Yangga calls itself a deli, but you won’t find any cheese wheels, cold cuts or cornichons on the shelves of its new Chatswood store. Instead, the Yang family has stocked the refrigerator with prepackaged Korean banchan (side dishes) such as kimchi and soy-marinated eggs, and the counters with grab-and-go meals like japchae (stir-fried noodles) and grilled eel.

“Historically, [the word deli isn’t] associated with Korean cuisine, but we loved the quintessential notion of a deli and wanted to provide a Korean version of this concept,” says Jenny Kim, who co-owns Yangga with her husband, Joon-Kyoo (Chris) Yang, his parents Heejong Yang and Jihye Yang, and his sister Yoolee Yang.

It’s one of a growing number of Sydney businesses breaking the traditional European deli mould. Some, like Yangga, have familiar hallmarks (pickles, sliced meats, takeaway food) in different flavours. Others, like Marani Deli in Newtown, diverge only with late-night add-ons like wine tastings and group drawing classes. And then there are the head-scratchers, like Uncut Seafood Delicatessen in Bondi or Kerbside Eatery in Edmondson Park, which prompt the question, what is a deli, anyway?

Kim keeps it simple: “The word deli is derived from the French word delicatesse which means [delicacy, or in other words] delicious things, which is essentially what we endeavour to offer our customers.”

Here are 10 new or underrated Sydney “delis” to try, from an Uzbek-style sandwich bar to a cosy prosciutteria.

Marani Deli, Newtown

Chef-owner Alexandre Grenouiller took inspiration from his French grandparents’ cellar in conceptualising Marani Deli. “Stocked with homemade preserves and home-grown supplies, these cellars serve as giant pantries for all the family, but also as a place to gather and chew the (perfectly cured) fat,” he says. The charming interiors belie a modern approach: Grenouiller offers a tightly curated selection of French, Italian and Georgian products and a series of community-focused events, like group wine tastings and guided illustration nights.

Must-try: The raclette party pack ($35 per person), inclusive of three types of raclette cheeses, sliced charcuterie and cornichons. Available for takeaway, with raclette machines available for hire.

Shop 7-8, 80 Wilson Street, Newtown, maranideli.com.au

Kerbside Eatery, Edmondson Park

Kerbside Eatery is a modern mash-up of American diner, deli and dessert bar – a place where you can pick up Chicago-style bread rolls and cold cuts to go or settle in for a full meal. Stacked subs, fried chicken tenders (dipped in house-made special sauce), and cheesecakes on sticks are the speciality – the kind of saucy, rich and fried foods that look dangerously delicious on social media. Treat yourself at the Edmondson Park store, which brother-and-sister team Jonathan and Gabrielle Israfil opened in November.

Must-try: The hot honey chicken sub ($17.50), with fried chicken, bread-and-butter pickles, lettuce and herbed buttermilk sauce in a soft bread bun.

52 Soldiers Parade, Edmondson Park, kerbsideeatery.com.au

Bar Mammoni, Circular Quay

In May, Bar Mammoni made the transition from all-day Italian eatery to pasta bar and deli. It’s now a casual extension of popular sister restaurant Grana – selling hand-rolled pasta and lasagne to take home (from $4.50), or bowls of cooked pasta with simple sauces (like rigatoni a la vodka or cacio e pepe) for a fraction of the restaurant price. Between 11.30am and 3pm, June 3 – 7, pasta bowls will be available for half price, starting at $9. Keep an eye out for house-made pasta sauces, set to hit shelves in coming weeks.

Must-try: Mapo lasagne ($19 for 500g or $34 for 1kg), with chicken, fennel and Szechuan pepper.

Shop 3 Loftus Lane, Sydney, barmammoni.sydney

MLK Deli, Surry Hills

On a street of grey facades, MLK Deli is the bright, azure blue of Uzbekistan, a central Asian country renowned for its magnificent blue mosaic monuments. Deli founder Myra Karakelle learned to cook the Uzbek dishes of her childhood to combat homesickness during COVID, and found joy in the act of feeding others. A couple of years and a career change later, she’s serving sandwiches with her mum’s Uzbek-style chicken, her husband’s home-cooked brisket, and her best friend’s twice-baked brown butter choc chip cookies. “Food is an extension of loving and caring about others, that’s what inspired me to open MLK,” Karakelle says.

Must-try: The “Risky Brisket” sandwich ($22.90), with slow-cooked brisket, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and MLK house sauce on organic rye ciabatta.

