Sydney Road is a strange and busy beast. The shops are hit and miss with strange opening hours, stranger people and the desire to leave when the sun goes down if you don't have a night out in mind.
One saving grace of the shopping strip is La Manna Fresh - the grocery store with the best quality and nicest staff in miles. Not the cheapest you ever find, but you pay for the quality. There is always a table with bread and oil to sample, and the fruit and vegetable ranges cross into honey, cheeses and other deli goodies in the fridge section to the back.
Stock is replenished daily, with friendly unknown language banter between workers keeping them happy and lifting the vibe of the place. In the warmer months, I often come here for half an hour to escape the heat. Much better than a shopping centre and if you buy something accidentally it will in most cases be good for you.
For those of you looking to get some gardening done, the strawberry punnets here come here in small wooden boxes that for a small fee can be taken home and made into planter boxes. Ultimate Win! read more