By way of Australia, a new owner for Burlington's Cafe Gallery

An investor from Australia, who co-owns a vineyard Down Under and three restaurants outside London, is now turning his attention to a restaurant district anticipated to take root in Burlington City.

Adrian Thomas, who currently lives on a farm in New Hope, Pa., purchased the iconic Cafe Gallery in Burlington for $750,000 late last month. The price includes a liquor license, he said last week during an interview inside the 35-year-old restaurant on the Delaware River.

The French restaurant closed nearly a year ago, striking fear in local officials who were in the midst of making ambitious plans to revitalize the city.

Thomas said his partner, who lives with him and wishes to keep a low profile, went in on the venture.

Last week, the two also purchased a closed drive-through bank that they intend to turn into a coffee shop for commuters, as it is located directly behind a light rail station on Broad Street. They also are eyeing three to five other empty buildings in the city to convert into restaurants.

"Obviously we were concerned when the landmark Cafe Gallery closed," said City Administrator Dave Ballard. He said he was heartened to see the new investors take an interest in that property and others and "get really involved in the community."

How did Thomas discover the struggling, once industrial town, which sits in the shadow of the Burlington-Bristol Bridge?

A former cardiologist and clinical pharmacologist who graduated from the University of Melbourne in Australia, Thomas, 49, said he moved to the United States a dozen years ago and now is an executive in a health-care firm. He and two friends from college, who were science researchers, opened the Lethbridge vineyard 20 years ago and specialize in organic wines, including shiraz and rieslings. He said it produces several popular five-star wines.

Later, after he opened three restaurants outside London, where he had lived for years, he said he began looking to invest in an area with potential that was closer to where he now resides.

"I visited here with some friends last October and fell in love with the town," he said. Restaurateurs with the Asbury Park-based Smith Group, which began buying properties in Burlington last year, had invited Thomas to take a look. He had invested in a few of the Smith Group's restaurants in Asbury Park years ago.

"I saw the architecture and history here, and when I heard this property was on the market I thought I'd like to invest here and be part of Burlington's revival," Thomas said.

The Smith Group, which is expanding its brand into Jersey City and elsewhere, is moving ahead with plans to open a gourmet pizza establishment and an upscale tavern inside the closed Endeavor fire hall in Burlington. Settlement on that property is set for this month.

The city dates to colonial times, and there are stories that Ben Franklin and other patriots briefly stayed there.

Thomas said he was pleased to learn that at one time, rickshaws were manufactured in Burlington and sold in Asia.

"I travel a lot and have lived in a lot of different places," Thomas said, mentioning Asia, Greece, Vienna, England, Lebanon, and Queensland as his former homes. "Burlington City called to me." He said he got the sense the place has some global connections.

Thomas' vision for the restaurant is to turn it into a casual eatery with an eclectic menu featuring "fresh, artisanal, organic foods, sustainably sourced" from local farms. He plans to offer fine wines and freshly roasted coffees brewed from beans purchased from collectives. He rattles off potential offerings of grilled octopus, pork belly, raw mussels, heirloom chicken, and roasted vegetables.

"Food needs to have a strong point of view," he said, and should change with the seasons. "It's about flavors but it won't be overly fussy."

The new restaurant, he said, will be called Riverview and will be managed by Burlington Trading Co., a group he created. A chef will be hired. Renovations will create a more rustic, casual atmosphere, and will include hardwood floors, light-hued walls, and new lighting. He expects the downstairs to seat about 100 diners, while the upstairs initially will be reserved for private events and will also have a capacity of 100 people.

City Council President David Babula said he is happy the closed restaurant was finally purchased and will reopen. "It's a beautiful restaurant right there on the river. It's attracted diners and tourists alike to the town," he said. "I'm excited the new group saw its potential and got the feel of the vision we're creating."

Thomas said Burlington's stretch of the river also made an impression on him. "I used to row, racing boats, and it reminds me of the Yarra River in Melbourne," he said. "It's historical, and it's wide, and relatively calm, and attractive."

Thomas expects Riverview will be ready to open in the spring.