Adelaide, the wait is nearly over. El Jannah is opening its first South Australian restaurant in Glenelg, bringing its famous Lebanese charcoal chicken, toum garlic sauce and family-style meals to Jetty Road.
The official El Jannah location page lists the opening date as 12 November 2026 at 70–72 Jetty Road, Glenelg SA 5045. The restaurant is expected to be open daily from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, although customers should check the official website before visiting in case launch arrangements change.
Why Adelaide has been waiting
El Jannah has built a loyal following across New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT. Adelaide customers have been asking for a local store for years, and the company says South Australia was always part of its national growth plans.
The Glenelg location makes sense for the brand. Jetty Road is one of Adelaide’s busiest food and shopping strips, close to Glenelg Beach, Moseley Square, local families, tourists and the tram connection to the city.
Photo source: El Jannah Bayswater North. This image is included only to show the El Jannah store style and brand presentation. It is not a photo of the Glenelg restaurant, which is scheduled to open soon.
Where is the new El Jannah?
The new restaurant will be located at 70–72 Jetty Road, Glenelg. It will offer dine-in, takeaway and delivery, with halal food listed as one of the store’s features.
Parking is available along Jetty Road and nearby streets, while the Partridge Street and Wallis Cinemas car parks provide alternatives for customers planning to sit down and eat. The Glenelg tram also runs directly along Jetty Road.
Get directions to El Jannah Glenelg on Google Maps
What will be on the menu?
El Jannah is best known for charcoal chicken cooked over real charcoal and served with toum, Lebanese bread and pickles. The Glenelg menu is expected to include the brand’s usual range of charcoal chicken meals, fried chicken, chicken rolls, burgers, meal boxes, salads, dips and sides.
Customers can expect options such as charcoal chicken meals, fried chicken and tenders, tawouk and charcoal chicken rolls, crispy and grilled chicken burgers, falafel rolls, chips, pickles, Lebanese bread, hummus, babaghanouj, tabouli, fattoush, sesame pockets and family meal boxes.
The official Glenelg page also lists a Lebanese lunch range with fresh chicken rolls, including charcoal tawouk and crispy tender options, available from opening until 4:00 pm.
The garlic sauce people talk about
For many El Jannah customers, the toum is the reason they return. It is a Lebanese garlic sauce made with garlic, oil, lemon and salt, then whipped into a smooth, creamy texture.
The classic El Jannah combination is simple: smoky charcoal chicken, toum, pickles, chips and fresh Lebanese bread.
The story behind the brand
El Jannah was founded by Lebanese migrants Andre and Carole Estephan. Andre’s childhood memories of cooking in Lebanon inspired the recipes and charcoal method that became the foundation of the business.
The first El Jannah opened in Granville, Western Sydney, in 1998. What began as one family restaurant became known for its long queues, generous meals and traditional Lebanese flavours.
The name El Jannah means paradise in Arabic. The brand says the name reflects Andre’s childhood memories and the feeling the family wanted to create through its food.
A growing Australian food chain
El Jannah says it had grown from five restaurants in 2020 to 50 restaurants during its national expansion phase. Its website states that the brand had 64 stores across New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory as of August 2026.
The company has announced plans to grow to almost 200 restaurants over the coming years, supported by a strategic investment partnership with global investment firm General Atlantic.
Jobs and seating at the Glenelg restaurant
The Glenelg store is expected to seat around 45 people and create up to 100 local jobs. That means the opening could be important for Adelaide’s hospitality industry as well as for food lovers waiting to try the brand.
The new team is expected to include kitchen staff, customer service workers, restaurant managers and other hospitality roles.
What should customers expect on opening day?
The exact opening promotion has not been confirmed in the information currently available. However, El Jannah openings in other locations have attracted strong crowds and special launch offers, so Adelaide customers should expect plenty of interest during the first few days.
If you plan to visit when the doors open, expect possible queues. Ordering through the official El Jannah app, checking the trading hours and considering public transport may make the experience easier.
The quick facts
El Jannah Glenelg
Glenelg SA 5045
Scheduled opening date
Expected daily hours
Lebanese-inspired menu
Delivery expected
Runs along Jetty Road
Is El Jannah worth the hype?
That will come down to whether Adelaide customers love the combination of smoky charcoal chicken, creamy toum, crunchy pickles, Lebanese bread and generous family meals as much as customers in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra do.
But the opening is already shaping up as one of Adelaide’s most anticipated food launches of 2026. After years of people asking for El Jannah to come south, the first South Australian store is finally on the way.
El Jannah Glenelg is scheduled to open on 12 November 2026 at 70–72 Jetty Road. Visit the official El Jannah website for the latest menu, opening information, ordering details and launch announcements.
Article information was checked on 3 October 2026. Opening times, menu items, prices and promotions may change.