Photos via Flinders Food Co
It all started in the heart of South Australia’s outback, with a bold idea and a vision to create a cafe culture that lived and breathed its community.
Flinders Food Co nestled in Hawker was built on hard work, long hours and deep pride for a community that needed a place to connect, gather and most importantly – eat great food.
The husband and wife power duo behind the business, Louise and Doogal Hannaganthe, decided to expand and bring the venue to heart of the Valley. “We’re honestly pinching ourselves,” Lou said.
“It feels like a place you can roll into for a quick coffee or accidentally stay for hours.”
The venue, located on the town’s main street, officially had their first day of trading on Sunday January 18, and what a first day it was.
“It’s been a beautiful mix of chaos, excitement, late nights and ‘how did we get here already?’ moments. The support from the Clare community has genuinely been next level.
“The challenges? Time (always time), decision fatigue, and remembering to eat something, but overall, it’s been energising rather than exhausting, which feels like a win.”
A whopping 200 plates were whisked out of the kitchen, and almost 250 drinks were poured behind the bar on day one. The venue was packed from start to finish, with little time for breaks but no lack of support from customers.
The menu mirrors the Hawker venue, leaning into native ingredients, bright flavours and generous serving sizes. Breakfast classics, burgers and kid eats can be found on the list, but the brunch dishes are the real showstopper.
It includes the Lemon Myrtle hot cake, a light and fragrant cake, topped with silky lemon cream, pops of plum pearls, fresh berries and crisp meringue, finished with the house’s secret syrup.
Their FFC Royale is where native ingredients come out to play with a finger lime and gin–cured trout sitting alongside poached prawns. It’s not served on your classic slice of bread either, but on a crumpet, adding another unique layer.
“We change our menus with the seasons so there is always something new and exciting to try,” Lou said.
The sweet beets and haloumi dish brings roasted beetroot and golden fried haloumi together with karkalla, pickled quandongs, native dukkah and beetroot aioli. The drinks are also natively inspired, using local produce and organic ingredients, which allows them to create specials like Quandong soda and Golden Wattle soda.
“It’s pretty bloody special,” the couple said. Bringing Flinders Food Co to Clare felt like a natural step in the evolution of their journey, a place that already aligned with who they are.
The Clare venue has similar themes to the Hawker cafe running through the interior design. Wooden beams sit overhead, complemented by exposed brick walls and warm hues lighting up the bar and the drinks on offer.
“The final space feels very Flinders Food Co, warm, welcoming, a little bit cheeky and full of heart. It’s polished but not precious, relaxed but intentional.
“Are we happy? Very. Are we already mentally rearranging things? Also yes, that’s hospitality.”
The space has history and soul, honouring that vision while bringing in playfulness that Flinders Food Co is known for. “It feels lived-in already, like it belongs to the town, not just us, and that was always the goal,” she said.
For the Clare community, praises were quick to be shared on the food, service and coffee. “The cornbread and avo brunch with warrigal pesto was awesome,” one commenter said. “Lovely combo, and what I particularly loved was the dukkah on the poached eggs, it seems like a small thing, but it really wasn’t, best I’ve ever tasted,” they continued.
“Amazing service and beautiful food as usual, and worth the drive to Clare to get some,” another fan said.
Whether you’re travelling through the rustic outback or wandering through the vineyards in Clare, both venues have the same vision. A place with honest food and genuine hospitality that makes you want to return time and time again.
Flinders Food Co
When: 7.30am – 3pm
Where: 268 Main North Road, Clare
For the Flinders Food Co website, click here.
More News
