My Friend Louis

Found this oasis recently, has only been open 5 weeks. It is like the Tardis, small shop front but opens into the most gorgeous tranquil garden. They also are working on a couple of function rooms which once complete will be amazing. The place is utilising the old Otto’s building and there is so much character. The inside of the café is also gorgeous, eclectic and inviting. Oh, and don’t let me forget the food and service. The people are lovely and the food is amazing, we had breakfast there and really loved the fresh flavours. Their home made muffins for afternoon tea were awesome and they tell me they will be doing High Tea soon, I can’t wait to try it! If I could give 6 stars I would!

A sort of cute looking set up that’s bordering on cutesy that desperately needs to be rethought.
A café is a delicate balancing act. Food and coffee needs to be different without being pretentious, music should be loud enough without making conversation impossible and effectively balancing the needs of all of the customers you wish to serve is crucial.
I can’t comment on the dine in experience (and I don’t plan on going back to find out), other than to say that the music was way too loud for a relaxing breakfast, but my experience as a take away customer was lousy.
The position of the ordering point doesn’t lend itself to effective queuing, resulting in confusion and delay for customers as they queue from different directions. After a frustrating wait, I ordered a latte and a chai (both takeaway). Once I had ordered, I noticed the staff moving about in a seemingly chaotic manner with no apparent prioritising of orders.
If you want to serve both dine in and takeaway customers, prioritisation is critical. Whilst a dine in customer will likely be happy enough to wait, say 15 minutes for their order, someone who orders takeaway coffee won’t. There also seemed to be little thought given to processing drinks orders separately from food orders (customers will likely be happier waiting longer for food if they have a drink at least).
After waiting 25 minutes from arrival to receipt of our drinks, I at least hoped that quality might in some way justify the delay. Sadly this was not the case with coffee that was OK, but not amazing, and a chai latte that was essentially a cup of warm milk, very slightly flavoured with chai.
Really disappointing in every respect.

I kept driving past this lil’ café on Magill Road and I have been meaning to stop there for a while. I read all of the amazing reviews on Unilocal and was convinced to place it in my bookmarks of places to try!
Entry into this café is a little surprising. It doesn’t look that flash from outside, but when you walk in it is cleverly decorated with all sorts of quirky art. The service is really friendly and inviting. The staff obviously love working there as they are quite chirpy.
After having a look at the menu, I could not go past the opportunity to try the soup of the day. Pumpkin soup has always been one of my favs and it is one that is really comforting on a cold day.
The pumpkin soup was served with some lovely toasted bread and butter. It smelt divine when it arrived in front of me. The taste was creamy with a slight chilli flavour. They must have used some sort of Moroccan spices? I think it was a little bit salty for my palate, but it was really satisfying and filling.
Courtyard out the back is really cute. I think it is the perfect destination for ladies in the area to catch up with their girlfriends for lunch and coffee.
I will return to try other items on their menu as it seems to be very popular in the Unilocal community.

As I’ve been in the courtyard here I thought it would be good to try for an inside table on a cool Adelaide day. No booking had been made and the three of us thought we’d take the punt of a free table.
Upon entering we felt the warmth of the air and there was a choice from a couple of square tables. Orders are done at the counter giving your table number. I like that I can pay for my own and not stress in having to split the bill.
We ordered our lunch, mine the salmon bagel with poached eggs (again) and they were delivered promptly with our drinks. The staff delightful with their cheerfulness.
The atmosphere was pleasant as we could hear each other speak yet not hear the other tables. Needless to say we stayed two hours chatting away and ordering more drinks.

