Pie cart back makes triumphant return to Adelaide for Crows match
ADELAIDE’S original food truck is rolling back into town — it’s the return of the pie cart. And don’t worry, the much-loved pie floater is definitely on the menu.
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ADELAIDE’S original food truck is rolling back into town and the much-loved pie floater is definitely on the menu.
Catering to the footy crowd, the pie cart returns for Saturday’s Crows v Collingwood clash and will be parked on Station Rd, off North Tce, from 5.30pm to 11.30pm.
It will be back for the August 6, 13 and 20 matches at Adelaide Oval and may extend to all AFL game days if the demand is there.
For lovers of the iconic pie floater, it has been a long time between upside down pies served in pea soup with tomato sauce in the city.
While the Adelaide institution dates back to the 1860s and is recognised by the National Trust as the longest-serving eatery in the state, the CBD has not had a pie cart for six years.
The Balfour’s heritage-style pie cart on North Terrace was forced to shut up shop in 2007 to make way for the tramline extension, while Cowley’s one outside the GPO closed in 2010.
A joint venture with the Adelaide Casino, the new pie cart will be operated by South Australian company Vili’s. It will be open for business two hours before bounce-down and trade for two hours after the final siren.
Vili’s owner Vili Milisits said he was proud to be bringing back “the good old days”.
“I have fond memories of the original pie cart around the corner in North Terrace,” he said.
Equipped with television screens so footy fans need not miss a minute of the action, the new pie cart will serve a selection of Vili’s goods and its gourmet take on the pie floater.
“It won the inaugural pie floater competition at the Royal Adelaide Show last year,” Vili said.
“It’s up-market and tastes great ... more-ish ... In the good old days people would eat them when they were tipsy, but we make them good enough to have when you’re sober.”
Adelaide Casino acting general manager Tony McNamara said bringing back the pie cart had taken about 12 months.
Restoring the North Terrace Balfour’s pie cart, which The Advertiser revealed last year is now in Old Tailem Town tourist village near Tailem Bend, had been considered, he said.
“We decided to work with Vili’s as another South Australian business with a lot of history in the community,” Mr McNamara said.
“The precinct comes alive on game days and we look forward to serving many pie floaters to local and interstate footy fans.”
Enjoying their first pie floater on Thursday, Adelaide couple Power fan Lydia D’Ambrosio, 23, and Salvatore Capobianco, 25, who barracks for the Crows, said they were looking forward to sharing another one at the August 20 Showdown.
“I remember the pie cart on North Terrace and my family talks about it,” Mr Capobianco said.
“This one will bring back lots of memories for people.”
