If you’ve wandered through Rymill Park in the last few years and thought it was missing something, you weren’t imagining it. The lakeside kiosk has sat empty since 2018, leaving families to BYO their coffees and snacks. That changes this month when Puddle Duck opens its doors, giving Adelaide one more reason to linger by the water.
The new café comes from James and Emma McIntyre, the husband-and-wife team behind Peter Rabbit Cafe in the East End. The couple took full ownership of Peter Rabbit in 2023 and added McGregors Private Events to their portfolio in 2024. Puddle Duck rounds out the trio, and it’s been a long time coming.
From Central Park to the East End
The idea for Puddle Duck was sparked by a trip to New York, where James and Emma visited the Central Park Boathouse. They were struck by how seamlessly the café blended into its surroundings, feeling like part of the park rather than an add-on. When the City of Adelaide called for expressions of interest for the Rymill Park site back in 2018, they saw their chance to bring that vision to Adelaide.
The concept has evolved over the years of planning and construction, but the heart of it remains the same: creating a space where families want to spend time, not just during Fringe season but year-round. If you caught their pop-ups at Fringe over the years, you’ll have a sense of what’s coming.
What’s on the menu
The food at Puddle Duck leans nostalgic with a bit of polish. Think scones fresh from the oven, fish and chips to unwrap on the lawn, a loaded hot dog for when you’re feeling cheeky, and the usual brekky-and-lunch favourites done well. Everything is designed to travel, whether you’re settling in at a table or heading out to stake your claim on a patch of grass by the lake.
For the grown-ups, Puddle Duck is fully licensed with South Australian wines, beers, spritzes and cocktails. It’s the kind of place where you can order a coffee while the kids run around, then shift gears to a glass of something cold as the afternoon stretches on.
Lakeside Sessions
Once the sun starts dipping, Puddle Duck transforms for its Lakeside Sessions. There’s a dedicated nibbles menu built for sharing over drinks as the light fades over the water. It’s an appealing thought: kids tired out from a day at the park, a spritz in hand, the lake catching the last of the evening light. Not a bad way to end a Saturday.
The details
Puddle Duck opens Friday 25 September at the Rymill Park kiosk on East Terrace, Adelaide. The timing is ideal, landing right at the start of the school holidays. Trading hours are set to expand as summer arrives, so expect longer evenings and weekend sessions as the weather warms up.
Surrounded by green lawns, established trees, rose gardens and the lake’s resident ducks (yes, actual ducks), Rymill Park has always had the setting for a great family day out. Now it finally has the café to match.
We’ll see you by the water.
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