Cowley's pie cart


Cowley's pie cart was a late-night eatery which operated in Adelaide outside the General Post Office, Adelaide on Franklin Street close to Victoria Square.

History

Adelaide's pie carts consisted of a large self-contained enclosed trailer with a single awning servery opening to the footpath. There was no seating supplied, the range of food available was very limited, and the only drinks available were tea, coffee and a small range of soft drinks. A notable characteristic of Adelaide's pie carts was their democratic nature: every class of person could be seen at the counter.
Cowley's pie cart was opened by William "Bill" Cowley, owner of Cowleys Bakeries, of Cross Road, Glandore, in 1937.
A specialty of Cowley's pie cart was the "pie floater"; a meat pie upside-down on a plate, surrounded by a generous serving of thick pea soup, and frequently topped with tomato sauce.
The last owner/operators of this pie cart were Ray Purvis and his family, who had a licence to operate it from 5pm, until around midnight, being then one of the few food outlets open in Adelaide after 9pm.