South Australia is known for its many culinary delights. Balfours’ Frog Cake, FruChocs (apricot pieces covered in chocolate), Coopers beer, Farmer’s Union Ice Coffee and Haigh’s chocolate are just some of the iconic creations the City of Churches proclaims as its own. But none are quite as divisive as the humble pie floater.
To many, the idea of a chunky meat pie—another Australian favourite that seems to puzzle many overseas visitors—placed in a bowl of vibrant green pea soup is vomit-inducing. But for those who grew up in SA, the aptly named pie floater is a treasured delicacy. Even the National Trust of Australia agrees, recognising the pie floater as a ‘South Australian Heritage Icon’ in 2003.
Also Read: The History of the Granny Smith Apple
But if you’re unfamiliar with this tasty dish and want to know more, read on and discover the history of the pie floater and why South Australians swear by it.
What is a Pie Floater?
As mentioned above, the pie floater is essentially a meat pie in pea soup. It sounds nasty but believe me, this unusual flavour combination goes together as well as cheese and Vegemite, another Aussie classic.
It’s also pretty easy to make at home. All you need is a beef pie (although you can substitute another type of pie if you so desire), preferably with flaky, golden pastry, and a bowl of mushy green peas, although pea soup will do, as long as it’s a thick consistency.
Place the pie upside down in the green peas, and as is the Australian tradition, spurt a little tomato sauce on top. This complements the saltiness and gives the dish a slight tang. As well as tomato sauce, some splash a little vinegar on their pie, but that is optional.
The union of meat pie, pea soup and tomato sauce creates a unique flavour and texture you’ve likely never experienced. Sure, it looks like a dog’s breakfast, but the pie floater is a tasty morsel that everybody should try at least once in their life.
When it comes to eating a pie floater, you can dispense with your standard knife and fork. Originally served out of mobile pie carts on the streets of Adelaide, the dish was served in throwaway fast-food containers, with a spoon or spork provided as the utensil of choice to dig into the mushy concoction. Wash it down with a Coopers Pale Ale, another SA delight, for the ultimate South Australian meal for one.
The Origin of the Pie Floater
Nobody is 100% sure who came up with the pie floater, but since appearing as a mainstay on Adelaide pie cart menus in the late 1880s, two men have been credited with its creation: James Gibbs and Ern ‘Shorty’ Bradley.
Scottish pastry cook Gibbs was a former brewery worker who emigrated to Adelaide in the 1880s and set up one of the state’s first pie carts on the corner of King William and Rundle Streets.
One of his big sellers was something he named the pie floater, an Australian take on the traditional British ‘pea and pie’ supper, which was a meat pie with a serving of mushy English Blue Boiler peas. It didn’t take long for the dish to become a hit, with more pie carts soon popping up across Adelaide serving the delicious floater.
The other man, Port Pirie baker Bradley, began selling pie floaters around the same time as Gibbs, with many believing he was the first to come up with the idea. While there is contention surrounding who originally came up with the concoction, we do know Bradley was the first to advertise the pie floater.
The first official record of the dish came about on May 16, 1914, via an advertisement in the Port Pirie Recorder. The small ad was for Bradley’s Coffee Stall, where he invited people to pop into his shop after the pictures and indulge in “hot pies and pasties, hot saveloys, rolls and floaters.”
Cheap and easy to make, the pie floater soon became a favourite of city workers and those craving a feed on the way home from the pub.
The Pie Cart Phenomenon
At the peak, there were 13 horse-drawn pie carts in Adelaide, parked up in high-traffic areas and open late into the night, catering to those after a meal on the go.
By 1915 there were just nine left, and then by the 1930s most had shut up shop due to the Adelaide City Council refusing to re-issue licenses. Only two remained by 1958—Balfours’ famous pie cart on North Terrace outside of the railway station and Cowley’s in Victoria Square near the General Post Office.
The Balfours pie cart was almost as famous as the floater itself. Walk past on a Friday or Saturday night around midnight and you’d encounter a mob of drunken revellers smashing their way through a pie floater while waiting for a taxi to take them home.
Sadly, the Balfours pie cart closed in 2007 due to the Glenelg tram line being extended past the railway station, meaning there was no longer any room for the cart. Cowley’s followed suit a few years later in 2010, leaving Adelaide without a pie cart for the first time in over 100 years.
End of an Era
The demise of the pie cart also led to pie floaters fading from menus across the state. What was once the go-to snack after a big night out became a distant memory, with anyone born after the year 2000 most likely having no clue what a floater is.
The advent of ‘foodie culture’ also hasn’t helped, with the new generation of food lovers preferring a burger and chips over a pie in pea soup. But there are still some folks serving floaters and keeping the tradition alive in South Australia.
Where to Find the Best Pie Floaters in SA
They might not be in ample supply these days, but there are still several bakeries and establishments serving up the iconic pie floater. If you happen to be in South Australia and craving one, these are the best places to go.
Café De Vili’s
South Australia’s famous Vili’s Family Bakery serves pie floaters at their chain of cafes. There are four locations—Mile End (the original), Elizabeth, Blair Athol and Hillcrest—across the state and for an extra $1, you can change your beef pie to a flavoured one or swap the pie out altogether for a quiche or Vili dog. Mind-blowing.
The Mile End Hotel
This upmarket take on the standard pie floater from the folks at the Mile End Hotel features a lamb shank pie with mash, red wine jus and peas. It sounds pretentious but is actually quite tasty and adds a new dimension to the dish. The lack of tomato sauce is disappointing, but you can grab a bottle from the bar and sort that problem quick smart.
Bakery on O’Connell
An Adelaide institute, Bakery on O’Connell is an award-winning bakery open 24 hours, seven days a week. They proclaim themselves as the “home of the pie floater”, and if their floater tastes as good as it looks, then you’re in for a treat.
Enjoy Café Bakery
South Australians have a thing for 24-hour bakeries. Enjoy Café Bakery in Norwood is another establishment that never closes and has a pie floater on the menu. They often serve the floater with the pie the right way up if that impacts your decision on whether to order one.
