Meet Maria Arhondis of Nick & Sue’s Gourmet Deli in Camberwell

Maria Arhondis has had a busy 12 months helping feed busy families with locally home-cooked meals after taking over Nick & Sue’s Gourmet Deli last year.

Ms Arhondis and husband Harry bought the store, located within the Camberwell Fresh Food Market, in July last year, continuing its legacy of premium deli products and home-made dishes.

“Nick & Sue’s Gourmet Deli has been here for more than 35 years, so it’s very well known in the community,” Ms Arhondis said.

“A year on from taking over the business, customers still ask where Nick and Sue are because we’ve kept it pretty much the same.”

While the new owners have kept the look and feel of the delicatessen the same, they have focused their energy on boosting their range of home-cooked meals.

A taste for home cooking

The family business creates a range of hand-made meals including Italian meatballs in Napoli sauce and English-style shepherd’s pie.

Cannelloni, lasagne and coq au vin (a French chicken dish) are also on the menu.

The ready-to-go dishes are made from scratch by their experienced chefs, who use fresh produce sourced from neighbouring traders at the Camberwell Fresh Food Market.

The store also prepares a handful of healthy and fresh salads to accompany their ready meals, as well as salmon patties, vegie patties and a variety of soups to satisfy even the fussiest taste buds.

“Everyone works long hours, so we make a variety of home-cooked meals for busy families,” Ms Arhondis said.

She noted they were preparing their home-cooked meals multiple times a week now because they were flying out the door.

A range of deli-cious treats

The deli also stocks an assortment of tasty products like hams, salamis and other cured meats, in addition to homemade roast beef and porchetta, a traditional Italian roast pork.

The store is also a popular spot for party hosts, offering a selection of local and overseas cheeses, as well as olives and chicken and duck pates.

“We do a lot of finger food, so a lot of people visit us when they need catering for parties,” Ms Arhondis said.

Nick & Sue’s Gourmet Deli makes up its own antipasto with hand rolled dolmades and chargrilled mushrooms, artichokes, eggplants and capsicums too.

Real community

Ms Arhondis has most enjoyed the sense of community during her time at the deli, from getting to know the customers through to meeting the rest of the traders at the market.

She is also proud to operate a real family business, where everybody pitches in at the deli when they can.

Their children, who are studying at high school and university, help out on weekends, while Mr Arhondis’ mother rolls the dolmades herself and makes other treats as well.

“We’ve got a big family and we’ve always been surrounded by food and parties and entertaining, so this is something we’ve always wanted to do,” Ms Arhondis said.

Visit the store

Nick & Sue’s Gourmet Deli

Shop 17-19, Camberwell Fresh Food Market, 519-525 Riversdale Road, Camberwell

Phone: (03) 9882 8795.