Since opening in 2019, Small Town Food & Wine, a destination bistro in the South Coast town of Milton, had developed a following for its outstanding small plates, and for pouring natural wine – a rarity in the region at the time. It even spawned Small Town Provisions, a retail offshoot that opened next door in 2020. But recently, restaurateurs Alex Delly and Jo Thomas – who first built their reputation at nearby restaurant St Isidore – pulled the plug on their restaurant and switched to serving sandwiches.

The cheekily named Delly’s Really Good Sandwiches has opened in the former Small Town Food & Wine Space, and it isn’t selling just any old panino. It’s inspired by the legendary Katz’s Delicatessen on New York City’s Lower East Side, and the menu is uncomplicated to keep the focus on tasty produce.

Ingredients are impeccable, with cold-cuts arriving from LP’s in Sydney, and ham and salami from nearby Martins Ridge Farm. Pickles, jams, relishes and other condiments are all made in-house. Fillings include a hot roast beef sanga with gravy, onions and viscous mozzarella; a chicken and tarragon sandwich with fennel jam and rocket; and a premium-level tuna melt with celery, peppers and cheese.

“It’s the smaller details that make the difference,” says chef Delly. “You don’t need to do too much; just a good mortadella, some cheese and tomato can make you have one of those epiphany moments.”

In keeping with the Manhattan-in-Milton vibe, Delly’s only serves filter coffee, and is branching out into house-made cherry jam doughnuts. “It’s not like we’re trying to be trendy or anything,” Delly says. “But we’ve got the stuff the kids want.”

Next door, Small Town Provisions (STP) continues to operate as a bottle shop and bar, stocked with delicious tinned things and natural wine. Its fridges are filled with funky, fruity low-intervention bottles to take away from Frankly Bob Made This, Aristotelis Ke Anthoula in Pambula, and Wollongong’s Benson & the Mooch. A diverse selection of wines is always on the pour for in-house diners, too: one day it might feature a skinsy number from Blackheath, and the next a muscadet from the Loire Valley.

“South of Wollongong, apart from St Isidore and Small Town, there was just nowhere you could get a natural wine, or even small boutique wine producers,” explains Liz Dalton, who is also a partner in the business, along with head chef Sean McCarthy. “But everyone loves a little pink pét-nat.”

Alongside the cool booze, STP serves a neat selection of bar snacks, all of which are executed with only a deep-fryer and a sandwich press. But this limited kitchen doesn’t feel like a constraint when you’re tucking into freshly made burrata with blood orange, zucchini flowers and hazelnuts. Potato gems are topped with tarama and caviar from the Yarra, and duck kromeski (croquette) is accompanied by rhubarb ketchup. Clyde River oysters come freshly shucked.

A fan favourite is the Ortiz sardines served with Pepe Saya cultured butter and toast. “It’s probably the most popular dish on the menu, but they’re just so simple, so beautifully put together,” says Dalton. “The best fish goes in the tin.”

There’s also a range of top-tier cheese chilling in the fridge, including hunks of Le Dauphin and Maffra cloth-ashed cheddar. Baguettes are supplied daily by local sourdough hotshot Brinley Kettle’s new-school bakery, Lagom.

Combined, the two venues have all the makings of the ideal picnic – and with Mollymook Beach only five minutes away, we strongly suggest you pack a bottle-opener in your basket.

Small Town Provisions
1/49 Wason Street, Milton

Hours:
Wed & Thu 11am–6pm
Fri & Sat 10am–8pm

Sun 11am–4pm

smalltownprovisions.com.au
@smalltownprovisions

Delly’s Really Good Sandwiches
4/41 Wason Street, Milton

Hours:
Wed to Sat 10am–3pm

@dellysmilton