Firstly I have to say how much I enjoy a stroll along this sector of Magill Road, the atmosphere of discovery amongst the quirky little shops is very exciting and a good way to while away a few hours. I have had a few leisurely coffees, cakes and snacks at My Friend Louis. I have thoroughly enjoyed them all! I particularly enjoy the French style rear courtyard, where I have often enjoyed a relaxing lunch with my girls. Give yourself a treat and visit soon

I love, love, love this place. It is great for Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch or just a coffee and a catch up with friends :)
The atmosphere is FABULOUS, with all of the furniture and décor coming from the equally fabulous Louis Bond (next door).
The food is always awesome, and it is well and truly service with a smile. I always have a wonderful time :) and wish I could go here for brunch every Sunday :)

My first Unilocal destination and it turned out to be a winner. While parking is not easy coming off the sometimes crowded Magill Road, it is worth the stop. This quaint little place has loads of character not to mention a variety of settings in which to share a coffee with friends. All the décor is unusual and changes whether you sit near the front window, out back or in the outdoor area. If you want you could walk straight into the quirky antique style store that is linked with the café.
The service on this day was not outstanding but the coffee was ok and my friend said he enjoyed the dish he chose. For some reason the prices weren’t on display but the final bill seemed on par.
I think it is always a good sign when you don’t have to ask for water bottles — you can just help yourself to the ready supply available.
Recommended — check it out!

There us a lot to like about this café, the coffee is good, I enjoyed my food but it is the atmosphere and décor that make this place simply worth the visit. The outside courtyard has a french provincial feel that I love and on a nice day is an easy place to grab a magazine or a book and lose a few hours while. The staff were friendly an relaxed even though when I was there it was quite busy and of course the attached homewares shop next door is hard to resist having a nosy around in with its quirky items.
I could easily become a regular here!

I have found a new favourite café. I absolutely ADORE My Friend Louis.
First of all, the place is absolutely stunning, particularly the garden area. I could spend an entire afternoon out there drinking coffee and reading a book in the lovely deck chair-​style seating there have available amongst other seating. The furniture is gorgeous, the plants are gorgeous, and the whole thing is just gorgeous.
Second of all, I was surprised to see what they had available in their cold drink section. When I went looking for a refreshing can of Coke, I found organic soda. What the? I have never heard of organic soft drink before, let alone tried it, so of course I had to give it a go. Going with the lemon & lime soda, I was not disappointed, it was very refreshing! And what’s better is that I didn’t feel guilty about drinking it.
Third of all, they have some beautiful chocolates available, and next time I’m in the area I’ll definitely venture in to have a taste of these lovely little treats.
And finally, they are joined into one of my new favourite stores of all time. Louis Bond. Why is it my new favourite store? They have a Michael Jackson chair. That is all. A chair with Michael Jackson’s face. What’s not to love? Of course, they also had other AMAZING pieces of furniture and bits and pieces. Another favourite was a coffee table which had a broken guitar inside the glass — stunning.
Love, love, love.

The café attached to the gorgeous designer décor shop Louis Bond is a work of art itself. It is not very well stocked with food, however the important part, the chocolate cabinet, is healthily full.
One small wall of the café is a tribute to James Bond and his women, so there are plenty of gun poses and lots of Bond Girl leg. Another wall couldn’t escape a row of pop-​art pieces, however the furniture and overall decoration of the café is beautiful.
Their coffee knocks you flat and is a little bitter, but good to get you through the late afternoon slump.
Next time I’m here I will definitely be trying the Hot Chocolate Orange and a few more of those delicious chocolates from the cabinet.

If you’re over chain store cafes and are looking for something different, give My Friend Louis on Magill Road a try. There is nothing chain store like about this place. It is 100% unique. Even the name is something a little different and makes me think of the band ‘My Friend the Chocolate Cake’
This is one beautifully decorated café with a variety of rooms and spots to sit in including a courtyard. The décor in this place is so distinctive and it could be because the café is adjoining the Louis Bond home decorating and gift store. Obviously run by the same people, they have used their decorating skills to create a distinctive and unique environment for their café. Open 7 days from 8.30 to 4.30, go in and breath in the environment.
Oh … and the coffee’s pretty good too.