I have occasionally harped on about the woeful inadequacy of Deptford High Street shops when it comes to cheese, ham and wine. We may have fresh fish and exotic vegetables galore, and the quirky groceries of Housewives Cash & Carry continue to delight, but when it comes to Mediterranean foods, it is a veritable desert!
But not any more! Ladies & gents, please join me in welcoming the Deptford Deli!
One of my readers alerted me to the presence of the deli, which apparently opened last weekend. I was quite surprised about it, having been down to Wellbeloved's butchers the very same day and not having noticed it. (They are going to have to ramp up the marketing a bit if they are going to get the passing trade!)
So I made a special trip yesterday to check it out - and I was not disappointed! As well as a cafe area where you can sit and drink coffee and eat delicious-looking cakes and muffins, there is a well-stocked fridge and shelves selling a much wider variety of food than you could imagine would fit into a shop of that size.
As well as various cold meats and salami, and a range of cheeses, the fridge also contains bowls of tasty-looking dips etc sold by weight (humous, vegan pesto and so on).
On the shelves, as well as fresh bread, are jars of Deptford Creek Honey, jams and chutneys, mincemeat (and vegetarian suet if you want to make your own), fresh bread, Nairns oatcakes and other biscuits, Rocks organic cordials, olive oils, vinegars, coffees and teas, and even boxes of clementines and tomatoes stacked up on the floor. This is only a tiny fraction of what they are selling; I urge you to go down there and check it out. There is a friendly welcome by the owners, who also run Feast Your Eyes at the Laban Centre.
The quality of the goods they are selling is of course reflected in the price, but I found it reasonable compared with the places I usually go for this kind of food - the Cheeseboard on Royal Hill and the Italian deli stall in Greenwich market, for example - and without the time and effort needed to get there.
Finally, to make my delight complete - I understand that they are intending to get a licence to sell alcohol, so good wine on the doorstep might be coming soon!
***Updated 13/1/09
I sampled the food at the weekend and am delighted to report that it lives up to all expectations. The blackboard menu suggests that it changes regularly; I had the pork and chorizo stew which was served with rice and salad, and was excellent value at just £6 for a large dish. The menu included soup, a smoked fish platter, and a vegetarian option, among others, and they also offer sandwiches made from deli-counter ingredients, and cakes of course. The coffee is also excellent quality, and very good value at £1.40 for a small cappucino.
6 comments:
Goodness me, this is 100 metres from my front door and I had no idea. I shall have to have a browse at lunchtime. Thank you Dame!
Went to have a look this morning and they were closed for the day - I hope to try it before long, it looks great! Perhaps they'll invest in some signs too, to make it less of a secret.
I may try and pop over there tomorrow - thanks for this! Glad I chanced across your blog now!
I popped into the deli for lunch today and am very pleased it say it was superb! I had a very nice homemade soup with lovely bread and butter on the side. The staff was exceptionally friendly and service excellent. And in even better news, they're planning on opening on Sundays for brunch with such fare as eggs benedict, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon and other goodies. Oh, the happiness!
Please, please do go and support this new local business!
Great report, thanks. I will link to this from Brockley Central.
I cycled down around NY time and it was closed!
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