Seven Local Grocers to Hit When You're Feeling Like a Culinary Master

Located by Manly’s dazzling wharf, The Artisan Cheese Room is a testament to good-quality cheese from around the world. The temperature-controlled store can sometimes be home to over 60 different cheeses at a time.

All the cheeses are lovingly picked by owners Joanna and Paul Thompson, including burrata from Sydney; Bruny Island C2, an unpasteurised cow’s milk cheese from Tasmania; and Ossau Iraty, a semi-hard sheep’s milk cheese that’s production has lineage dating back 4000 years in Aquitaine, France. The team can also design the perfect cheeseboard, hamper or cheese wheel ‘cake’ for a special occasion, too.

The Colins Butcher is an excellent place to visit for your culinary needs, with an extensive selection of gourmet meats on offer. This butchery in Zetland is great for fresh and ethically sourced meat — it boasts produce that is ‘natural, hormone and chemical-free’ to ensure you get the best quality.

Colins also sells handmade sausages and smoked meats, and it has its own biltong machine for dehydrating. There’s also a hot food deli counter, so you can try before you buy. The team at Colins is passionate about its stock, so ask them a couple of questions and see what they can recommend — your dinner guests will thank you later.

Paesanella Cheese is a Sydney staple. The business, which specialises in fresh and authentic cheese made the Italian way, started in the late 50s by Umberto Somma. His two sons now operate it from a factory that pumps out around 15-20 tonnes of cheese each week, including bocconcini, ricotta, mascarpone and mozzarella. It counts some of the best restaurants and eateries in town as regular customers, too. And if it’s good enough for the professionals, it’s sure to help with your next big feast.

The best place to see the entire range is at the retail store in Marrickville. Known as the Food Emporium, the store has expanded on the business’s specialty cheeses to offer an extensive selection of deli products, including cured meats, figs, olives and breadsticks. There’s also an adjoining cafe if you can’t wait until your home to try the goods.

Omeio is a Paddington favourite, thanks to its incredible collection of deli goods, fresh coffee and takeaway meals. The grocery is all about bringing love back to the neighbourhood with a selection of goods inspired by owner Niko Giourgas’ Greek and French heritage.

Giourgas sources from mostly local suppliers, including sourdough baguettes from nearby Organic Bread Bar and Church Farm General Store’s smoked hot sauce from Billinudgel (near Byron Bay). Expect to find artisanal goods, like raw honey, handmade granola and premium olive oil on the shelves, alongside display cases stacked with cured meats, salads and quiches — all perfect for a low-key picnic.

Galluzzo Fruiterers is an institution in Sydney’s inner west — since the fruit shop was started by Italian Salvatore Galluzzo in 1934, the Glebe Point Road store has passed through five generations of Galluzzos.

Service comes with a smile, as does the freshest fruit and veg at pretty reasonable prices. To further sweeten the deal, in 2014, the Galluzzos opened a deli next door to sell cheeses, milk, and meats alongside fresh produce. Pop by to find specials like tasty gruyere, jams, pickled beetroot and Ciresa Gorgonzola Dolce, which is airfreighted straight from Italy.

Penny’s Cheese Shop is a newbie to Potts Point, but it’s already made an impact. Owner Penny Lawson is an even bigger fan of cheese than you are (if such a thing is possible). She was executive officer of the Australian Specialty Cheesemakers’ Association for five years and currently serves as a national cheese judge — it’s safe to say she knows her cheese. The fact she has actual queues lining up out the door for her grilled cheese sandwiches is another obvious indicator.

You can purchase treats like Holy Goat’s signature La Luna cheese, the very exclusive Markwood cheese and the legendary Shropshire Blue here. Make sure you also check out the curated selection of honey, crackers, bread and quince paste to create the perfect cheeseboard.

Image: Kimberley Low.

So, you’ve got your produce ready for the perfect, MasterChef-quality meal. Now all you need is a bottle of top-notch vino to pair with the incredible flavours you’ve been painstakingly working towards. The Drink Hive in Rosebery has got the goods, with an almost overwhelming array of bottles from all across the world.

Aside from wine, you’ll also find a lot of left-of-centre bottles on offer here, including Botanic Garden Grown Gin and Artisan Drink’s violet blossom tonic. So, it may also be worth setting up a couple of cocktails to welcome your guests with.