Image credit: Union Bridge On Franklin
Adelaide’s newest CBD restaurant is serving up all-South Australian food and wine in a speakeasy-style setting that nods to the city’s beginnings. It’s a blend of fine dining detail with a laid-back edge, perfectly matched to the character of its home, the Union Bridge hotel on Franklin Street.
1836 is tucked behind the Franklin Street establishment’s bar, and meshes beautifully with the pub’s interior, which was redone earlier this year after being revived by Union Bridge.
Venue manager Tom Cavanagh says the team has leaned into a 1920s-era look and feel, with the entire venue gradually taking shape around a vintage South Australian theme.
“We’re in an old pub, so we’ve leaned into that style with mid-century furniture, older wood finishes, tablecloths, lamps and soft lighting,” Tom explains.
The food is Modern Australian, with a strong focus on local produce and in-house preparation. “We do dry-aged steaks, duck breast smoked in-house. Everything’s cooked properly and thoughtfully,” Tom says. “It’s all made with love.”
Menu standouts include the 16-hour sous vide pork belly with burnt pumpkin purée and pickled Ya pear, and a wood-fired duck breast served with beetroot puree, butter-poached leek and grilled orange. For something bold, the smoked 21-day dry-aged striploin or the chermoula rolled lamb saddle deliver serious depth, while desserts like the brandied banana cheesecake and ‘Bird’s Nest’ gelato round things off with a playful twist.
The same approach flows through the drinks list. The restaurant’s wine offering champions five key South Australian wine regions which pair with the produce of each area: McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley, Barossa, and Coonawarra.
“We’re not just sticking to one distributor or portfolio,” Tom says. “We’ve reached out to dozens of producers and are building the list with variety and quality in mind.”
Standout labels include Charlotte Dalton, who the team has formed a close connection with, and Anvers, which reflects Union Bridge’s Adelaide Hills roots and the Cudlee Creek home of its brewery & distillery. Union Bridge’s portfolio of gins, vodka, brandy, and a selection of other spirits, along with beers, means that skilful mixology will also be on offer.
While the restaurant is the current focus, it’s just one stage of a larger vision. The venue is planning a full transformation, with a botanical-themed gin blending room set to replace the existing pokies area, and a speakeasy-style cocktail bar upstairs to follow. The gin room will take cues from the Botanic Garden’s museum, Tom says.
“We want big display cabinets with botanicals under glass, handwritten labels with scientific juniper varieties, tinctures, and distilling samples.”
And the name? 1836 is a nod to the first year Adelaide was officially recognised as a city.
“It’s all about showcasing South Australia,” Tom says. “You won’t find a Champagne or a Victorian wine on the list. Everything comes from here.”
Bookings are now open for 1836, so if you’re looking for a slice of the 1920s, complete with the very best of South Australia’s food and wine portfolio, get yourself into the new Franklin Street establishment.
1836 Restaurant
Where: Union Bridge on Franklin, 233 Franklin St, Adelaide
When: Open 20 June, 2025
For more information, click here.
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