If you’ve been around Fitzroy recently you may have noticed a new neighbour in the area in the form of Smith & Deli, the latest vegan friendly venture from Shannon Martinez and Mo Wyse of Smith & Daughters, housed in an old brick factory just off Brunswick Street.
Brimming with character, the pair’s passion in creating a beautifully curated plant and provisions store is evident from the moment you step into the deli. Every little corner of the space is stocked with something ready for customers to take home – from a range of traditional Jewish deli foods, salads to pre-cooked meals and pastas. And yes, they do coffee too.
Paying homage to some (horror) film classics, you’ll find some cheeky menu inspirations in the form of the ‘Eggs-orcist‘ (egg salad sandwich) and one of their signature items, the ‘Reubenstein‘ (reuben sandwich).
Visiting Smith & Deli reminded me of how much I loved the Lower East Side in NYC, the positive energy that emanates from the space is infectious and it might be a bit early to say, but the deli certainly ticks all the boxes for simply being the place I could visit on a day-to-day basis and trust that it delivers delicious, wholesome food to take home.
The food
The apple pie
Some goodies from our ‘Lunch Box’
The ‘Reubenstein’ – Pastrami, Sauerkraut, Pickles and Russian Dressing on Rye($15)
Now, I don’t often review sandwiches but the Reuben here was amazing. Flavoursome, moist and yes, completely vegan. The Pastrami is also available for individual purchase.
‘Patatas Bravas’
Loved this spin on the well-loved Spanish dish with added chickpeas, coriander and spice. There’s a lot of potatoes here, so its definitely more than enough for one meal!
Satay noodle salad
A simple salad with just enough satay sauce and seasoning that some excellent flavours came through, plus some heat from the fresh chilli.
Smith & Deli
111 Moor Street
Fitzroy 3065
http://www.smithanddaughters.com/
Menu accessible here
Table to Paper was invited to attend the launch of Smith & Deli. Opinions are our own.