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.

Maria's Coffee Shop and deli liquor store is a fantastic arrangement of foods and now they make…read moreItalian style fresh hot meals ion the bay Mari. Sam is a great cook and his 2 sons are enjoyable to talk with. Come in to explore fantastic range of fine wines,(Not commercial) especially Italian wines from Abruzzo. Prices are great and there are so many beers from around the world to choose from with great prices to go ! Call in on Saturdays and get entertained by Ray. He has a great desire and passion to deliver you a wine , something different for you to enjoy... Whilst checking around the shop have a short black or cappuccino at a cheap price starting from $2.00 WOW 5 stars

Oh how I love this place! Fresh coffee beans, imported beer and a helluvalotta cheese - what more…read moreis there in life? Maria's Coffee House and Deli is surprisingly large for a deli. You will find canned goods from all over the world, quirky candy you've never heard of, as well as the awesome hospitality of the mom & pop who own it (I can only assume one of them is called Maria). While I wouldn't suggest you do your weekly shop here (you certainly won't find any fresh bread, fruit or veggies) Maria's is an absolutely essential store on the Nicholson Street strip - especially if you are after something a little left-of-centre when it comes to your booze.

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.

This is one of those delis that I absolutely adore. None of those big named products happens to be…read moreon sale here. This is sort of one of those places where you visit to grab a spread for a party, or even for a small get together. The other thing is that, like a lot of places, they also do coffee and tea, and the tea they served was quite nice. It was a shame that they didn't have any loose leaf tea available for sale.

Provata is the absolute perfect add-on to a shopping village that contains Coles. They are so…read moreideally suited, you'd be forgiven for wondering why Coles hadn't yet bought them out. Provata is a delicatessen in the traditional sense of the word. Stocking your usual suspects like cheeses, dips and other moreish nibblies they also have a sensational range of 'that other ingredient in this recipe I want to try that I have no idea where to get' type stuff. Persian fairyfloss, vanilla icecream made fresh with actual vanilla beans, tomato paste with anchovies, blue corn chips... you get the idea. Whilst you'll find many other stores like it around, it's that it's perfectly placed next to an incredibly popular Coles supermarket that makes it just right.

Mother's pantry is a continental deli stocking a large variety of olives, cheeses, meats, small…read moregoods, dry goods and fresh pasta from around the globe. The shop is beautifully decorated and there are many varieties of jars of different goods and jams, biscuits and sweets. The service is magnificent, and staff are only too happy to help you out with advice. A great selection of antipasto platters; I really love the aromatic, fresh olives and the fetta cheese options. YUMM!

If you are in the northern parts, you can't go past Mothers Pantry! If it can be smoked, dried,…read morecured or pickled they will have it! They also have a great range of cheeses and other goodies to make sure that your Sunday afternoon spread is truly divine! Just be aware, they do have a fridge full of Ben and Jerry's so you might just ignore the cheese and take home a pint of Phish Food!

This great little deli has opened up just around the corner from me and I could not walk past…read morewithout a bit of a sticky beak! Sure, this place is not huge but there is a great selection of meats, salami and the like as well as a fair bit of cheese hidden down the back. They have your emergency lavazza coffee beans as well a wide range of Brasserie Bread from South Melbourne (and if you havn't been there, you must!) So next time you need an emergency picnic, try loading up here!

King & Godfree is a food paradise. As far as Melbourne delis go, this has got to be one of the…read morebest. The shelves are lined with every artisan product imaginable. If you're preparing a special meal, you'll find everything from sauces and spices to sweets and specialty items. Speaking of sweets, if you've ever wanted to eat your body weight in Nutella - these guys can make that happen. There's also a bottle shop I here, with a great range of local and imported beers and wines - even a hidden cellar past I the iron gate. Deli wise, loads of cheese and meat options to pair with your meal or picnic basket goodies. They sell Port Melbourne's amazing Pure Pies here too, which is ordinarily worth crossing the river for - but unnecessary if you stop here. Ideal for: picnic baskets, party preparing, cooking up a storm, booze hounds.

If you are into gourmet foods, great fresh produce and just plain and simple like to indulge on the…read morefiner things in life, then King & Godfree really is a treasure chest which you should delve inside. On the corner of Lygon Street and Faraday Street you cannot miss it. The store is massive as it opens up with a boatload of wine to choose from originating from countries all over the world. They also have an interesting range of different oils, biscuits, chocolates, and nuts. Think gourmet produce. One of my favourite aspects is the deli with plenty of cheeses, cured meats, and other fresh produce prime for sharing tapas style.

The food and pastries looks very appetizing from the display. Me and my friends couldn't resist not…read moretrying it out! They have the best tiramisu I've ever tasted! The strawberry tart looked beautiful but it didn't taste as good as it looked unfortunately. Good presentation and well packaged for take out. Friendly service and warm welcome as soon as you walk in!

The Lygon Food Store has been part of the furniture for fine and quality produce in Carlton since…read more1952. Besides being a deli full of cheese and meats, it also has a very pleasant cafe area outside where you can grab a coffee and a bite to eat. They offer a range of ciabatta, baguettes, bagels and bruschetta to choose from which makes it a good place for a light bite. I'd prefer a wider range of fillings as it seemed that the choices I liked always had sun-dried tomatoes in them (which I'm not a big fan of). The baguette I had was simple and did the job. I imagine it would be a very popular place for students and workers nearby to grab a snack or lunch with the food mostly around the $10 mark. Unlike the other reviewer, I found their coffee to be really good. I didn't spend too much time looking at the deli. It looked impressive but there didn't seem to be as much as you'd get in King and Godfree.

I love love love Piedimonte's IGA. Their range is great, you're supporting a local business and…read morethey give back to the community! They have heaps of options. If you want pasta, you can choose from fresh delicious pasta ... to $0.90 a packet dried pasta. Latina style ravioli to local made fresh ravioli. Their deli selection is fantastic - a lot of Australian products to choose from. But also exquisite Italian prosciutto or French cheese etc. They do their own baked goods, make coffee, sell homewares, to hot fresh chickens, specialty gelato, plenty of organic options too! Definitely worth a visit.