The world’s greatest food stores: the readers’ picks

The names of readers (either their social media handle or FT commenting name) have been given in bold type at the end of each entry. Where readers gave further details about what they love about a particular store, that has been included as a quote. 

Avoca stores 
Started out as a small tea and coffee station and has expanded into a number of stores in and around Dublin: artisanal ingredients, hand-prepared meals, fresh fruit and veg, bakery and butcher’s. Do you think that’s wise sir avoca.com

Baroni Alimentari, Florence
Olive oils, vinegars, cheeses, meats and wines in Florence’s Central Market. Ask for Paola, say fans who praise the fair prices. dunroamin baronialimentari.com

Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn 
In 2019 a 74,000sq ft outlet of the cult regional grocery store Wegmans opened here (a huge cheese selection, a pizza market, sushi, organic grass-fed beef, lobster steamer etc). There’s also an outpost of Russ & Daughters and a rooftop farm. Marciaclarkemcrealty wegmans.com

Cavistons Food Emporium, Dublin
In Glasthule Village, Sandycove, this started over 50 years ago as a small fish shop and is now a destination for seafood, meats, cheeses, plus gourmet sandwiches, soups and coffee to go. Do you think that’s wise sir cavistons.com

The Cheese Board Collective, Berkeley, California
A worker-owned collective since 1971, it started out selling cheese and moved on to bread. Nearly 400 cheeses, pizza, espresso bar. Sarang Shah cheesboardcollective.coop

Citarella, New York City, The Hamptons and Connecticut
Multi-location fresh fish market, founded around 1912 and run by Joe Gurrera since 1983. Also sells artisanal spirits and fine wines. GC citarella.com

Claudio Speciality Foods, Philadelphia 
“Founded by an Italian immigrant in the 1950s – meat, cheese and the rest.” Eddie Tuvin claudiofood.com

Dallmayr, Munich
Coffee, tea, chocolate, patisserie, fresh and cut meat, fish, dried fruits, bread and cheese. W.G. dallymayr.com

Daniels Bakery, London
Off Finchley Road in north London: bagels, rolls, sourdough, challah, rye, donuts, muffins, and salads from quinoa to teriyaki salmon. Supplies bagels and challah for many of the more well-known London food stores. Filou danielsbakery.co.uk

Di Palo’s Fine Foods, New York City 
Family-owned Italian food shop, opened as a dairy store in 1925 and the oldest deli in Little Italy. Produce from Emilia-Romagna, Sicily, Veneto, Tuscany… famed for its mozzarella and ricotta, plus over 300 other varieties of cheeses served in restaurants including those of Jean-Georges Vongerichten. GC 200 Grand Street

Empório Santa Maria, São Paulo, Brazil
Salads, veg, pies, pasta, antipasti, wine, kombucha. MKogan27 emporiosantamaria.com.br

Enoteca Tognoni, Bolgheri, Italy 
“Located just inside the walls of the medieval village of Bolgheri – the place to go for Tuscan specialities.” us.thereallister enotecatognoni.it

Fallon & Byrne, Dublin 
At the Exchequer Street Food Hall there’s bread and cakes, cheese, charcuterie, chocolate, sauces, wines, plus a fine dining room. Over in a restored Victorian pavilion in The People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire there’s a café-deli (currently takeaway only). gerrydessy fallonandbyrne.com

Fatted Calf, San Francisco
Sustainably sourced meat from family run farms. Sarang Shah fattedcalf.com

Fromagerie Nicole Barthélémy, Paris
It’s all about the cheese. dunroamin 51 Rue de Grenelle

G Detou, Paris and Lyon 
The name of this store is a play on words meaning “I have everything” and it pretty much does. It’s a baker’s paradise with a Willy Wonka’s shop of choc chips sold by the kilo. There are Sicilian and Iranian pistachios, beautiful cans of tinned fish, stone-ground mustard… None 12 58 Rue Tiquetonne, 75002 Paris, France; Rue du Plat, 69002 Lyon

Globus Food Court, Geneva
Located in the city’s department store (there are 13 throughout Switzerland): coffee, tea, jams, fine olive oils and balsamic vinegar, preserves, spices, soups and sauces, pasta, caviar and truffle products. B globus.ch

The Highlanders Bakehouse, Crathie, Scotland 
“The best butteries – aka ‘roadkill croissants’.” Isthmus1 thehighlandersbakehouse.co.uk

Huber’s Butchery, Singapore 
Fresh meat, hams and cold cuts, sausages, salami, cheese, pastries and more. Tan How Mei hubers.com.sg

I Camisa & Son, Soho, London 
In 1929 the Camisa brothers opened what is claimed to be the first real Italian food store in London. It is no longer run by the family, but remains a true local generi alimentari in the heart of the West End. Leighton Beck icamisa.co.uk

Il Mercato, Engelberg, Switzerland 
Italian deli and butcher’s: fresh meat, cold cuts, homemade pasta, wines and more. Tan How Mei mercato-engelberg.ch

Julius Meinl, Vienna
“One of the most iconic food shops of all time, founded in 1862. My coffee is shipped from Meinl’s religiously for decades so I can enjoy it each Washington DC morning” [reopening October 2021]. Eddie Tuvin meinlamgraben.at

La Grande Epicerie de Paris, Paris
The Rue de Sèvres store is the gourmet food emporium of the historic Bon Marché department store. A complete culinary treasure trove. There’s also a store on Rue de Passy. TLefebvre lagrandeepicerie.com

The Leaf Store, Melbourne
With shops in Elwood and Hawthorn this “village grocer” sources produce from local growers and farmers and also sells artisanal pantry items from around the globe. B theleafstore.com.au

