Ban ban is a handy phrase to know if you’re in Korea. It means half and half – and it’s what you ask for if you want Korean fried chicken served two ways. It’s also the name of Adelaide’s must-visit chimaek diner. Chimaek is a portmanteau of chicken and maekju (Korean for beer), and owners Ernest Koong and Darren Song have pulled out all the stops to be Adelaide’s number-one place for Korean fried chook and a coldie. Their bestseller is the wings rice box with five wingettes, rice and coleslaw. Their BB chicken brioche sandwich drizzled with “special sauce” is also popular. Adelaide, Port Adelaide & Elizabeth; facebook.com/banban.adelaide.

The gondolas might only be chalk drawings on the wall, but Francesco’s captures a true piece of Venice. What started as a festival pop-up serving snacks known as cicchetti has evolved into a fully fledged restaurant just west of the city. There is a homely, warm-hearted quality to dishes such as the vegetable lasagne, risotto primavera and anything served on a ribsticking bed of polenta (sautéed mushrooms, perhaps, or salted cod). A separate menu is devoted to vegan cooking. Look out also for a sister stall at Plant 4 in Bowden. 146 Henley Beach Rd, Torrensville; francescososteria.com.

Local food legends don’t come bigger than this. Lucia’s has been feeding (and caffeinating) the stallholders and customers of the Central Market for more than 60 years. Opened by Lucia Rosella in 1957, it introduced Adelaideans to pizza – a staple on a menu that also encompasses pasta, steak, schnitzel and a terrific tuna and ricotta salad. Lucia’s daughters Nicci and Maria are still behind the counter, ensuring the coffee is strong and the regulars are properly cared for. A panini from the adjacent charcuterie bar, run by the family’s younger generation, is perfect for eating on the run. Stall WR1-2, Adelaide Central Market, Gouger St, Adelaide;lucias.com.au.

This addition to the aisles of the Central Market really likes to flex its mussels. The shellfish play a starring role on a short menu crammed with local seafood and with a strong Spanish accent in its tapas and bocadillos. Grab a stool and choose between mussels in a Thai-style coconut broth; with Spanish tomato and peppers; or prawns, pipis and fish in a Mediterranean seafood soup. The sizzling garlic prawns and crumbed mullet and chips also come recommended. It’s a taste of Barcelona market life without the need for a passport. Stall 76, Adelaide Central Market, Gouger St, Adelaide; sisea.me

Some of life’s tastiest foods ain’t that pretty. Take a falafel: it’s a bumpy, brown, hockey puck of a thing. But we love them. Middle Eastern cafe Almina’s has got around this by presenting foods like falafel and kibbeh on colourful plates. The understated diner is a little pocket of calm. Baklava and other syrup-soaked sweets fill an entire glass display on the counter – be sure to leave room. The kibbeh also comes recommended. Made of bulghur wheat, they’re filled with nicely seasoned beef and lamb mince – really tasty when dipped in the accompanying lemony hummus, finished with olive oil and a sprinkling of paprika. 140 Prospect Rd, Prospect; facebook.com/alminaprospect

It’s best to book a table at this bustling cafe, particularly popular among the brunch crowd. But there’s plenty more than poached eggs and smashed avo here. Pickle’s plant-centric menu is considered and creative. A satay bowl with wild rice and quinoa, tofu, grilled pineapple and pickled chilli is a hearty lunch dish – add a poached egg and still keep it under $25. You’ll also find salmon poke, roasted rosemary-infused mushrooms on fried corn bread and the cult favourite cheese ’n’ pickle toastie, made with parmesan-crusted focaccia ($16.50). Coffee is great, too, or opt for a soothing turmeric tonic. 134 Unley Rd, Unley; pickleinthemiddle.com.au.

Suburban gems are often tucked down side streets, stumbled upon by passers-by – but such is not the case with 94 West. The cafe is front and centre of busy Grange Rd, so park the car and step inside the welcoming space, where regulars are remembered by name and coffee order. Food is fresh and seasonal. A Thai coconut chicken salad boasts all the zest and texture for which the cuisine is loved. Gnocchi with cavolo nero, dressed with thyme-spiked butter and finished with chevre is a heartier option. Brunch is great, too, the breakfast dahl an inspired addition to the usual smashed avocado. 227 Grange Rd, Findon; facebook.com/94westadl

