The Red House Shop and Café had only been open for four days when we visited for breakfast. It’s located at the quieter end of War Memorial Drive, North Adelaide, on the Gawler railway line.

In actual fact the shop and café are in the old North Adelaide Railway Station, which originally opened in 1857, one of the three oldest railway stations in South Australia. When we arrived, the open fire was burning, taking the chill out of the air. These old stone buildings can certainly feel cold, but we felt nice and cosy. We were greeted by a staff member through the old ticket office window, which was a nice touch. In the main area there are seven tables, plus a bench looking out onto the beautiful garden at the front.

In summer time I can see the outdoor areas will be popular with seating out the front and a small courtyard just past the vintage shop. For breakfast I chose the ‘Dutch Baby’ pancake, an oven baked puff pancake served with ricotta cream and orange maple syrup, while my husband went for the Red House big breakfast. You basically get to choose your own big breakfast by selecting five items for a set price, or you can add even more for $3 each. He chose poached eggs, smoked salmon, hash brown, avocado and mushrooms, along with large coffees for both of us.

We had to wait a little while for our breakfast as it takes about 20 minutes for the pancake to cook, and we were told this when ordering. The pancake came out in the metal dish it was cooked in, still piping hot. I could smell the orange and couldn’t wait to taste it.

The pancake was soft and buttery and so orangey. The maple syrup pooled on the top with fresh orange segments soaking in it, and the ricotta piled neatly in the middle sprinkled with fresh orange zest. When I got to the end I exclaimed “Oh no, it’s all gone!” A testament to how much I enjoyed the dish.

My husband’s dish was a good size for him with the eggs poached and still runny (just how he likes it!). The salmon and avocado were fresh and the mushrooms nicely cooked. The hash brown arrived separately to the main plate (which is why it’s not in the photo) and it had a lovely crunch to it.

Breakfast and lunch are served until 3pm with nachos and burgers a good lunch option. A dips plate and antipasto platter is also available until closing, as are treats found at the counter, including muffins and caramel slice.

I think this is going to be a popular spot, with plenty of room to park and a welcoming place to walk to on the weekends!

* Photo of old railway station courtesy of Wikipedia