Ever wished for a place that would marry up the finest continental deli eats, with a boutique bottle shop offering a constantly rotating selection of small-batch produced beer, wine and spirits? A place that strikes that elusive balance between being approachable-cool and not pretentious? Well colour me happy, a group of passionate and savvy local heroes heard your cries and came to the party with Rob Roy Deli & Drinks.

Located in Tweed Heads, Rob Roy is everything we’d hoped it would be. It brings a slice of Europe to the southern GC’s/Northern NSW takeaway deli scene, showcasing only the best handpicked local and international produce and boozy beverages.

Brought to life by a line-up of local F&B gurus including Bread Social founding trio Paul Giddings, Sam Saulwick and Tom Scott, talented chef Adam Vaughan and esteemed sommelier Lyndon Ridgway-Browne, this place was always destined for great things. The gents cleverly enlisted Pep Build and DS Tile and Stone to help bring their brick and mortar vision to reality. With inviting wooden floors and cabinetry, exposed brick interior, raw surfaces and rustic old-school warmth, you’ll feel very much at home as soon as you step inside.

The beautifully presented array of deli eats will feed the eyes just as must as much as the stomach. The lads offer a sensational range of cheese and charcuterie which can be freshly cut to order, taking your platter from zero to hero. You can also bag a rich variety of flavour-elevating ingredients to propel your home cooking to unprecedented levels of yum. If you’re looking for a something to elevate your next meal, the team are creating some epic in-house garlic oils, truffle honey, salt rubs and the like.

But if a quick bite to eat while you’re out is calling your name, you can’t go past Roby Roy’s European Style Deli Sub, which is seriously shut up delish featuring fresh bread from The Bread Social (located only a couple of doors up).

Now let’s talk grog! Rob Roy’s broad range of wine has something for everyone, including great value picks for the more budget-conscious.  And kudos is due here as they love featuring small winemakers who farm responsibly and sustainably, which we think makes them the shiz.

They also stock an extensive range of beer styles, from local and imported big-time classics to the epic ever-evolving craft beers. Their range changes regularly to feature seasonal styles, new offerings, and different producers to keep us on our toes. With some interesting flavours coming out of breweries these days, it’s nice to know that at Rob Roy’s, you can pick and mix. Rather than committing to a six pack of unqiuely flavoured beer, you can buy six individual cans and get 15% off to boot! Winner winner.

Last but not least, you’ll heart their interesting mix of spirits and take-home cocktails, presented in their very own Rob Roy bottles (your drinks cart is begging for one). You can also pick up other cocktail ingredients, garnishes and accessories to whip up cocktail-bar-quality at home. They love to shake, stir, serve neat or on the rocks, and will happily pass their intel on to any aspiring home bartender. Oh and what’s their signature cocktail you ask? The Rob Roy. Naturally.

No longer will you feel like the real Scottish outlaw Rob Roy when you cross the border, instead be the hero and visit Rob Roy Deli & Drinks stat.

Where: 20 Bay St, Tweed Heads
When: Monday to Thursday 10am to 8pm. Friday and Saturday 10am to 9pm. Sunday 10am to 7pm

Words by Bianca Trathen.

Good news for Mudgeeraba-rians! In case you haven’t heard (or smelt the amazing sanga goodness wafting up Railway Street), a brand spanking new deli has opened its doors! Small by name but certainly not by taste, Junior’s Deli gives classic American food the Aussie treatment, with scrumptious made-to-order sandwiches and the best (no, better!!) house-made pickles & preserves you’ll find outside of New York City (said in our most New Yorker-esk accent for extra effect).

With a focus on takeaway but also offering indoor and outdoor seating (depending on what the weather is doing because LBH, it’s anyone’s guess right now) for up to 32 bods, it’s a very welcome addition to the 4213 postcode. Owner, Head Chef and Designer John Draper who side note; deserves big respect for mastering all three roles, is worthy of a hearty round of applause for bringing this breath of fresh and tres trendy air to the burbs. We definitely get a bit more woo-girly when we uncover this calibre of food and feels outside of the ‘usual suspect’ areas.

Paying homage to American eats but with an Australian twist, the simple colour palette hits all the right notes. The green and orange logo outside immediately grabs your attention and summonses you inside. Here, you’ll find yourself in an open, inviting, super cool space, with just the right amount of NYC subway station vibes. The clean design features a trendy, deep green subway-tiled counter with wooden top, white tiled backsplash with eye catching lines of deep green contrast, and no 2022 café/deli/restaurant is complete without polished concrete floors. Oh and lets not forget to highlight the amazing artwork from young Aussie artists hanging loud and proud on the walls #supportlocal.

Food wise, where do we start? How about the signature dish, which is the Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich with sliced rib fillet, roasted bell pepper, diced brown onion, American cheddar, provolone, and ranch dressing in a soft baguette. If you’re feeling a burger coz, well, burger, go for the Bacon Blue Cheeseburger with a beef patty, bacon, Junior’s blue cheese dressing, and pickled jalapenos on a potato bun. And let’s be real, it’s just not a burger sans fries and the Shoestring Fries at Junior’s are the duck’s you-know-what’s.

After something a little lighter? How about a Fresh Salad Sandwich with pickled red onion, alfalfa sprouts, carrot, beetroot, cos, tomato, mayo and house dressing on white or brown bread. Wash it down with a coffee supplied by Therefore Coffee which fun fact: you can also purchase in-house to brew at home. Score!

