Luigi’s, Fulham
Luigi’s is a Fulham Road institution, its jolly red façade inviting lovers of Italian deli food in since 1973. Homely and lively, it’s like walking into the busy kitchen of a bustling foodie family – except that you can take all the lovely cheeses and olive oils you so desire home with you. Alternatively, just pop in for lunch and emerge with a delicious helping of fresh pasta to devour in one of the area’s lovely garden squares. At Christmas, the shop is festooned with panettone which hang from the ceiling, making it an experience of pure magic for Italophiles and foodies alike. Shop Luigi’s online.
Hack & Veldt, Chiswick
Inspired by French grocery stores, Hack & Veldt opened its lovely doors in Chiswick back in 2012, the guiding principle to sell only that which they loved themselves. We approve heartily of the fact that you can sit in to have one of the excellent Monmouth coffees or even a craft ale or a glass of natural wine. To leave without one of its superior pastries would, however, be a criminal waste of a visit. There is no online shop, but that just means you’ll have to go in person. Discover more here.
Panzer’s Deli, St John’s Wood
Few delis are regarded with such reverence as Panzer’s, which was first established in 1944 and whose opening marked the first Jewish delicatessen in the capital. If you are in the area, there is no better place to pick up a hot lunch on-the-go, although if you leave without your arms weighted down by bunches of flowers from the florist and greater quantities of cheese and charcuterie than you can honestly consume, then you’re made of sterner stuff than us. Do try one – or several – of the huge varieties of bagels it makes at its bakery. And make space for some Scottish smoked salmon for which it is renowned, and which is hand-sliced to customer specifications. If you’re hosting an event, it’s worth noting that they cater too. Shop Panzer’s online.
Italo Deli, Vauxhall
Cosiness and hipness are not typically easy bedfellows. And yet Italo pulls off the marriage with panache. It is almost impossible to walk by without one’s feet crossing its threshold just to check what’s on the lunch menu that day. Its abundant charm comes down to the fact that there is nothing ersatz nor contrived about this place. If it conveys a feeling of a proper community, that’s because there is one. As the website explains, ‘The shop is in the heart of historic Bonnington Square, one of the longest surviving experiments in urban living in Europe. Many of the young idealists who squatted the neighbourhood in the late 1970s and 1980s still live here, and are often to be found hanging around, and shooting the breeze.’ Come for the coffee, the chat and the exceptional lunches; linger for one of its regular supper clubs which, when balmy, are held at long tables on the pavement outside. If you chanced to walk past one of these affairs in action, an instant longing to join in would grip all but the hardest of hearts. There is no online shop, but you can discover more here.
The De Beauvoir Deli, Hackney
Chequered floors, a vibrant cobalt frontage and a super cool crowd, the De Beauvoir is more than simply a deli: it is a hip hangout for its loyal clientele. All the classics are here, from sausage rolls to BLTs, but there is also a good alternative offering too, including a St Ewes egg miso mayo sandwich or another featuring cauliflower, muhammara, sauerkraut, shallot and rocket. So popular is it that it even has its own small line of products, including enamel picnic-wear which we are now harbouring a predictably deep longing to own. Shop De Beauvior online.
Dugard & Daughters, Herne Hill & Earlsfield
You know you’re doing something right when Jay Rayner is one of your regulars. Dugard & Daughters isn’t showy, but it is big on substance: having opened in 2013, it stocks ‘all free range and rare breed meats alongside a hand-picked range of specialist and artisan products with which to stock your larder.’ And how refreshing, for a change, to see a family business proclaiming its perpetuation by daughters, rather than sons. Shop Dugard & Daughters online.
Il Sovrano, Tulse Hill and West Dulwich
Meghan and Bruno have worked in hospitality for their whole lives. They say that they never intended to run an Italian deli and yet, somehow, all roads led them there, and now the duo has two shops: one in Tulse Hill and the other in West Dulwich. They say, ‘All our fondest memories involve good food, good wine and good people so playing even a small role in your memories is an honour. We want to start your day with a great coffee and tempt you with a treat. Then we want you to be dazzled by our focaccia sandwiches at lunch. And finally, we want you to come in at the end of the day and find everything you need for a glorious dinner.’ Best of all they even have a small farm in Calabria; there will always, then, be home-grown products winging their way to the good denizens of south London. You can’t shop online but you can read the blog and find out more here.
Prezzemolo e Vitale, Chelsea & Borough
For anyone who has ever gloried in the food on holiday in Sicily and later pined to recreate it at home, Prezzemolo e Vitale’s two branches help to inch that dream closer to reality. The products, from great hunks of parmesan to truffles to the best extra virgin oils in town, make our mouths water just to think of them. Beautifully presented, much of it comes at hefty prices – but, still, it’s cheaper than a holiday to that dazzling island. Shop Prezzemolo e Vitale online.
Taj Stores, Shoreditch
Delis have no requirement to be all about Italian – or indeed Mediterranean – food. Taj Stores, founded in 1936 in Shoreditch, underlines this salient point, offering spices and products that cross countries and continents, from the Caribbean to India to China and Japan. Expect to discover otherwise hard-to-find fruit and veg – plus a whole world of foodie joy. Shop Taj Stores online.
Get Out Of Town: Our Top 3 Out-Of-London Delis
Branca
Since its opening almost two decades ago, Branca has become a Jericho favourite, its hearty Mediterranean and Middle Eastern salads selling out fast each day. A temple to flavour – think smoky aubergine and yogurt, or beautifully executed Panzanella – the focaccia is exceptional and made on-site. At weekends, it becomes a restaurant, although the deli is always open. If you catch a balmy day here, repair to the garden which is one of the loveliest spots in Oxford. You can’t shop online but you can find out more here.
Valvona & Crolla, Edinburgh
Opened in 1934, the family-run Valvona & Crolla is the oldest deli in Scotland. It is also second-to-none, thanks to its beautiful store cupboard products (the Queen was a fan of its cheeses) and the exceptional, seasonal eat-in menu. Shop Valvona & Crolla online.
Weetons Food Hall, Harrogate
Between Betty’s Tearoom and Weetons Food Hall, the ever-lovely Harrogate has the foodie scene sewn up. Founded by farmers, the idea was to bring ‘the best possible local produce from across North Yorkshire to the discerning people of Harrogate and it soon became clear that our customers enjoyed not just an interest in great food, but they also loved the stylish environment, theatre of shopping, dining in the presence of true food expertise and the chance to enjoy this environment with friends.’ Amen to that. Shop Weetons Food Hall online.
By Nancy Alsop
June 2023
