Windsor Delicatessen

Windsor Delicatessen’s quiet, backstreet location makes it hard to believe that it’s just a few convenient blocks from Chapel Street. Located on the corner of Hornby and James Street, it’s an unexpected discovery, surrounded by small suburban homes. The milk bar/cafe crossbreed would struggle to seat more than a dozen inside, but that’s all it really needs thanks to a constant flow of people popping in for a paper or loaf of bread and leaving with a coffee and a biscuit ... and maybe a take-home meal or two.

Long-time Chef Katrina Higham’s array of house-made cakes, biscuits, slices, loaves and muffins are well worth the detour off the main drag. The menu is simple and casual without being boring, with a mix of heavy and lighter breakfast options available. Moist, cheesy scrambled eggs with caramelised onion, bacon and potato make for a pretty substantial brunch, and the feta-topped sweet potato hash browns are no second-rate vegetarian option. Segueing into soup and sandwiches around lunchtime, the Windsor Delicatessen is the neighbourhood deli-come-cafe that everyone wishes they had.