I've started a new project to ride the Adelaide Metro trains somewhere every Friday and checkout some of the outlying cafes and eateries for lunch. So, today was to be day one--and 43 degree heat wasn't about to stop me.
I rode all the way out to Gawler and then walked into town to go to the Cafe Nova. I arrived after the kitchen had closed for lunch, but the woman serving coffee very cheerfully offered to make me a sandwich. We settled on ham and she brought out the loveliest home-style ham sandwich, along with a bottle of Coke and a glass of ice. Perfect.
That got my strength back, so I followed with a coffee and a piece of apricot pie with a nice flakey crust and cream. It doesn't get much better for a traveling lunch.
So, nothing pretentious here. It's a small town, slightly upscale cafe with great service. While there were a number of regulars in attendance at the back tables, I was treated like I had been coming in for years.
Cafe Nova is a good example of why getting out of the CBD is good for your mental health. I got the kind of friendly, glad you're here, service that there just isn't time for in the CBD. And the place was calm, quiet, had wifi (probably still does too), and offered a special kind of smaller-town peace that makes coming in out of the heat such a pleasure.
I'm guessing they do a good dinner business too. I got there a little before 4 pm and about half the tables (and it's pretty big inside) were set for dinner, had menus, and were marked with reservation signs.
I'm sorely tempted to make the trip again on another day to try the dinner menu.
Cafe Nova - well worth the trip. If you're in the area, make an effor to drop in. They have no idea who I am, so don't bother to tell 'em JD sent you. Just settle in and enjoy.
Eat, drink, and be merry--but not too much. JD read more