From new restaurants to struggling live venues and a cheeky critique of a Gouger Street institution, here are your favourite CityMag stories for 2023, measured by your clicks. And number one may surprise...
December 21, 2023
Culture
Listen up for CityMag’s most popular stories of 2023
10. Olive set to Sprout on Pirie Street
Olive on Pirie Street has opened since we wrote this story, and we got a chance to visit them inside the Mediterranean oasis. You should, too. Expect a balanced and light culmination of dishes highlighting vegetables and whatever else is in season at that time.
This was very important to co-owners Callum Hann and Themis Chryssidis when we spoke to them in September. As is opening a restaurant filled with dishes they actually enjoy cooking and eating — which they’ve done with Olive.
Remarks
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9. ‘Once they’re gone, they’re gone’: Adelaide alternative venues fight to survive
Seeing this recent story on the plight of Adelaide’s venues crack the top ten most read of the year makes CityMag proud that we have so many readers that give a damn about live music and small venues.
In this story from early December, we looked into the cultural value of alternative venues like Ancient World which is fighting to make it to their 10th year of trading. We also said goodbye to Enigma, a haven for many a metal fan since 1999, and one of three venues in the West End to close in November this year due to rising costs. The number of venues closing across Adelaide’s West End continues to rise.
8. Inside Herringbone’s sister restaurant Trak
You readers and eaters sure had an itch for Mediterranean cuisine in 2023.
So much so, that the Herringbone crew opened Trak in the old Trak Cinema complex in October. But the trio made sure this new venture was not a copy and paste of the original Herringbone. Instead, it uses “a whole range of techniques and flavours” to combat any similarities between the two restaurants.
7. What ever happened to… Ying Chow?
We turned 10 this year, and as a birthday special, our co-founder Josh Fanning wrote a weekly column exploring how our city has changed since he started our mag.
In this first iteration of the ‘Whatever happened to…‘ series, Josh reminisced on Ying Chow and how they have admittedly turned “soft” in their later years.
You seem to agree.
6. Veteran baker hangs up apron but wants sourdough passion to rise
Baker Alan Murphy hung up his apron and chef hat in July this year, so former CityMag reporter, Angela Skujins, highlighted his greatness and love for the industry.
He wants people to understand the passion needed to run a bakery and as per the headline, wants this industry and driven mentality to rise in Adelaide.
5. Introducing Hahndorf taqueria and bar El Camino
The Adelaide public seems to love a Jon Di Pinto-stamped venue (including those — much like myself — willing to wait in line for upwards of 30 minutes to get into his bars Cry Baby and Shotgun Willie’s). As per your clicks, El Camino is loved too.
This venue, which is also co-owned by Kat Romeo, brings tacos, tequila and crushed margs to Harndorf in the pair’s love letter to the United States’ southwest.
4. The best places in Adelaide to thrift
Whether it was your love for sustainability, or jumping on board the TikTok trends, you seemed to want to know where to thrift in our city.
We compiled a list of places to thrift, and will continue to list the best places in Adelaide for a range of different activities in 2024.
3. A food truck favourite moves into Edwardstown
Adelaide loves a burger. In this story, CARŌCLUB told CityMag their tricks to making great ones.
Co-owners Tim Attiwill, Kyle Mclean and Kain Slotegraaf built a cult following for their food trucks, and their reputation for quality is maintained at their latest restaurant in Edwardstown. Think quick service and seriously good comfort food classics: fried chicken, burrito bowls and of course, seriously good burgers.
2. Meet South Australia’s 40 Under 40 of 2023
Our annual list of 40 business owners under 40 always causes a stir. We also dedicate our seasonal magazine to the group, and pictured faces from Polaroids in the 2023 iteration.
You probably went to school with a few of them, or know them through the circular economy of friendships in Adelaide. Whatever your investment to our 2023 40 Under 40 list is, you continually love to read about them.
1. Test yourself on the most misunderstood road rules
Well. We’re not sure if this being our number one most viewed story says that our readers are very careful, quiz-mastering drivers, or that you’re all lost causes that needed to check that you’re merging legally. Whatever the reason, we can all use a little road rules refresher sometimes – to keep ourselves and each other safe on the roads and to know if your angry honk of the horn is justified.
CityMag has produced some high-quality reporting this year, whether it’s on foodie fun or the plight of local venues, but the analytics have spoken and nothing says ‘click me’ like a road rules test. How’d you score?
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