So what’s the story behind Junior’s you ask? John has worked in American cuisine for over a decade, garnering chef experience internationally as well as at home here in Oz. Like us all, he noticed the gaping hole in our noshery landscape for simple but quality sandwiches in an accessible area. So he set out to change things up and sir, job well done! Choosing a name honouring his parents (dad John, his cooking sensei and mum Jacqueline, a successful bistro owner for many years), let’s say it all together now; “awwww”.

With weekly specials and a menu updated seasonally, stop dilly-deli-ing around and get yourself down to Junior’s. It’ll be your new pickle of the bunch when it comes to breakfast and lunch eats spots.

Where: 2/51 Railway Street, Mudgeeraba
When: 6am – 2.30pm Monday – Saturday (Closed Saturday 23 & Sunday 24 July)

Words by Bianca Trathen.

They say the best things in life are free. And although this remains true for the most part, whoever came up with this sentiment must have momentarily forgotten about delicatessen-style foods. We’re talking about all those specialty goods like mouth-watering dry-cured meats, artisanally produced cheeses, and all of those delightful dips and spreads — ultimate charcuterie board goals.

When it’s time for a picnic or a lazy Sunday afternoon in the sun with wine in hand, these foods are the perfect accompaniment. But getting your hands on such fare is no easy task. You must know where to look, folks. Head to the supermarket deli counter if you must, but if you yearn for divine savours — and believe you deserve the very finest — read on as we run you through the Gold Coast’s best gourmet deli’s.

Manolas Bros Delicatessen
After a recent swoon-worthy refurbishment, Manolas Bros has only gone and cemented themselves as one of the Coast’s ultimate spots to treat your tastebuds. Not content with just being a continental style deli, you are also now spoiled with wood-fired pizzas, an extensive bar offering, and heaps of takeaway options in the form of some robust filled-to-the-brim food hampers. All we can say is specialty dishes, baked goods, and festive sweets are some of the many reasons people keep coming back to this Surfers Paradise foodie hub.
Where: Shop 3G, 14 Capri on Isle of Capri, 15/21 Via Roma, Surfers Paradise

The Standard Market Company – Southport Brickworks
Your one-stop place to fill your larder with the finest goods the Gold Coast’s CBD has to offer. Specialising in freshly baked breads, cheese, olives and imported gourmet goods, your next picnic will be elevated to lofty new heights. But this isn’t all; their very own butcher counter will tease you with expert cuts of free-range and organic meats, alongside a vast selection of handmade sausages crafted with flavourings from all around the world. Around the world in 80 snags, anyone?
Where: 107 Ferry Road, Southport

Barbosa Fine Food Deli
Cheese is life. A fair statement in anyone’s book (sorry vegans), but with cheese, one must have suitable chutneys, relishes, pickles, and crackers; luckily for Barbosa Fine Food Deli at the Kitchens in Robina Town Centre has all the above plus more. Grab yourself an organic Fairtrade coffee and discuss your next blissful charcuterie board with any of their friendly staff: they’ll help direct you through their incredible assortment of imported and Australian goods. And for those with a craving for fresh truffles, look no further, truffle season is upon us, and these guys have got you covered.
Where: The Kitchens, Robina Town Centre

Golosi Food Emporium
This hidden in plain sight place of delectable goods is Burleigh Heads’ ode to fine foods — and we suggest, if you haven’t already, to make this a regular place to stop by. Even if you’re having trouble conjuring up a list of things you might want, don’t fear. Once you step inside, the vast assortment of fare will quickly have you imagining cheese boards and snack plates from your wildest dreams. And if you plan on having yourself an easy dinner one evening, their selection of fresh pastas and divine ready prepared meals are by no means a shortcut.
Where:  3/45 James Street, Burleigh Heads

Ambarella Fine Foods
This enclave of gourmand food and drinks ensures an authentic paddock to plate experience with every visit. Whether you’re looking to stock up on farm-fresh vegetables, lusting for one of our city’s largest selections of cheese, or adamant you must have yourself only the best superbly baked European style bread, then, you’ll find all of these under the one roof here in Burleigh Waters. However, searching out the best goods is tiring — and hungry — work. We suggest you take a rest and fuel up at their café and juice bar, where fresh over-filled sandwiches/wraps and squeezed-on-the-spot juices await you.
Where: Shop 12/1 Santa Maria Court, Burleigh Waters

Quince Fromagerie Cellar
On the southern end of the Coast, the Cornerstone Stores have been a haven of boutique goods impressing locals for the last three and a half years. Integral to this space is the cutest looking wine and cheese shop, Quince Fromagerie — but don’t be fooled, this is a serious case of good things come in small packages. Friendly shop manager Rafa is on hand to lead you through the diverse selection of gourmet goods and cheeses, and if you ask nicely, he may even give you a taste of some. We’re also pleased to say wine plays a role here, and should you want to pair one of their many bottles with anything edible you purchase, go right ahead, you cultured thing, you.
Where: Shop 5/570 Gold Coast Highway, Tugun

Russian Delights
Those with family ties to Eastern Europe or Russia often know only too well how hard it can be to find foods from the old country here in Australia. One place that disrupts and challenges this status quo are the good guys at Russian Delights. This long-established business has been procuring and distributing various foods from several different cultures for over twenty years and shows no sign of slowing one bit. Specialising in smoked sausages and cured meats, they pride themselves on only stocking the very best produce made by the strictest traditional recipes and welcome customers from all varying backgrounds to come and enjoy their selection of international goods. Trust us when we say, locals who know their meats, get it from here.
Where: 1/35a Ern Harley Drive, Burleigh Heads

Words by Alex Mitcheson.