Adelaide Festival Centre announces new era of destination dining restaurant Angry Penguin to open February 2025

Adelaide Festival Centre today announced a new era of destination dining with its concept restaurant Angry Penguin set to open in February 2026, located at Festival Theatre.

Angry Penguin honours the groundbreaking and rebellious literary movement spearheaded by South Australian poet and creator of Angry Penguins magazine, Max Harris. Harris went on to collaborate with luminaries including Joy Hester, John and Sunday Reed, Albert Tucker, Arthur Boyd and Sidney Nolan who together shaped a modernist art movement which forever changed the artistic landscape of Australia.

 

 

Under the lead of Executive Chef Alex Katsman formerly of Marriott Adelaide, Sofitel Adelaide and The Henry Jones Art Hotel, Angry Penguin will celebrate South Australian seasonal produce coupled with curated wines and a dining experience with art at its core.

Executive Chef Alex Katsman:

I am delighted to join the iconic Adelaide Festival Centre which is at the very heart of the arts here in South Australia. Work is currently underway building an exciting new menu that will bring Angry Penguin to life. Whether lunch by the river or pre-show dining, visiting Adelaide Festival Centre for very first time, sharing a cocktail or choosing to spend that special occasion with us, we can’t wait to welcome everyone to join us at Angry Penguin in February 2026.

As Australia’s first multi- purpose arts centre, Adelaide Festival Centre was born in 1973 through a vision to put Adelaide on the global arts map. Adelaide Festival Centre’s restaurant, Angry Penguin pays homage to that era, with a warm and inviting 1970s inspired interior with a contemporary feel.

Guests are invited to celebrate and savour in their surroundings with both indoor and outdoor seating options overlooking the beautiful Karrawirra Pari/River Torrens and surrounds, with the art of dining set to take centre stage.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO Kate Gould:

Angry Penguin heralds a new and exciting era of dining for Adelaide Festival Centre. As part of Adelaide Festival Centre’s redevelopment project, we are thrilled to see Angry Penguin currently taking shape at Festival Theatre.

With Alex Katsman crafting the menu, and Studio Nine’s design team working together with South Australian furniture artisans Andrew Carvolth and Jon Goulder to create a restaurant that celebrates the history of Adelaide Festival Centre and the creative legacy of Max Harris and the Angry Penguins. Open for lunch and dinner, we hope that Angry Penguin will become a special dining destination for all to experience. We look forward to sharing more and to unveiling Angry Penguin to Adelaide in February 2026.

Angry Penguin complements the extensive redevelopment project which is currently underway at Adelaide Festival Centre. When the curtain goes up in February 2026 and its doors re-open, the centre will feature new theatre seating, specially designed foyer fit-outs, access upgrades and more.

We can’t wait to invite you to come dine with us at Angry Penguin.