Pack your Sensodyne. We're off to Blighty for our next feast. The kids are cashed up and we've…read morebeen handed the keys to the Tuck Shop aka Treats from Home. Antacids at the ready. Here we go: Entrée: Monster Munch, Salt and Vinegar Discos, Squares Crisps, Spicy Nik-Naks, Wheat Crunchies. (NEXT!) Main Course: Paxo Stuffing, Colmans Mustard, Pot Noodle, Mushy Peas, Sandwich Spread washed down with Lilt and Vimto....(cor! ) Dessert: Blackcurrant and Liquorice, Polos, Fruit Salads, Black Jacks, Lemon Sherberts, Wispa, Double Decker, Lion Bar, Revels. (Belch!) Petit Fours: After Eight Mints (Groan...). If you were born in the Mother Land and have sugar issues, this is your place. Either show discipline and turn up with $10 in coins and pretend you're enjoying a slightly inflated re-inaction of your visit to the corner shop as a kid OR take the credit card and buy a three figured amount of calorific nostalgia and promise yourself you won't eat it all in a week. If you're a fish crisp connoisseur then this is the place for you: Walkers Prawn Cocktail, Skips or Scampi Fries (which actually smell like Gents toilets but taste great!). You can buy online too!

THIS PLACE HAS MOVED!!!! It is now located at Level 1, Piccadilly Arcade, 210 Pitt Street Sydney…read more Setting foot inside this place is like the fabric of space and time have folded and you have been transported home to any local shop in the UK or Ireland. Screw your markets and bazaars with their aromas of herbs and spices, nothing awakens the senses like the playful crinkle of a monster munch packet or the shine in your eye when the sun catches off the packaging of a Capri Sun (The only place I have found in Australia that stocks them FYI). Expect a friendly greeting from the Welsh lady who's on the counter and get lost in the selection of stuff you'd forgotten you'd missed. Apart from Taste Ireland, which I have also reviewed there is nowhere that I have come across that has as much selection as these guys. While it is mostly sweets and confectionery there is a huge selection of grocery items available too. You name it they pretty much have it. from washing up liquids, to powders, sauces, stuffing, cordials, soft drinks and football merchandise as well. The selection is absolutely massive. if you're missing home and some of your favorite grub pop in and see these guys. It'll be money and time well spent. If you can't make it into the city, they do online ordering too.

A quality butcher in Balmain. For quality mince to make spaghetti bolognese I always come here; or…read moreeven for those mince patties. High quality meat, it must be organic, and the great news it is - better for you as well. Just way too fresh and why bother with the overpriced processed meat at the supermarkets. It is so worth paying extra here for better quality and more filling meat with personalised and pretty good service; well the latter has ben the case every time I have come to this establishment. Also I am not much of a bacon person; in fact I really despise bacon or any pig related meat; yet when I was at a friends house for brunch one Sunday morning I decided to give the bacon a go as it smelt so fresh as it was being cooked. Tried it; divine and I had to ask this particular friend of mine where she brought the bacon from, and she told me it was from TJ's here on Darling Street. It was like wow. The only butcher where I will literally "bring home the bacon" from while I was living in Sydney, and on those occasions when I come back to Sydney to visit and stay at the family home in nearby Rozelle.

With the decline of traditional butcher shops, and the rise of meat in supermarkets, butchers have…read morehad to compete hard. The strategy at TJs is to aim for quality. So the meat you get here is top notch, organic, extremely good. And yes, it is incredibly expensive. The butchers are really friendly. One of them, Darryl, has known me since I was a baby. He remembers my name, and always asks about my family when I come in. Here's to hoping that TJ's won't get squeezed out by big chains.

Some girls go overboard in a shoe shop or a clothes shop or a make up shop (bit of a gender…read morestereotypical opening there...sorry), the one place I consistently go overboard is Glenmore Meats. This is my go to for consistently good, well-priced meat. The beef sausages are perfect for a BBQ when you need to feed every acquaintance you have. Far better than Coles budget sausages. The many flavours of chicken and lamb skewers are great too. Glenmore has most cuts of meat you are looking for and if they don't, just ring the bell and ask the wizened old butcher who will fix you right up. If you're feeding a huge crowd, order ahead and in bulk for good discounts. If you're cooking for a good cause let them know and they'll help you out on the price. I haven't found the trick to getting out of here under $70 but since I have moved further away, I guess I need to make the trip worth my while.

Big building, small shop. These guys do meat. BIG trays of meat. If you buy in bulk, you can get…read moresome good discounts (good if you're planning a big BBQ). The place is not terribly fashionable, it doesn't try to seem too "gourmet", and all the better for it. You can get a wide variety of cuts, from the pre-done stuff, to placing your own requests over the counter. So if you're scouring a Stephanie Alexander cookbook and she tells you to get that special, traditional cut of lamb or beef, Glenmore will likely be able to help. I guess I'm only giving Glenmore 3 stars because a big meaty meat shop doesn't excite me that much, and I wasn't that impressed with the quality. It's good, but not mind-boggling.

