Photos: Matt Welch
It’s a beautiful, homely cafe in the heart of Hindmarsh and after a struggle with COVID, the Loose Caboose is looking to get back on track for 2022.
Owner, Katie Price bought the building in 2010 and through a lot of hard work and love she and the Caboose crew are ready to roll into the cooler seasons.
“We’ve just been liquor licensed and we’re going to be building on our lunch items for the new season,”Ms Price said.
“Our menu does change every eight weeks, so there is quite the constant change. But, the upcoming Autumn menu will be heartwarming food. The seasons are all out of whack at the moment, like everything right now. What is usually in season, isn’t in season right now.
“Waiting until the last minute to do your menus is becoming the norm nowadays. But as always we’ll use South Australian produce and look at what’s fresh and local.”
The Loose Caboose has a lot of history within the building and when you walk in, the building is a beautiful blend of modern decor with a classic twist.
“The building is the oldest railway station in Australia,” Ms Price said.
“It’s a charming building. It was derelict when I purchased it, it’s a beautiful space and a lot of work went into it. It’s a total labour of love.”
COVID was the last thing the team at Loose Caboose needed and since then it has been a struggle. But, with things slowly, hopefully returning to a norm, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“We had a really horrible two years before COVID hit as there were upgrades happening near our cafe,” Ms Price said.
“We were getting back on track and then COVID hit. It’s been really hard. At the moment with all the isolations, we were doing really well, then last week we had six staff having to go into iso.
“We only have 10 staff. I’ve been working a lot of days by myself with the chef. It is really hard, but people are starting to come back. We are looking forward to it getting back to the way it was.”
If you find yourself starting your morning in Hindmarsh, or would love to check out the venue, there are a lot of stories the place can tell you over a great meal.
“How many cafes have two fireplaces where you can sit in a beautiful building while having a coffee and something to eat,” Ms Price said.
“It is one of the most unique buildings in Adelaide. Dynamite has gone off in it twice! It has so much history.
“With Bowden growing, it’s a completely different area to a few years ago. The street art, the food and culture.
“The area and Loose Caboose have something for everybody.”
The Loose Caboose is situated at 21 First Street, Hindmarsh.
To stay up to date with all their events and menus, give them a like and follow on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/theloosecabooseadelaide
More News
