I absolutely love food shopping especially when it’s in a deli. Rooting out ingredients a little out of the ordinary as well as unusual and exciting wines makes me very happy indeed. I admit I couldn’t shop in deli’s all the time financially but when you want a picnic lunch, a special treat or an artisan ingredient that you wouldn’t find in your local supermarket I can’t think of a better way to spend my hard-earned cash.

Black’s Delicatessen in Chagford

I wanted to share 3 of my favourite local delis with you that always get my tastebuds tickled! The first was Black’s Delicatessen in Chagford. Owned by husband and wife duo Chris and Catherine Mount for 16 years, this moor side deli offers a great selection of homemade quiches, salads, soups, ready meals, filled baguettes, cold meats, cheeses and so much more. Black’s is the perfect spot to pick up picnic ingredients or simply have a coffee and a bite of lunch on one of their tables outside.

How On Earth Deli, South Street, Exeter

How On Earth Deli on South Street in Exeter is something of a special place. So special I can’t think of anywhere else like it. Everything from meats to cheeses is vegan. What started as a passion project by Chloe Howarth for her father Dan’s birthday when he was missing the taste of the “colonels’ secret recipe” chicken after turning vegan for ethical reasons spiralled into the family opening the deli in July 2020. Mum, Heidi completes the team and between them, they create amazing plant-based meats that are handmade each week. I can’t get enough of their “pastrami”. It’s superb! On top of the meats, they have a fully stocked deli counter offering salads, sandwiches, vegan cheeses and cakes. The first Friday of the month they fling open their doors for evening trade offering loaded burgers, fries, shakes and sweet treats. The theme changes monthly.

Rabbit & Co

Last on my list is Rabbit & Co in Ottery St. Mary. After selling their popular London-based cafe and moving to Devon, Nick and Emma Scott opened the doors to Rabbit & Co right in the centre of town. They provide high-quality service to those who care about where their food comes from and are proud to be a local business at the heart of the community offering excellent British produce with much of it coming from Devon. The cheese counter is exceptional and certainly, a must-visit for those who love cheese as much as I do. What started with just 12 cheeses has expanded to 26 on the last count! It’s not all cheese though. They have a wonderful array of fruit and veg on offer as well as baked goods from my favourites Maslin Bakery, a great local and not so local wine beer and cider selection, speciality ingredients and pretty much everything in between.

I hope you manage to visit one or more of these amazing foodie emporiums whilst on your travels. Of course, there are many more out there that deserve a mention as I shop in them all the time (Bon Gout in Exeter for one) but I thought I would share some perhaps lesser-known shops with you this time. I hope you liked reading about them?