Sight guide · Adelaide · Australia
Visiting Adelaide Central Market
Trading since 1869, the market fills a covered hall between Grote and Gouger Streets with around 70 stalls of fruit, cheese, smallgoods, seafood and bread, plus cafés and food counters.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Yu Chu Chin, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Adelaide Central Market is a market in West End and Gouger Street, Adelaide. Allow 1–2 hours; it is free. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Market
- Area
- West End and Gouger Street
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- food, free, shopping and rainy day
- Best months
- June–August
About Adelaide Central Market
Trading since 1869, the market fills a covered hall between Grote and Gouger Streets with around 70 stalls of fruit, cheese, smallgoods, seafood and bread, plus cafés and food counters. Chinatown's restaurants are next door in the Moonta Street arcade.
Tip: Go on a weekday morning for space to browse, and on Saturday afternoon look out for end-of-day markdowns on fruit and bread.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 1–2 hours.
- Cost: Free — no ticket needed for the main area.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: West End and Gouger Street, laneway bars, Chinatown and the Central Market.
Best time to visit Adelaide Central Market
Adelaide Central Market is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:
- July: 15°C (59°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds.
- August: 16°C (61°F) highs, about 12 rainy days, quiet crowds.
- June: 16°C (61°F) highs, about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds.
When to visit Adelaide has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Our 3-day Adelaide itinerary visits Adelaide Central Market on day 1, together with Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide Oval and River Torrens and Elder Park.
- No. 1 of the 16 sights in our Adelaide things-to-do list.
- Day 1 of the 1-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 2-day plan.
- Day 1 of the 5-day plan.
- Listed in free things to do in Adelaide.
- One of the picks in adelaide on a rainy day.
If you like Adelaide Central Market
- Art Gallery of South Australia — North Terrace, 2 hours
- South Australian Museum — North Terrace, 2 hours
- State Library of South Australia — North Terrace, 45 minutes
- Haigh's Chocolates Visitor Centre — Parkside, 45 minutes
Staying near Adelaide Central Market
Stay in West End and Gouger Street ($$) to walk here: laneway bars, Chinatown and the Central Market. All areas to stay in Adelaide.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Adelaide Central Market?
Plan 1–2 hours.
+Is Adelaide Central Market free?
Yes, it is free to visit.
+When is the best time to visit Adelaide Central Market?
June–August, the wettest months, when an indoor sight is most welcome. Go on a weekday morning for space to browse, and on Saturday afternoon look out for end-of-day markdowns on fruit and bread.
+Do I need to book Adelaide Central Market in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.