Local Crowd, a cherished café known for its locally roasted coffee and all-day brunch, has been a staple in Colonel Light Gardens since 2015. Housed in a charming 1920s former butcher shop, it has become a favorite spot for locals. Now, the beloved café is set to expand its reach to Adelaide’s north, with a new location planned for the burgeoning suburb of Riverlea along the Gawler River. The new café is expected to open its doors in mid-2026, becoming part of a vibrant development that includes shops, recreation areas, and new residential builds.
Owner Arun Singh discovered Riverlea while house hunting and immediately recognized its potential as a perfect spot for the café’s expansion. “The more we got to know about what the vision was for Riverlea, the more we realized what we currently do at Colonel Light Gardens would be a perfect fit,” Singh explained. The new location will offer double the seating capacity and will be nestled in a modern setting, a contrast to the heritage charm of Colonel Light Gardens. However, Singh hopes to maintain the same community engagement and friendly atmosphere that has made Local Crowd a community institution.
Expanding a Community Institution
Local Crowd’s success over the past eight years can be attributed to its commitment to quality and community. The café sources its produce locally, changes its menu seasonally, and serves coffee from Adelaide favorite Altura Coffee. The menu offers a diverse range of options, from Dutch-style pancakes to a 350-gram sirloin steak with eggs and hasselback potatoes. Current customer favorites include the pulled lamb flatbread, tiramisu pancakes, and rhubarb porridge.
The Riverlea location will mirror the menu of the Colonel Light Gardens café, with a larger kitchen allowing for additional offerings. Seasonal menu changes will continue, ensuring that customers can always find something new and exciting.
Design and Atmosphere
While specific design details remain under wraps, the new café will feature a fresh and modern interior designed by Adelaide’s Soko Design Studio. The aim is to create a space that feels like Local Crowd while offering a contemporary twist. The café will operate seven days a week from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, with extended hours on Thursday nights until 9:00 pm. Thursday evenings will introduce 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, born in 2022. It boasts 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 more than 25 specialty stores, as well as an outdoor dining and entertainment hub. Local Crowd’s new location will be at the heart of this development, promising to become a central meeting place for the community.
As Local Crowd prepares to open its new location, it continues to embody the values of community and quality that have defined its success. With its expansion into Riverlea, the café is poised to bring its unique blend of hospitality and culinary excellence to a new audience, further cementing its role as a beloved institution in Adelaide.
What: Local Crowd new location
Where: The Palms Shopping Village, Riverlea
When: Due to open mid-2026
