The Thousands

There is a strip of Adelaide that freaks out anyone addicted to caffeine. It lies between the gentle pull of your Nanos, Chocolate Bean and Felici in the east, and the soft buzz of Coffee Branch in the west. It’s the hallowed, car-free, shiny-ball-toting Rundle Mall.

It takes only few minutes to walk end-to-end on a good day. But amongst the buskers, scene kids, Christians with megaphones and slow walking grannies, the pull of chain cafes and second rate bean-pedlars is strong. Too strong. If you’re craving a hit and you’re not careful, you’ll find yourself clutching a Double Caramelachino before you can say ‘Can someone point me in the direction of David Jones?’

But if you can in fact make your way to David Jones, you’re almost there. Signature has sprung up in the alleway beside, bringing pot plants, outdoor furniture and a wide range of coffee to the otherwise barren precinct. Now you can be clutching a creamy single-origin Mexican blend before you can say ‘Laneway Activation Strategy’, or at the very least, ‘thank god there’s decent coffee in this area now’.