Located on Waymouth Street, the Union Hotel has been a cultural icon since its establishment in 1855. The Union Hotel was Adelaide’s first gastropub, and continues to please its clientele with delicious food for a wide variety of tastes, outstanding customer service, and a visually stunning environment.

The Union Hotel has a range of sitting areas, each with their own unique taste and style. The front bar has rich wooden tables and chairs, with warm and inviting lighting. The walls are covered in black and white wallpaper of different patterns which add a modern feel to the bar. The main dining area is light and airy, with natural lighting from outside which seeps in through translucent, pink curtains. The wallpaper is pink with ferns on it, which complement the curtains and is enhanced by the indoor plants. The outside beer garden has both covered and uncovered seating areas, and the rich red-brick walls look gorgeous covered in potted plants.

The Union Hotel restaurant’s menu ranges from traditional pub plates to masterful modern Australian creations. Everything on the menu is plated gorgeously, and the array of flavours tempts all palates.

We began our meal with two entrees, the Bulgarian Feta Tart and the Onion Rings. The Bulgarian Feta Tart is a gorgeous sliced tart with a beautiful puff pastry base. The caramelised red onion base is sweet, and perfectly complements the light, salty feta. Preserved capsicum adds an exquisite taste and a splash of colour to the dish, and pairs nicely with the smooth simplicity of the spinach. It is the perfect balance of sweet, savoury, and salty! The Onion Rings are an interesting twist on a classic pub favourite. Red onion is battered in a light and crisp tempura-like batter. A gorgeous and creamy honey-mustard sauce is the perfect partner for the Onion Rings, and the rich creaminess works wonders with the crisp batter.

The Slow Roasted Lamb comes in a generous serving of succulent meat with a rich and decadent gravy. The meat is crisp on the outside, and then falls apart and melts in your mouth with an exquisitely rich flavour. A garlic butter ball comes on top of the lamb, and explodes (literally) with gorgeous and rich flavours when you cut into it. A layered potato bake is served on the side, and soaks up the gravy. The Slow Roasted Lamb is garnished with radishes and impeccable al dente, garlic-infused asparagus. A perfectly executed and beautifully presented dish, the Slow Roasted Lamb is a wholesome and delicious meal to enjoy year-round.

The Crispy Skinned Barramundi Fillet is just as the name describes: a beautifully succulent barramundi fillet with incredibly crispy skin. Served atop a bed of diced roast potato and with a light sauce, the Crispy Skinned Barramundi Fillet is a gorgeous and wholesome meal, perfect for the summertime. There is a perfect balance of succulence and crispiness which gives an incredible texture to the meal, and the potatoes burst with flavour as they soak in the sauce and the juices from the fillet. Assorted greens and radish garnish the dish, adding a burst of colour and some light flavours to complement the rich flavours of the meal.

The Oven Roasted Free-Range Chicken Breast is a simple and elegant meal to please everybody. The chicken breast has a crisp outside, and beautiful inside which holds in the juices and is incredibly succulent. A decadent cream sauce complements the dish and adds a rich flavour, and garnishes of radish and fried kale add a lovely crunch and colour to the dish. A light, eggy frittata is served with the Oven Roasted Free-Range Chicken Breast and bursts with flavour. The light fluffiness of the frittata pairs nicely with the roast chicken and creates a gorgeous mixture of flavours which dance on the palate.

Different to your typical salad, the Marinated Lamb and Kale Salad is rich in flavour and very filling. A beautiful mixture of spinach, kale, lentils, pumpkin seeds, and lamb, the Marinated Lamb and Kale Salad manages to be healthy, wholesome, and delicious all at the same time. A zesty sauce brings the flavours together and adds a light touch to the rich salad. The lamb is cooked wonderfully and generous servings of meat make up the salad and pair gorgeously with the strong flavours of the kale. This salad is perfect to fill you up in winter, but will definitely make its way into summer with the gorgeous zesty flavours!

The Creole Fire Burger is the perfect, spicy chicken burger to kick off the summertime with its fresh produce and incredible flavours. The burger bun is light and fluffy, with crisp corners, and is almost sweet to taste. A smooth fresh guacamole and creamy fresh aioli bring flavour to the burger, and help balance out the spiciness of the chicken. The chicken is succulent, and coated in a gorgeously seasoned and spiced batter, which adds an incredible crunch to the burger. Tomato and lettuce bring a light freshness to the burger, and we can’t forget the delicious melted cheese! Served with amazing crispy chips, the Creole Fire Burger is your perfect crispy chicken burger with a spicy kick.

The Old English Pork Sausages are the perfect, traditional pub meal to please! The pork sausages are incredibly thick and lean, and it is obvious they have been minced to perfection. Beautifully seasoned and with a lovely, smokey flavour, the sausages pair perfectly with the rich and decadent gravy. The mashed potato is perfectly smooth and creamy. The gravy deliciously soaks into the mash and enhances the flavour of the sausages while the mash potato adds a beautiful creamy texture to the dish. With its rich flavours and simple presentation, The Union Hotel has perfected this crowd-pleasing meal and can brag some of the best bangers and mash outside of Great Britain!

The New York City Pizza is your typical pepperoni pizza, but with a spicy twist! Generous amounts of pepperoni lay atop a bed of fresh chilli, and delicious, melty cheese holds it all in place. Fresh basil sits atop the pizza and complements the chilli beautifully. A crispy thin pizza base allows for the flavours of the pizza to be enjoyed to their fullest as you’re not overwhelmed with the flavours of the bread. Although quite spicy, all pepperoni pizza lovers are bound to love this gorgeous pizza, and the rich red colours appeal to everybody who sets their eyes upon it!

The Union Hotel also offers a selection of 12 beers on tap, which includes both imported beers and hand-crafted Australian beers. The back bar is one of Adelaide’s best, and has a range of imported vodkas, gins, tequilas, and rums. The drinks list includes both classic cocktails and neo-cocktails, so there is something to suit everybody.

A new summer menu is currently in the works at the Union Hotel and we are very excited to come back and see what more this Adelaide icon has to offer!

Words by Elisabeth Marie

WHERE: 70 Waymouth St, Adelaide