Celebrate a different kind of romance this Valentines Day
South Africans have become world renowned for our culinary credentials.
Not only do local Chefs and restaurants regularly make it onto Best-Of lists, but even our food has become internationally acclaimed. Our wine, cheese and meat is regularly classed as some of the best in the world.
These are various articles about the best restaurants in the country for example and many of them have repeatedly received international accolades.
Best Restaurants in South Africa
Great Restaurants in SA
Restaurants with top accolades
Now as much as we appreciate a fine dining experience, we also love a laid-back home-based feast.
Luckily for us, we have a booming deli-culture.
We have become skilled at all things artisanal. Whether its cheesemaking, curing meat, sourdough baking, gin- and beer crafting or simply curating the very best international products, we have no shortage or excellent deli’s.
Deli stand for Delicatessen
A deli is basically a specialized little food shop that focusses on a specific genre of food. There are deli’s that only do cheese and dairy products. There are artisanal butcheries that offer anything form duck and rabbit to ribeye and prosciutto. There are even deli’s that sell nothing but carefully curated local and international wines. Don’t even get us started on the delectable bakeries offering a range of baked good from local cronuts to sourdough loaves.
The point is, deli’s allow you to buy some of the best local food and produce to share with your loved ones, without having to get dressed up and hope you get a reservation at that snazzy restaurant.
Delis are also not just limited to the big metropolitan areas, although Jo-burg and Cape town of course have their fair share of amazing food spots. KZN and Mpumalanga have their very own delectable deli’s, you’ll just have to follow the grapevine to get to them.
We have come up with some guidelines for spotting a good deli and buying the right stuff from that deli to whip up your home made feast with ease.
Check their credentials:
An Italian Deli owned by a boertjie might not sound like an authentic place, but it is best to engage with the owner or manager and get some background information on who they are, who runs the place and why they have a passion for artisanal food. (Maybe the Boertjie’s name is Fabio, and his granny grew up in Napoli…)
You want involvement:
Due to its specialized nature, a deli can’t be run remotely (at least not all the time). The people in charge need to be regulars at their own shop. In fact, the very best deli’s usually have the owner right there at the corner table sipping some kind of traditional drink and working away at the admin of the business. (If the owner is animatedly chatting to some or other supplier in a language other than English, its an immediate bonus!)
Check the labels:
A lot of imported food products can look very appealing, but its important to find a balance between imported things and truly local artisanal products. Its fine if some of the spirits, spices, oils, and sauces are imported, but the bulk of your deli fair should be fresh, local and unique. This will sometimes even include fresh seasonal vegetables and once off traditional treats.
Be open minded:
Due to the seasonal and artisanal nature of deli food, you can’t necessarily rely on them always having your choice of fresh bread, cheese or salami in stock, If you have a big event coming up it’s best to call ahead and confirm. You can even ask them to specially prepare something for you.
There is a reason it is called ARTisnal.
Good food takes time, and often that time is expensive. There is an art to creating delicious products or growing the perfect fruits and vegetables. This means that a deli probably isn’t going to be your weekly shop-spot. Yes, the fare is more expensive than a plastic wrapped white bread loaf and a chunk of bright yellow cheddar at your local supermarket. But in our experience, it is totally worth it as an occasional treat.
Deli culture is a wonderful extension of our already thriving foodie lifestyle. So find your local deli’s and start scouting them out, one cronut at a time.
Here is some inspiration.
Tripadvisor’s Top Restaurants
