

The decor is very typical of an old style pub. Due to it’s small size, you could only seat about 30 people. The building appears to have two frontages as there is natural light coming in from the main frontage and from the glass blocks on the other side.

For lunch, I ordered the boringly named Hamburger which contained lettuce, tomato, cheese and red onion. The dish came after a 15 minute wait and was nicely presented.

The beef patty was house made and very well refined. It was well marinated, tender and succulent, and it’s diameter was the same size as the bun.

The tomato was ripe and the lettuce was fresh and crisp. The natural sweetness of the beetroot was balanced by the sharp taste of the raw red onion.

The brioche bun was nice and firm, and strong enough to hold all the ingredients. The top of part of the bun was heavily buttered and it would have been nice had it been melted a bit more.

The chips were of a medium thickness and were perfectly fried. Nice and crispy on the outside, and soft and fluffy in the centre.

The staff were friendly and the service was good. The atmosphere was relaxed and the meal set me back $12.50, which was good value considering the burger came with a side of chips and a glass of house white wine.

Verdict: They a make a good basic burger that is appropriately priced.

WHERE: 21 James Place, Adelaide