A candy-apple red meat slicer in the corner sets the scene for lunch at Bottega Bandito, the adjacent delicatessen of restaurant Anchovy Bandit. Sandwiches are serious business here. That glossy machine is used to create delicate slices of Italian cured meats – think mortadella and sopressa – which often make unlikely companions with flavours from afar. That sopressa, for example, is paired with fermented and pickled chilli, as well as the more familiar fior di latte, tomato and basil. Fried eggplant, meanwhile, is layered with tomato kasundi, cabbage and curry. Pair with a side or opt for the $25 sandwich-and-wine (or beer) lunch deal. 1/96 Prospect Rd, Prospect; bottegabandito.com

It’s not a restaurant. It’s not quite a cafe. Think up-market canteen with serious salad game. The 50-odd salads on rotation boast all the flavour, with a little less fire, of Duncan Welgemoed’s original Africola restaurant in Adelaide’s East End. Torn kale is tossed with a lip-smacking garlicky tahini dressing and kimchi furikake for textural umami punch. Big chunks of charred roasted pumpkin are dolloped with tahini, zhoug, chilli honey and toasted pumpkin seeds. Non-salady things include a contemporary spin on meatloaf and the “canteen cup-o-soup” – a jelly bone broth with edamame noodles, just $10. Shop 1/89 The Parade, Norwood; africolacanteen.com

The glow of a wood oven offers a focal point in Ballaboosta’s narrow dining space and touches almost everything you will eat. Watch as the pitas puff and pizzas emerge charred and bubbling. While it would be easy to feast from a selection of mezze – make sure to include the pastries known as sambousik – or order pizza, consider the home-style specialties from “Betty’s Kitchen”. A tribute to the family matriarch, this section is filled with dishes such as slow-baked cabbage rolls filled with fragrant lamb and rice stuffing. Ballaboosta now also has a larger sibling at Burnside, with an expanded food and drinks menu. 289 Halifax St, Adelaide; ballaboosta.com.au.

A fire pit is at the heart of a new kitchen that’s taken the food offering at this bustling brewery to a whole new level. Local chef Rocky Oliveira puts the grill to good use in dishes like squid with yuzu kosho and lemon, or scotch fillet with native butter. Those who want to keep one hand on their pints might prefer the chicken katsu sando or a cheeseburger made with Mayura wagyu. With 24 beers on tap and a selection of wine and spirits, finding a drink won’t be a problem. Tables inside can be booked; those outdoors are for walk-ins. 18 Baker St, Port Adelaide; piratelife.com.au

The foyer of a CBD office block has been transformed into an al fresco diner, cafe and bar that wouldn’t look out of place in the heart of Roma. Coffee, drinks, pastries and other treats come from a bar at the front flanked by booths and other seating. The kitchen at the back has a large display of stuffed vegetables, meatballs, croquettes and other antipasto goodies. The crisp based, Roman-style pizza slices are irresistible, particularly those topped with mushrooms and ricotta. Valentino’s stays open late on Fridays for post-work drinks and eats, offering an expanded menu with pasta and classic saltimbocca. 101 101 Grenfell St, Adelaide; valentinos101.com.

No, these tacos might not be the cheapest going around, but given the time and care put into them by the Masa team, they are something of a bargain. For a start, the tortillas are made from dried corn kernels that are steamed and then ground on a purpose-built stone. Load them with fillings such as a tangy lamb shank barbacoa with mint, cucumber and chipotle and you have something quite special. Same goes for the Spencer Gulf prawn tostada (extra points for eating the head) and nachos variations featuring a cheese sauce made with beer produced onsite by Masa’s landlord, Bowden Brewing. 3 Bowden, Fourth St, Bowden; bowdenbrewing.com/masa

A standout among Adelaide’s affordable Thai restaurants, this North Adelaide stalwart has an authentic edge to its cooking so often missing in others. This can be traced back to owner/chef Sanom Nglamai, who learnt her craft from her mother and grandmother while growing up north of Bangkok. She and husband Thao Te opened on O’Connell St more than 20 years ago, building a reputation for curries that aren’t afraid of heat and sourness, keeping the coconut sweetness in proper balance. The red curry of house-roasted duck is a stunner, as are many of the items included on a specials list. 165 O’Connell St, North Adelaide; regentthai.com.au.

Pack your bags and check your passport. New Local Eatery chef Daniel Blencowe will be the tour guide as you explore the world’s best food destinations – all without leaving this humble Hindmarsh eatery that tends to fly beneath the radar. Start in North Africa with Coorong mullet crudo, then head to Italy for gnocchi or the Caribbean for jerk chicken. In other hands, this kind of culinary free-for-all might stretch the kitchen, but Blencowe’s flavours ring true; a reflection of his own passion for travel. Larger plates are $20 or $29, so have one of each to come in under budget. 120 Port Rd, Hindmarsh; newlocaleatery.com.au.