If you’ve been craving a midweek dinner that feels generous, indulgent and just a little bit smug to know about, Pastel Wine Bar has delivered. The O’Connell Street favourite has launched a new Wednesday-night set menu priced at just $49 per person, and for the quality, quantity and vibe on offer, it’s feels kind of outrageous.
Designed as a shared four-course feast (with a minimum of two diners and no maximum), the menu leans into everything Pastel does best – comforting plates, flavours drawn from favourite dishes across cuisines, all pulled together into one seamless experience. The kind of dinner that justifies ordering another bottle, cancelling Pilates in the morning, and wondering why you don’t go out on Wednesdays more often.
Things kick off with a Pastel classic – whipped ricotta topped with thyme-infused honey, fried walnuts and za’atar, served alongside grilled housemade focaccia. Rich, savoury-sweet and wildly moreish, it’ll vanish before you’re able to go in for seconds.
Next comes carb territory. Diners choose between two of Pastel’s hit pastas – the baked alla vodka with gochujang, parmigiano and nori – a long-standing favourite that’s stayed on the menu for good reason – or a Korean rice cake carbonara layered with Dairyman smoked bacon, bonito, furikake and chives. Both are comforting, generously portioned, and built for sharing (and for licking the plate).
That’s followed by a 220g chargrilled rump cap, finished with classic brandy peppercorn sauce and served with Pastel’s skinny fries. It’s straightforward, well-executed and exactly what you want at this point in the meal. Few things are more convincing than a good steak and a skinny fry.
Dessert closes things out with something so sinfully sweet it’s downright dangerous. Silky, decadent Thai milk tea cheesecake arrives drenched in condensed milk custard and poached rhubarb. Absolutely worth saving room for.
If you’re keen to make it a proper wine bar night, Pastel’s $29 half-bottle options rotate weekly. Expect accessible, well-chosen drops like Alpha Box Pinot Grigio or Bandit Sauvignon Blanc for whites, and house pinot or grenache for reds – ideal if you want to match without committing to a full bottle (or if you want to try more than one).
What makes the whole experience even better is the setting. All of this unfolds inside Pastel’s moody, warmly lit space – a slick yet relaxed wine bar that’s been drawing crowds to O’Connell Street since opening in 2022. Timber panelling, exposed brick, a marble bar, DJ-backed evenings, and a leafy courtyard out back make it equally suited to date nights, group dinners, or midweek hangs that accidentally turn into late ones.
Add more than a year of Tuesday Jazz Club sessions into the mix, and Pastel is quietly bringing the party to the start of the week. But at this time of year, who even knows what day it is?
$49 for four courses. Thai milk tea cheesecake. Pastel Wine Bar. Wednesdays from 5pm. Honestly, that’s all you need to know. Book here.
Pastel Wine Bar is located at 47 O’Connell St, North Adelaide
