The Pantry Delicatessen

Guess who's back, back again. Deli 's back, tell a friend !

In case you didn’t get it, what I was trying to get at is... The Pantry Delicatessen is back ! Back with a refreshed fit out, the interior is chic and slick with its silky charcoal theme, timber clad walls and warm atmosphere. 

Modelled on the old-style Italian deli, The Pantry Delicatessen specialises in seasonal take-home meals – perfect for those on the go, or those purely just after something quick and tasty. A browse around will find you a healthy range of salads, pastas, wet-dishes, roasts, antipasto items, cured meats, cheeses, baked goods and so much more. Simply put, its restaurant quality food cooked by award winning chefs all packed into a box for your convenience.

My eyes went straight to the crusty traditional loaf of Burnham Bakery Sourdough and an Asian inspired salad incorporating beautiful coconut poached chicken, crunchy slaw and candied nuts. The Ancient Grain Salad was an absolute stunner with its tempting tastes and textures – from the cumin spiced grains, pops of quinoa to the sweet bursts of pomegranate. And to wrap it all up, you can't go wrong with a Jaffa Loaf Cake and Ginger Chocolate Loaf Cake.

It’s not hard to like The Pantry Delicatessen. Prepared with love daily by a team of dedicated and talented chefs, The Pantry Delicatessen offers the perfect option for a healthy and hearty meal.

confessions of a little piggy was invited to takeaway as a guest of The Pantry Delicatessen

The Pantry Delicatessen

1 Church Street 

Brighton, VIC 

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The Royale Brothers

Founded by the boys from The Pantry, The Royale Brothers sneakily opened their doors on the 19th of December, but any hopes of a soft opening were soon dashed. Only within days, The Royale Brothers were quickly garnering attention from all. Think elite international sports stars - Harry Kewell and Ana Ivanovic. Of course I had to go in to see what all the fuss was about.

Royale with Cheese

From the fluffy milk bun, juicy patty to the cheese that oozed into every crevice - each ingredient worked extremely well together. But they were also stand out elements on their own: the sharpness of the onion, the freshness of the lettuce, the crunch of the pickles, the spice of the mustard, and the creaminess of the mayo and Royale sauce. 

Crispy Fish

I also had my eye on the Crispy Fish burger - crispy lightly-battered fish, creamy avocado, melty cheese and house slaw slathered with coney island cocktail sauce. We did find that this burger was a tad too creamy  for our liking though - with the combination of  avocado, cheese, mayo and coney island cocktail sauce.

Baby Chicken 

But it was the Baby Chicken that stole the show - with chicken so tender and juicy. It was a messy affair with the sexy cheese dribble and thick rich tomato sauce, but one that was welcomed bite after bite. It was really hard to fault this burger at all.

Royale Spiced Chips

Between stuffing our faces, we also nibbled on Simply Salted Chips and Royale Spiced Seasoned Chips which were crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside - insanely addicting.

The burgers are better at The Royale Brothers - cheesy grins guaranteed.

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of The Royale Brothers

The Royale Brothers
Rear 1 Church Street
Brighton, VIC

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Brighton Schoolhouse

Partly owned by Hawthorn footballer Josh Gibson, Brighton Schoolhouse is all I hear about from T, and so it was about time I paid them a visit. An actual schoolhouse in its former life, Brighton Schoolhouse's name pays homage to the good old days where we spent 6 long years studying day in day out.

Once you start ordering, it becomes quickly apparent that this café brings a simple and concise concept - healthy, wholesome foods and drinks without making sacrifices on taste. Armed with cheeky names and Instagram worthy presentation, think Thor 2 Burgers, Miranda Kerr Waffles and Principal Skinner Large Breakfasts. I was very excited.

Skinny Flat White

Alongside their church theme, coffee is done magnificently by the two Saints here - a Schoolhouse Bayside Blend roasted by St Ali, with premium milk sourced from St David Dairy.

Heirloom Tomatoes

A cheer squad full of heirloom tomatoes adorned two thick slices of olive sourdough toast, full of juiciness and tanginess that danced on my tastebuds. The dish was balanced out with a zesty avocado puree, creamy ricotta cheese and finished with popped grains.

#hashtag YOLO

T went for the #hashtag YOLO - sheets of house cured salmon that draped carelessly over pieces of potato and leek hash, kale, avocado puree and a perfectly poached egg topped with popped grains. The dish originally featured a slow cooked egg, however we were advised that they had run out for the day.

Completed with bashed-up lockers, test tube light fixtures and a detention room, it was surprisingly fun to be back at school. The café offered a nostalgic blast from the past with good food that left us smiling as we walked out the door. Brighton Schoolhouse was top of the class, and have earnt a big fat A+ from me.

Brighton Schoolhouse
15 St Andrews Street
Brighton, VIC

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