Lettercollum Kitchen Project, Clonakilty, West Cork 
Croissants, tarts, pizza, soup, lasagne, cakes (coeliac-positive), cheeses, salamis, pestos, hummus and fruit, veg and chutneys from its Victorian walled garden. joxer lettercollum.ie

McCambridge’s of Galway, Galway
Launched as McCambridge, Brennan and Co in 1925 as a “high class grocery, provision, wine and spirit establishment”. It’s still run by the McCambridges today. gerrydessy mccambridges.com

Maison Fauchon, Paris and worldwide
Founded in 1886, Fauchon sells wines, teas, chocolates, macaroons, and anything else you long for from a deli. It has 70 outlets around the world, two five-star hotels, with a cookery school in the pipeline. W.G. fauchon.com

Maison Gosselin, Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, Normandy 
“A real gem. For anyone who appreciates quality, this is an amazing shop with fresh and preserved products of all types.” A Q Kopp maison-gosselin.fr

Maison Verot, Paris
A butcher’s since 1930, this family brand run by Gilles and Catherine Verot has foodstores in 3 Rue Notre-Dame des Champs, 38 Rue de Bretagne, Champs-Élysées, and Boulevard Haussmann. Hortensius maisonverot.fr

Meatsmith, Melbourne
Beef, lamb, pork, chicken: this butcher’s and wine merchant’s has locations in Fitzroy, St Kilda and Brighton. Don’t forget to consult the expert advice on how to cook their cuts on the website. Melbournista meatsmith.com.au

Minh Phat, Melbourne
Speciality foods from southeast Asia, China and Japan since 1977. Melbournista yourgrocer.com.au

Namli Gurme, Istanbul
Namli has a handful of stores throughout Istanbul. It has been described as Turkey’s take on Eataly. Cheese, meat, over 40 olive oils, bakery, good for breakfast. BeteNoire namligurme.com.tr

Oasis, Melbourne
With stores in Fairfield and Murrumbeena: deli meats, bakery, dairy and eggs, dips and salads, fruit and veg, food platters and grazing boxes. Melbournista oasisonline.com.au

Olive Branch Deli, Cape Town
A community grocer, describes itself as “a meeting place for farmers, producers, market vendors, chefs, mixologists, stylists, food activists and all who love to eat food with a conscience”. Unicom olivebranchdeli.com

Papadeli, Bristol 
Artisan cheeses, hampers and food counters loaded with dishes such as Butterbean, piquillo pepper, red cabbage with a rosemary vinaigrette, tortilla, sausage rolls, fish cakes, tuna and caper empanadas, Thai slaw, veggie rolls and spring rolls. Jonesandmodha papadeli.co.uk

Paul Rothe & Son, London
Quintessential British fodder in Marylebone Lane – eat in, eat out, salads, sandwiches, condiments. Leo_Schwarz paulrotheandson.wixsite.com

Profil Grec, Paris 
“Excellent selection of products, sourced thoroughly from Greece: the best oil from the Peloponnese, pistachios, Kalamata olives and delicious honeys.” Fabio Mancone profilgrec.com

Epicerie Rap, Paris
“I run to this tiniest Ali Baba cave Italian deli to buy the best of Italian products in Paris: cime di rapa (turnip greens), pecorino cheeses, Sicilian tomatoes, gnocchi, sausages and the best cannoli.” Fabio Mancone rapparis.fr

The Re Store, Perth, Western Australia 
Still run by the descendants of Giuseppe Re who migrated to Australia from the Aeolian island of Salina in 1885. There are two shops in the city (Leederville and Northbridge) and the family’s Italian history remains central: cheeses, charcuterie, antipasti and house-made pasta. Don’t leave without trying the spuntino – little rolls filled with prosciutto and provolone cheese. Mike the-re-store.com.au

Seghezzo, Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy
“Founded in 1905, a historic grocery with a modern sensibility. Italian alimentari of wonder.” Clare Coulson seghezzo.com

Shamba Café and Shop, Loresho, Nairobi 
Farm to table restaurant, farm shop and garden centre with farmer’s market every Saturday. Organic veg, pizza from a wood-fired oven. Just me and my cat shambacafe.co.ke

Sheridans Cheesemongers, Dublin
Irish and international cheeses, Spanish hams, black and white puddings, pantry specialities and wine. Also in Meath, Galway, Waterford, Cork, Kildare and Limerick. Do you think that’s wise sir sheridanscheesemongers.com

Summerhill Market, Toronto 
Meat, dressings, rhubarb, deli, prepared food, bakery, flowers at four locations in the city. Bemused Canadian summerhillmarket.com

Tamburini, Bologna
Artisan tortellini, mortadella to die for, classic Parmigiano Reggiano, Bologna broth. Old cynic tamburini.com

Toscano’s, Melbourne
Family-run fruit and veg store since 1950 in three locations in the city (Kew, Richmond and Toorak): also French truffles, courgette flowers, wild mushrooms, oils, dried fruits, free-range eggs, herbs and spices. MT Head toscanos.com.au

Venda Ravioli, Providence
Been there for more than 70 years. Italian gourmet store with over 150 kinds of fresh and frozen pasta. United States Richard vendaravioli.com

Volpetti Salumeria, Rome
Italian and Spanish delicacies: cold meats, oils, vinegar, honey. dunroamin volpetti.com

Zabar’s, New York City 
How could you forget Zabar’s? Coffee, teas, smoked fish, caviar, bagels, panettone, meat, cheese, pantry classics, the full Italian works at 2245 Broadway. Filou zabars.com