This isn't the closest fruit and veg shop to my house so I don't come here unless I happen to be on…read moreSydney Road and it happens to be a convenient time to do some vegetable shopping. The first few times I came here I thought they were rather pricey compared to my local fresh produce shop, but a recent visit has led me to change my mind. La Manna had lots of good deals going, and I managed to find tarragon there, which I hadn't found in other stores in the neighbourhood. I don't know if I just never get the nice, smiley staff member at the cash register, or if none of them smile or make an attempt to be friendly, but that's just how it goes in La Manna. It would be nice if they were nicer to me, but if it were that easy for everyone to be nicer to each other, there would probably be less fighting in the world. How on earth did I go from fruit and veg to more peace and love in the world please? I think it's time for afternoon tea break.

Last Sunday my partner and I did something we've never done before... we awoke before 9am. But more…read moreimportantly, we got our butts out of the house and decided to stock up our fridge for the week (and stock it healthy.) La Manna is just a short walk away and is an absolutely gem of a local grocer. Piles of fresh fruits, veggies, flowers and all that other healthy stuff that you look at in the supermarket but always walk right past. You know the ones - quinoa, freekah, sunflower seeds and anything green... We stocked our basket sky high with enough veggies to feed a small family and smugly strutted out on to Sydney Road - proud smile on our face for all that we had achieved before 10am on a Sunday - and all for just a few clams! A highly recommended destination when you want the best and freshest veggies without the hefty price that can often come along with them.

Oh sweet cheeses. So many beautiful bundles of cheese joy…read more Harper & Blohm have really cornered the niche cheese eating market, in this delightful slice of heaven. Located at the front of the Prince Wine store this is a match made in foodie heaven. The lovely ladies here have an impressive knowledge of all things cheese. And things to accompany all the cheese you have just purchased. Such as crackers, olives, pickled stuff. I'm always super cheeses impressed when someone can sell me a blue cheese based on my limited knowledge of what another prefers. With minimal assistance and some vague words the ladies pulled out a suitably blue cheesey cheese to suit the recipient and the bottle of wine for that evening. Once you've spoken to Olivia or her staff you understand and appreciate their love of cheese. Each piece is cut using and appropriate tool. Think wire, knives, guillotine. If you are unsure of your own cheese infused desired the ladies here will serve you up teeny tiny tastes and guide you through each individual cheese.

Beautifully little Suburban spot for picking up some delicious cheese! We dropped by here on a…read morerainy Friday night, then stopped next door for a bottle of wine, and BAM, our evening in front of the fireplace was sorted. Lovely, friendly service. They will be more than happy to give you some little tastings and make some suggestions from their lovely little collection of cheese. Check it if you're in the area!

From the first glance around the shelves it's clear that Brunswick IGA is as independent a…read moresupermarket as they come. The tell-tale signs are all there; the comparatively cramped space the store inhabits, the slightly nonsensical layout of the isles and displays (with some exceptions; putting a huge tampon display next to the chocolate isle may not be as illogical as it first appears), the surplus of markdown stickers overtaking the shelves. The latter feature is one of Brunswick IGA's greatest assets, which boasts more specials each week than your pocket calculator could ever dare to comprehend in a quick trip to the shops. Indeed, the prices on the whole tend toward the lower end of the scale when compared to most other independent grocery stores, with a few items managing to compete with the giants of the industry. That said, there are cheaper places in the neighbourhood to purchase fruit and vegetables, but the quality is generally decent enough. The bottle shop is small but moderately priced, albeit located on the opposite side of the store to the car park. License restrictions also require that all alcohol be purchased from the counter on that side of the store, which can be slow during peak times. If you hit the store at the wrong time, the checkouts might be clogged with elderly folk insistent on paying in loose change. Still, the staff are mostly fairly efficient, despite the odd sour demeanour (though this phenomenon is hardly unique to this store). The store also boasts a fairly decent range of obscure and specialty food items catering to the multicultural nature of the area, from Greek through to Lebanese goods. My personal victory find was Harissa paste. One of the main downsides to is the early closing time of 9pm, which is occasionally ushered in a little earlier. On the other hand, it tends to open on most public holidays. On the whole, a Brunswick IGA is a convenient and reliable grocery store (though it couldn't hurt to double check expiry dates).

Not too shabby a supermarket. You have to be careful about the sale items, because I noticed a lot…read moreof expired or near-expired items in the dairy section, but otherwise it's got a good selection and decent enough prices. I wouldn't buy everything here since there's so many good markets nearby, but it's great for the basics.

I had no idea what to idea what to expect when I first walked in here some years ago. I most…read morecertainly wasn't expecting such a cavernous space filled with so many shops selling all manner of edible delights. The stalls in Brunswick Market really capture the multi-cultural essence of Sydney Road, and the variety here is impressive. Within this huge building you'll find halal butchers, a mini supermarket, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, aromatic spices, exotic sounds from far and away, and vibrant fabrics. It's rather an exciting place to accidentally stumble into so get stumbling.

Don't expect anything too smart..it's pretty down at heel and not exactly bustling but there's…read moresome really good and inexpensive food to be found here. My favourite is the Italian butcher right down the end, if you're an offal fan he usually has a good selection and his pork is always good...and I reckon he has the best sausages in Melbourne. There's also a large fruit and veg shop which has good quality produce and is also well priced and the fish shop is also worth checking out.