168 Campbell Street, Surry Hills, instagram.com/mlk.deli

Uncut Seafood Delicatessen, Bondi

Siblings Nic, Jack and Kaitlin Lucas are the fourth generation of fishmongers behind Uncut Seafood Delicatessen. It opened in late April with a combination of retail, takeaway and dine-in food, including an oyster shucking station, sashimi bench, and dozens of house-made products like cured salmon gravlax, pickled octopus and taramasalata (the latter of which was passed down from their Greek grandmother). The eat-in fare is simple and fresh, with options like cold prawn focaccia, cured salmon bagels, and grilled fish with pita bread and seasonal greens.

Must-try: Pickled octopus with potato salad ($19).

135 Bondi Road, Bondi, instagram.com/uncutseafooddelicatessen

Deli/sia, Forest Lodge

Made-to-order panini bread sandwiches are the focus at Delisia, a small deli-inspired sandwich shop that opened in January inside a sunny corner terrace. Owner Lena Alame stacks her Italian-style sandwiches with ingredients like pistachio pesto, whipped ricotta, pecorino spread, figs and prosciutto, serving them on thick slices of fluffy, house-baked bread. Keep an eye out for Alame’s retail products, set to go on shelves later this year.

Must-try: The signature Da Vinci sandwich ($16.90) with prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella, basil pesto, tomato, rocket and balsamic glaze.

Una, North Sydney

Okay, so you’ll have to wait a couple of weeks before checking out Sol and Una (Soluna), the new North Sydney venues from the hospitality group behind hatted restaurants Loulou Bistro and Poetica. They’re adjoining venues that, together, create the ultimate deli experience: on the one hand, there are take-home cheeses, house-made pasta, cured meats and parfaits for sale at Una; and on the other, eat-in deli-style sandwiches, tinned fish, and glasses of wine at Sol. Una is set to open June 18, with Sol following towards the end of the month.

Must-try: The EBLT ($16) with crumbed eggplant, bacon, lettuce, and tomato sugo on house-baked spelt bread.

168 Walker Street, North Sydney, soluna.sydney

Deli Republic, Rosebery

This Rosebery deli and grocer has flown under the radar since opening in 2022, but it’s worth a mention for its house-made deli meats (like ’nduja mortadella), its range of locally made cheeses (like Goldstreet Dairy from ex-Poly chef and cookbook author Colin Woods) and for being one of the few places in Sydney to try poutine (the famous Canadian snack with hot chips, house-made gravy and buffalo curds from Vanella Cheese). Owners Nenad Djuric and Adele Di Bella are former pastry chefs, having worked at Est. and Messina respectively, so you’ve got to pick up a slice of Russian honey cake while you’re there.

Must-try: ’Nduja mortadella in a custom-made panini sandwich.

10/61-71 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery, delirepublic.au

Yangga Korean Deli, Chatswood

Five members of the Yang family banded together to open Sydney’s first Korean delicatessen in Rhodes, then followed it up with a second store in Chatswood in December. It’s a small, sleek store with familiar refrigerated and dry-goods sections and grab-and-go meals made fresh daily. The difference lies in the food – they’ve swapped the typical European sandwiches, cold cuts and cheese with Korean soups, rice dishes and pickled vegetables. A traditional Korean meal pairs the main dish with several side dishes (known as banchan), and Yangga offers pick-and-mix options like kimchi, eomuk bokkeum (sauteed fishcake) and soy eggs.

Must-try: Egg omelette kimbap ($12), a Korean-style sushi roll with omelette, fishcake and pickled radish.

B002/365 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, instagram.com/yanggafoods

Porkatroya, Newtown

Hospitality veterans Filippo L’Episcopo (former head sommelier at Rockpool Bar & Grill) and Gabriele Barbanti (ex-Ventuno and Seta) quietly opened Porkatroya on King Street in mid-April. It’s more deli-adjacent – They’ve taken inspiration from the small prosciutterias of regional Italy to create a cosy space to catch up with friends over freshly sliced charcuterie, roast porchetta rolls and hearty bottles of red. As for the name? Well, it’s a play on words, a variation of a slang Italian phrase meaning something like, “Bloody hell!”

Must-try: Porkatroya charcuterie board for two ($52), with generous portions of sliced meats, mixed olives and pickles.

526 King Street, Newtown, instagram.com/porkatroyanewtown