Market and Meander is located in the heart of Adelaide, on the ground floor of one of the city’s newest and unique hotels – Hotel Indigo. With a unique interior celebrating the colours of Adelaide and taking inspiration from the nearby Adelaide Central Markets, Market and Meander is sure to become a favourite dining spot for every meal of the day.

Our experience at Hotel Indigo started right at the top, with a drink at the Merrymaker Rooftop Bar. Watching the orange glow of the sun setting over the city skyline with a glass of champagne set the tone for what was to be a stunning evening sampling dishes by Chef Gabriele Pezzimenti who celebrates and utilises some of Adelaide’s best local produce in his dishes.

Meandering back down stairs to Market and Meander, our first dish was Almond Ricotta Tempura Zucchini Flowers. I’ve had zucchini flowers a few times and always found them a bit underwhelming – these ones totally changed my mind! The almond ricotta filling was beautifully flavourful and smooth, and the tempura was hot and crispy. They were on a bed of romesco which brought a tang and richness to the dish. I could keep eating these!

Our other entrée was Kingfish Ceviche with wattleseed crackers, avocado and yuzu. This was a generous sized serving with delicious creamy cubes of Kingfish. It had a sprinkle of Cajun spice on the top which I loved, it had quite the kick! The avocado purée quickly cools your mouth down and the overall flavour profile is lovely.

Sticking with the SA seafood theme, our first main course was Charred Spencer Gulf Prawns with capers, lemon and herbs. The smokey flavour of the char grill was strong, but the sourness of lemon balanced it perfectly. The dish was finished off with parsley, coriander and dill which left a beautiful fragrant flavour in our mouths.

Next up was the Smoked Brisket which I was pretty excited about. It was just how brisket should be – melt in your mouth meat with a beautiful flavour that wasn’t too powerful, matched with a smooth and buttery potato mash. This is Chef Gabriele Pezzimenti’s signature dish, and his talent for flavour balance and texture is clear in this dish.

Our last main dish was Paccheri with Oyster Mushrooms, Pangrattato Parmesan and Monte Rosso. I hadn’t heard of Paccheri before, but it was a house made tube pasta, kind of like soft cannelloni if it was cut into one inch portions. This pasta was divine! It wasn’t a sharp cheese sauce, but more of a mild one that built up in flavour as you continued to eat. What made it even better was the crunch toasted parmesan crumb on top, and what a lovely way to finish off our mains.

For dessert we were served Chocolate Wattleseed Negroni Mousse with honeycomb ice cream. This dish was flavour central! The negroni mousse was unlike anything I’d ever had. It was rich, sticky and indulgent, but with a tartness to it from the negroni. The strong flavour was balanced by the honeycomb crunch and the natural chocolate-coffee taste of the wattleseed. Possibly my dish of the night!

Finally we were treated to an Artisan Cheese Plate supplied by Woodside’s Section28. I always think of myself as more of a soft cheese fan, but these hard and semi-soft cheeses totally won me over. My absolute favourite was their La Primavera, a cheese made exclusively in Spring due to the grass that grows at this time of year that the cows then digest. It had aromatic dried flowers pressed into the surface and a rich buttery flavour overall.

Market and Meander has something for everyone, and a fun yet classy interior that transports you to another world. Hotel Indigo might just be the perfect spot for your next vacation or staycation.

Market and Meander is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the week

Words by Heidi Ioannou from The Hungry Heidi

WHERE: 23-29 Market St, Adelaide