I rode past this shop many times thinking that they only sold frozen seafood, but it wasn't till I…read morewalked past that I noticed they also stock Asian groceries, and that much of the seafood comes in the form of frozen prawn dumplings and other delicious dim sum. Naturally, once I got clued up, I had to go in. It's a long, narrow shop lined with mid-height freezers full of large packets of prawns, scallops, mussels, fish, cockles and lots more seafood from various Asian countries. A sizeable portion of the freezer area is dedicated to dim sum and seafood variants like fish balls and fish cakes. They also stock non-frozen goods like noodles, chili and cooking sauces, cooking oil, preserved eggs, and cakes and buns. In a way, it's much like other Asian grocery stores but the emphasis here is on frozen seafood and fingerfood. I'm happy to welcome as many Asian grocery stores into the neighbourhood as possible, and it is even better when they have their own angle, like King's frozen offerings.

So frenchy, so chic, so many delicious little pieces of French goodness…read more Fantastic selection of cheeses, pate, pork pies, French sausages and a whole range of other French delicacies that I can neither spell nor pronounce. The staff here are delightful and helpful. Rather unParisian. You can buy a little or a lot here and they are happy to slice it dice and wrap it up to go. Price wise they are reasonable. Not the cheapest in the market cheese wise but certainly the best quality pate.

My favourite cheese shop. They specialise in French cheese, though they do stock other European…read morecheeses...don't think they sell Australian cheese, though I could be wrong. The woman who runs it is friendly, loves her cheese and always happy to provide a taste before you buy! They have some good specials as well. I love food shops like this that really knowledgable and enthusiastic about their produce. They also sell other deli stuff but it's the cheese (and service) that makes it so special!

Hands down the best Cheese shop in Brunswick. Scrap that Melbourne…read more Ive been to may other cheese shops in the Area and this one stands out like a true gem. The knowledge and service is what i yearn and its always been provided. Usually get myself a nice piece of raw goats milk alongside some Spanish Jamon. Sit out in the sun with a nice glass of white (provided from next door) and enjoy. This little shop just off Sydney Road is the one you need to go to ASAP!

From the owner: European style fromagerie in Brunswick - Shop Online, delivery Australia wide - Specialising in…read moreFarmhouse Artisan cheeses. Sydney market stalls

I love the Fruit Pedallers. It is a little bit like a little rabbit warren with lots of nooks and…read morecrannies to find yummy tidbits of organic produce. It can be hard to find exactly what you need if you are after something specific, as the shop is not laid out in a methodical manner, but for me this makes the shopping experience all the more enjoyable. Sometimes I think the staff at the Fruit Pedallers must think I'm a little fruity myself, when I spend hours browsing the shop only to come up to the counter with a bottle of milk and a cucumber, for example. Up until recently their fresh fruit and veg have been very very expensive. But with a recent change to their buying strategy, they have dropped prices significantly. Yay! Now we can all eat more organic food. Who knows I may even come up to the counter with a cucumber and a head of brocolli. They also have naturopaths on staff - where you can get some free advice (as long as you buy their awful tasting herbal mixtures of course) on your lingering cold etc.

The Fruit Pedallers is a ditty little health food shop on Westgarth's High Street selling all…read moremanner of organic whole foods alongside natural therapies such as naturopathy, homeopathy, massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, kinesiology, art therapy, acupuncture and more besides. In foodie slash health conscious Melbourne, where organic food stores are ostensibly a dime a dozen, The Fruit Pedallers is notable for its friendliness and excellent range of herbs and vitamins alongside fresh organic fruit and vegetables and a ruddy good selection of organic and fair trade chocolate. Its staff are helpful and extremely knowledgeable and although The Fruit Pedallers can be a little dearer than its competitors, this little Westgarth health food haunt is a local favourite, and with good reason. The Fruit Pedallers is a particularly good health food store to visit if you're in the market for vitamins or supplements and don't quite know what you're looking for. Excellent all round.

Eat here, and you will never need to eat again. There is that much food and it is that delicious…read more The incredible lady behind Moroccan Soup Bar has taken over the old nut shop in Brunswick East and transformed it in to an incredible Moroccan Deli AKA your next lunch destination. Now, it can be a little confusing for a newbie so let me help you out. Upon entry, head straight to the back and ask for a plate with the lot. The staff will ask you about your dietary requirements or if there's anything you don't like and then they work their magic. Expect a giant plate of salad, haloumi, falafel, rice, tabouli and all sorts of other deliciousness that will keep you full until next Saturday. Their food is so flavoursome that their are frequent "Oh God, this is so good" heard mumbled between mouthfuls. In the words of Molly Meldrum, do yourself a favour and get there ASAP.

Morocco is one of my favourite places in the world. From the sands of the Sahara, to the snowy…read morepeaks of the Atlas Mountains, through to the waves on the Atlantic coast, it's a mysterious, fascinating and rewarding destination. Moroccan Deli-cacy similar to its name sake has a slightly chaotic vibrancy, with relaxed friendly service. The cafe used to be an old nut shop and alongside tagines there are spices and raw ingredients for sale. There is a spoken menu and dishes are constantly changing. I ordered the second of the two options offered (the other was a tagine with cous cous), going with the mixed plate. My coffee was short, black and delicious, it even arrived with a sweet on the side. The food was amazing! Bread with zaatar, hummus, garden salad, pickled vegetables, fried haloumi, falafel. It tasted home made with love .. like you'd been lucky enough to be invited into someone's home and their Aunt and Grandma were cooking. Exotic, colourful, fresh, vibrant .. I used the chips to scoop up the cous cous. Just like a visit to Marrakech this cafe is unexpected and wonderful, it will leave you wanting to return .. a real neighbourhood gem. Newspapers - no Music - low and trance like. Space is not quiet given there's plenty of people plus lots of hard surfaces but you can still chat easily.