Four years after abruptly shuttering its Gouger Street outpost and sending the city’s Reddit loyalists into a mild conspiracy spiral, the cult Japanese chain has fired up the hot plates once again. This time, it’s landed as a grab-and-go express at City Cross Food Court, bringing its sizzling DIY teppan back to Adelaide diners.
For the uninitiated, Pepper Lunch is a performance. Plates arrive aggressively hot, meat still pink, rice still popping, steam rising fast enough to fog your glasses. From there, it’s on you. Mix it, flip it, sizzle it to your liking.
Founded in Japan in 1994, Pepper Lunch pioneered the fast-casual DIY teppan format and has since grown to more than 500 stores globally. The secret lies in its patented iron plate, which heats to 260 degrees in around 70 seconds and stays hot long enough to cook your meal right at the table. Steak stays tender. Rice crisps just enough. Everything smells incredible.
The return has not gone unnoticed. Social feeds lit up almost instantly, with comments ranging from “I could cry” to “our prayers have been answered”, as former fans relived memories of Chinatown lunches, Melbourne pilgrimages, and the joy of pepper rice eaten straight off a sizzling plate.
Officially open as of last week, the City Cross venue has quickly become a magnet for CBD workers, city dwellers, and anyone who finds a little DIY drama at lunchtime deeply satisfying.
The Adelaide menu sticks to comfortable familiarity. Pepper Rice remains the star, built on a base of steaming rice, fresh cracked pepper, a signature pepper paste, and your choice of protein. Beef is the crowd favourite, but there’s also chicken, salmon, prawn, eel, wagyu and vegetarian options, with curry versions for those who like things richer.
Steak lovers can opt for premium Australian cuts, including Angus porterhouse and rib eye, served raw on arrival and cooked to your preference on the plate. There’s also a line-up of sizzling curries, teriyaki dishes, teppan pasta and combo plates for the chronically indecisive. You know who you are.
Operated by Oishii Group, the Adelaide reopening marks Pepper Lunch’s twelfth store nationwide, joining locations across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the ACT.
And the opening reaction is anything to go by, Adelaide has been waiting. Pepper Lunch is now sizzling away at City Cross Food Court, bringing the steam, the flavour and another hands-on kind of lunch – surely we’re sick of hotpot by now – back to the CBD.
Pepper Lunch Adelaide
Where: City Cross, 31-39 Rundle Mall, Adelaide
When: Sat to Thu 11am – 5pm, Friday 11am – 9pm
For the website, click here.
@pepperlunch_aus