Oh my. OH MY!! I have a piece of La Cour Patisserie's gluten free brownie in my mouth as I type and…read moreit is the best god dam brownie I ever did taste. I was at Kirribilli markets today and my sister bought it for me. The owner and mastermind behind La Cour Patisserie, Natalie Moffat, had a pretty wee stall there and was telling me she is about to launch the gluten free chocolate brownie cake baking kit soon. She already has a double layer chocolate cake baking kit plus a few others but as yet no gluten free. You can buy the actual brownie from her of course. Real dark chocolate chunks, perfect consistency - dense and moist in the middle and a little crisp on the outside. Even the London Borough Market organic brownie pyramids don't beat the flavour of this ultimate indulgent sweet. Natalie uses dark couverture chocolate, 22-24% Dutch cocoa and crushed fresh vanilla beans for her chocolate recipes. They have no added artificial colouring and preservatives which is a bonus and of course for wheat intolerant lasses like me the gluten free brownie is... gluten free ;) Oh my, OH MY! ... sorry... just had another bite. Check Natalie's stall and website out. The taste sensation will blow your mind. Note: the markets are on the 4th Saturday of the month.

So there are many places in the city that let you make your own salad. And so what makes Stock…read moreMarket stick out is the serving size. When you ask for tomatoes, you won't just get a small piece of tomato, but they will actually put enough tomatoes. If you go in non-peak time, they will actually ask you if they have put enough. Saying that, this place is generally busy during lunch times. So you might either wait, or get there early or late. Also, I come here not just for the salad, but for the soup. The best chicken soup that I've had in the city (that wasn't so high in fat that I feel like I am eating a cheese burger). However, the goulash soup is not that good - I tried it thinking that I would branch out, and that backfired. I should have stuck to the chicken soup.

Simply put, the best salad bar in town. I love going here. The only downside is that everyone loves…read moregoing here so the line is always long.

Sometimes you'll find unexpected good things when you explore Paddy's Market…read more Yup, this great selection of herb and spices also offering wide range of tea. Can find premix seasoning for your cooking need, like Italian seasoning, Moroccan seasoning, BBQ meat seasoning, etc. If you fancy to make your on za'atar spice, you can the ingredients here.

Ordered a chocolate milkshake. Ended up being a cup of cold chocolate milk. Asked the lady we…read moreorder from who said it's 3 scoops of ice cream blended.... Must have been tiny scoops. Place wasn't very clean and booths were all ripped up. Obviously the owners and employees don't care about the place. Don't bother going here.

This was our last day in Sydney and we wanted some hot chocolate! We ran into Max Brenner…read morechocolate shop and the classic hot chocolate was amazingly yummmmay! It's located in the Westfield mall downtown Sydney.

This is a spice store inside the Strand Arcade . It has…read moremany containers of seasoning and spices of unique flavors . There are tea towels of beautiful patterns and designs , as well as parfait spoon satin and serving tongs . My friend bought a set of spices in a wooden box. I got a paid of Lemon stud earrings 18K Gold plated . A interesting store to look at.

New kid in The Strand Arcade, this spice shop has the most amazing array of herbs and spices and…read moreassorted accoutrement for the kitchen. Spice mixes, teas, dried herbs and seasonings I have seldom seen, including dried ancho chilies, practically impossible to source in Sydney. The layout is bright and attractive, the range of kitchen bits appealing and well selected, staff knowledgable and friendly. Some of the spice mixes ready to use look awesome, meat runs and mixes to add to all types of cooking. Bound to be a regular here. Smells awesome!!

A Hidden gem in the depths of Martin place in the CBD of Sydney is the GPO cheese room. Enter via…read morethe old post office building, head down the stairs and you will find your cheese wonderland. Once inside the cheese room, to the left is a cheese counter and the rest of the room is filled with bottles of wine. This could be considered heaven for some and probably is. There is a nicely set dining room to the right, where you can enjoy your selections in sophisticated comfort. The staff are very attentive, filling your water glass and providing great service. The GPO cheese room has a large selection of wine from many regions around the world, much like their cheese offerings. We browsed the menu trying to decide what to order, a difficult task considering everything they have to offer. Do we pick a couple of different types of cheese, burgers, antipasto, a cheese and wine flight or a main? Nope, we spot that they have fondue on the menu, something you do not come across too often in Sydney. This is something that appeals to my Swiss roots. We select a nice glass of pinot and sip away, in anticipation for the brie coulommiers and truffle fondue to arrive. The fondue hits the table, the flame is lit and the cheese melts, turning into a bowl of liquid goodness. The fondue set was very impressive, consisting of a large platter containing a selection of cured meat, potatoes, bread, crackers, pickled figs and grilled garlic prawns. The fondue forks were kept busy as we were selecting items to pass through that decadent mix of cheese and truffle, transforming each item into a mass flavour infusion. At $56 between two, it is great value. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the GPO cheese room, set up in the historic post office building at the bottom of Martin Place. With a great selection of cheese and wine at a good price, this place is now on our radar and one we recomnend you add to your list.

Do you like cheese? Do you LOVE cheese? (are you the weird person who doesn't like cheese but likes…read moreyour friends who like cheese?) Then the GPO cheese and wine room is for YOU! There are a range of options to get your cheese fix including a cheese fondu for two ($49), Mac and cheese (16$) and cheese boards. The friendly and knowledgable staff will keenly pair a beautiful wine for you choice of cheese. The restaurant is intimate with low lighting and a sneaky corridor for a quiet date night or a lovely night with friends! I haven't needed a reservation here but if you are planning to come it wouldn't be worth missing out on. cheese cheese yes please!