Gourmet Life

Gourmet Life is a true bunker of European culinary goods, which focuses on the origins, and history of its products. For example, when a customer requested a particular type of grain from Casteluccio, a region renowned for their grains and lentils, there was a hunt to stock them.

Don’t expect quotidian brands and labels here. Gourmet Life has its beginnings as a wholesale retailer specialising in truffles and caviar, so the things you’ll find here are highly specific and unique goods, and at times quite quirky.

A sample of the other finds you might unearth? There’s a library of salts and peppers, jewel-coloured jams from Moreno Cedroni, fruit vinegars, century-old balsamic, and a perennial supply of fresh horseradish, wasabi and salsify.

If you’re looking for a challenge a Trinidad Scorpion might do it – they’re the hottest chillies in the world. And to round it out the largest spread of caviar you’re likely to see in Sydney and fresh European mushrooms, which have to be cleaned by hand to import them into the country.

There’s a huge amount of knowledge about the history and origins of the products from the staff, so it’s an excellent spot for anyone with an avid interest in the weirdly wonderful, and just plain wonderful, ingredients.

This spot is just getting started however. The future promises some additions and changes to broaden the store’s exploration of food -- so it’s best you keep an eye on it.