One of Peel Street's pioneers is Clever Little Tailor, a Parisian-style bar offering a clubby atmosphere, a modest selection of food and an excellent wine list. Almost next door is Kaffana – a quirky Serbian establishment serving delicious food, well-priced drinks and a robust welcome. Try the Riba (battered fish) or Sarma (cabbage rolls).

Elsewhere on Peel Street you'll find Russian-themed BarBushka and several newcomers including Maybe Mae, La Moka (which also serves up a smashing breakfast) and the Chihuahua Bar. If you get tired of this fairly compact strip of indulgence, walk around the corner to Leigh Street, home to a number of well-established bars, such as Udaberri and Casablabla, a popular tapas bar and multicultural dance venue. Udaberri, a narrow industrial space serving excellent wine by the glass and Italian style share plates, is another small bar pioneer.

But you'll need to unleash your inner Sherlock Holmes to find some of Adelaide's more obscure cool bars. Proof Bar is a good example. Tucked away on Anster Street, just off Waymouth Street, this miniscule space is boisterous, loud and totally in-your-face. This dark and sexy bar serves classic cocktails, robust reds and engaging conversation. The house speciality is the Sour House, a mixture of rum, punt e mes, lime, orange, clove and port.

There's a similar vibe at Jack Ruby, one of the city's most cosmopolitan bars, located in a basement on King William Street – it's right next to the Goodlife Gym. The Americana-themed establishment serves a good range of cocktails, craft beers, premium wines and delicious bar snacks. The menu includes dude food classics like Scorched Corn on the Cob, BBQ Atlantic Crab, Sliders and Pulled Pork and Slaw Burgers.

For something edgier, check out Ancient World, a bar and multi-arts venue on Hindley Street. One of Adelaide's new wave of small bars, this one specialises locally sourced alcohol, experimental music and self-expression – customers are encouraged to write on the bathroom walls.

Another recent arrival is The Biblioteca Bar & Book Exchange on Gresham Street, between Hindley Street and North Terrace, which combines the old world charm of an English library with French aperitifs, locally sourced premium wines, craft beers and well-crafted cocktails. There is a good choice of bar snacks, including fried Camembert with croutons and jam. Lovely.

The impeccable Hains & Co in Gilbert Street (near the Grand Chancellor Hotel) opened in early 2015 and qualifies as Adelaide's most glamourous small bar, with a clever indoor-outdoor design, nautical artefacts, moody lighting and a well-chosen drinks list. The theme here is artisan and quirky, with a distinctly European accent. Serious booze for serious drinkers.

Now that the city's Bar Tsars have exploited just about every unwanted back alley and laneway in Adelaide they are looking the skies. The concept of rooftop drinking is relatively novel in the South Australian capital but the movement is gaining momentum.

First cab off the rank is 2KW Bar & Grill, eight floors up on the corner of King William Street and North Terrace, with sweeping views of Government House, the Torrens and Adelaide Hills. The multi-million dollar project has been several months in the making, but the result is impressive.  The sleek designer rooftop space consists of five entertainment areas, including an indoor/outdoor restaurant, a terrace bar and several private cabanas. This is a magnet for Adelaide's beautiful people, so expect a well-heeled crowd.

The Hennessy Bar, part of the newly-opened Mayfair Hotel on King William Street, has flown under the radar, but is perfect for that late night assignation, when you just want to be alone with a classic cocktail, some dim lighting and a close friend. The rambling top floor offers two quite distinct lounges and a tiny deck – although a side door will take you out onto the art deco rampart.

Just up the road the newly opened Electra House is a million miles from the moody, intimate spaces along Peel Street. The light-filled building contains a funky street level bar, a beer garden and a dining room serving Modern Greek cuisine.

With so many new bars opening their doors, you are going to need at least a couple of nights to explore Adelaide's multi-faceted drinking scene. But if it all gets too much you can always rely on established players such as The Collins Bar at the Hilton Adelaide or The Apothecary 1878, the ideal place for a sophisticated cocktail and a tasty morsel or two after a night of bar hopping.

Q&A: Josh Picken, sommelier at Restaurant Orana

a) Your favourite restaurant?

"I really like Andre's Cucina & Polenta Bar in Frome Street. You always know the food is going to be good. It's quite informal, but for something outside Adelaide I'd suggest Hentley Farm in the Barossa. I love that place. It's a bit like Orana in a way."

b) Best pub or bar in Adelaide?

"The Wright Street Hotel [near Chinatown] is one of the best. It's had a new quirky fit-out and they have a small, solid wine list and I like the beers they have on tap. It's a bit of a sanctuary. In terms of bars, I like Maybe Mae. The staff there are really knowledgeable. You can get a negroni made in 10 different ways if you wish."

c) My hidden secret in Adelaide?

"There's this new place called Entropy in Thebarton. It's not the easiest place to find, but when you do it's really cool. They do Latin American inspired breakfast but also Friday night dinners and the coffee is pretty amazing. I've only tried breakfast, but I want to sample the dinners."

d) Best day trip from city?

"I reckon it has to be McLaren Vale. We drive down on a Sunday and go to Fall From Grace in Willunga and do a bit of an alternative wine tasting. It's a sort of cellar door for the region's artisan winemakers who don't have a cellar door of their own. Afterwards we go to The Salopian Inn for dinner. The slow braised kangaroo tail with samphire is amazing. This place has got atmosphere and there's a decent wine list."

See restaurantorana.com/