COMING SOON: Popular Neighbourhood spot Local Crowd expands to Adelaide’s north

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Local crowd has been drawing a crowd of locals to its Colonel Light Gardens home since 2015, slinging locally roasted coffee and elevated all-day brunch from its 1920s former butcher shop.

Now, the neighbourhood favourite is spreading its wings. Its due to land in the new suburb of Riverlea along the Gawler River, joining a vibrant development of shops, recreation areas and new builds, with doors set to open mid-2026.

Owner Arun Singh stumbled across Riverlea house hunting, but realised the community focus of the neighbourhood would be a perfect spot to expand the business.

“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,” he says.

While the new space will offer double the seats and sit in the modern Riverlea, a far cry from Colonel Light Gardens’ heritage charm, Arun hopes that’s where the differences end.

“In terms of our community engagement, friendly vibes, daily laughs with residents and friendly service, we hope to be replicate the Colonel Light Gardens store, where we can say we are an integral part of the community,” he says.

In challenging times for hospitality, Local Crowd is on its eighth year and counting, cementing itself as a cafe, coffee and community institution. So what makes it resonate?

Produce is locally sourced, the menu changes seasonally, Adelaide favourite Altura Coffee is behind the pours, and there’s everything from Dutch-style pancakes to 350 gram sirloin steak with eggs and hasselback potatoes on order.

As for what the current hits are, “the pulled lamb flatbread, tiramisu pancakes and rhubarb porridge,” Arun says.

Riverlea’s cafe will mirror the Colonel Light Gardens menu, with a bigger kitchen allowing “a bit extra here and there.” Seasonal changes will remain a fixture, ensuring people can always find something new.

Final design details are still under wraps, but behind the fit-out is Adelaide’s Soko Design Studio, with plans for a fresh, modern interior that still feels like Local Crowd. The new space will open seven days a week from 7.30am to 5.30pm, with Thursday nights extending to 9pm, and introducing Local Crowd’s first tapas-style share menu paired with South Australian beers and wines.

Just 25 minutes from the CBD, Riverlea is a 2022-born suburb with open space and recreation areas nine times the size of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, plus 42 kilometres of trails and bike paths. Its future retail precinct, The Palms Shopping Village, will feature more than 25 specialty stores alongside an outdoor dining and entertainment hub.

Among them will be Local Crowd, and with a shared value of community, it’s set to become the meeting place for locals, right in the heart of it all.