Local Crowd, a beloved café nestled in the heart of Colonel Light Gardens since 2015, is set to expand its horizons to Adelaide’s north. Known for its locally roasted coffee and elevated all-day brunch, the café will open a new location in the burgeoning suburb of Riverlea along the Gawler River. This expansion is part of a vibrant new development featuring shops, recreation areas, and new residential builds, with the doors expected to open by mid-2026.
The decision to expand came serendipitously when owner Arun Singh stumbled upon Riverlea while house hunting. The community-oriented vision of the suburb resonated with him, presenting an ideal opportunity to extend Local Crowd’s reach. “The more we got to know about what the vision was for Riverlea, the more we realised what we currently do at Colonel Light Gardens would be a perfect fit,” Singh explained.
Maintaining Community Spirit in a Modern Setting
While the new Riverlea location will boast a modern aesthetic with double the seating capacity, Singh is committed to preserving the essence of the original café. “In terms of our community engagement, friendly vibes, daily laughs with residents, and friendly service, we hope to replicate the Colonel Light Gardens store, where we can say we are an integral part of the community,” he stated.
Local Crowd has thrived for eight years, becoming a staple in the community despite the challenges faced by the hospitality industry. The café’s success can be attributed to its commitment to locally sourced produce, a seasonally changing menu, and the popular Altura Coffee. The menu offers a diverse range of dishes, from Dutch-style pancakes to a 350-gram sirloin steak with eggs and hasselback potatoes.
New Offerings and Familiar Favorites
The Riverlea café will mirror the menu of Colonel Light Gardens, with a larger kitchen allowing for additional offerings. Seasonal changes will continue to be a hallmark, ensuring that patrons always have something new to discover. Current crowd favorites include the pulled lamb flatbread, tiramisu pancakes, and rhubarb porridge, according to Singh.
Final design details for the new location are still under wraps, but Adelaide’s Soko Design Studio is crafting a fresh, modern interior that retains the familiar feel of Local Crowd. The café will operate seven days a week from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, with Thursday nights extending to 9 pm. This marks the introduction of Local Crowd’s first tapas-style share menu, paired with South Australian beers and wines.
Riverlea: A Thriving New Suburb
Located just 25 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD, Riverlea is a newly established suburb as of 2022. It features expansive open spaces and recreation areas nine times the size of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, along with 42 kilometers of trails and bike paths. The future retail precinct, The Palms Shopping Village, will host over 25 specialty stores and an outdoor dining and entertainment hub.
Local Crowd’s new location will be a centerpiece of this development, aligning with the suburb’s community values and poised to become a central meeting place for locals. With its expansion, Local Crowd is not only growing its business but also reinforcing its commitment to fostering community connections in Adelaide’s evolving landscape.
For more updates, follow Local Crowd on Instagram or visit the Riverlea website.
