Mercatus Deli — Restaurant in Brisbane City

Mercatus Deli: Made in Italy (Well… Brisbane)

If you’ve ever wandered the streets of Brisbane’s CBD and found yourself longing, not for sun, or surf, or smashed avocado, but for a real taste of Europe… you’re not alone.

And while the Colosseum might be a bit out of walking distance, tucked away on Adelaide Street is a deli so charming, so unapologetically Italian, you’ll feel like you’ve taken a wrong turn and ended up somewhere between Bologna and bliss.

Let’s start, as all good journeys should, with coffee. Now, I don’t mean the beige dishwater you find in chain stores or the over-complicated oat-gastronomy of certain inner-suburban cafés.

I mean coffee. Italian coffee. The sort of thing that jolts your spirit awake and makes you rethink your loyalty to flat whites.

You see, I work in the city every second week. That’s the week of joy. Because that’s the week I get to go to Mercatus. And every visit begins with two of the most extraordinary women Brisbane has to offer: Giulia and Chiara.

Giulia (which means youthful, though she may or may not appreciate me pointing that out as she turns 30 this year so please wish her a happy birthday every time you visit) is the boss.

She's the kind of woman who smiles like she already knows you're going to mispronounce something in Italian, and she’s right. Every. Time. She has a twinkle in her eye and the kind of good-natured sass that lets you know you're being schooled, gently, but definitely publicly.

Chiara, her partner in caffeinated crime, means bright and luminous, which is fitting because she lights up the whole place, probably the entire postcode, just by asking how your day is going.

We bonded over the name Thomas. She has a nephew named Tom. I have a son named Tom. And in true Italian fashion, that makes us practically family. She now corrects my Italian with the warmth of an auntie and the precision of a linguistics professor.

And let’s talk about this north-south Italian alliance for a moment. Traditionally, Italians from the north and south are a bit like oil and vinegar (so I’ve been told) — excellent together if balanced, but absolutely not the same thing.

It’s like asking someone who lives north side of the Brisbane River to get along with someone from the south side. They’ll try, but there’ll be passive aggression about traffic, tolls and which side of the river has the better coffee.

Somehow, Giulia (north) and Chiara (south) have formed a kind of Mediterranean peace treaty behind the coffee machine. I must apologise in advance to Giulia and Chiara if I’ve accidentally mixed up who’s from the north and who’s from the south. I didn’t take notes, this isn’t the ABC, and I’m relying entirely on memory, caffeine, and vibes.

Their love of food, hospitality, and gently mocking me in Italian binds them together like a perfectly aged balsamic glaze.

Now the deli itself? Bellissimo.

A glass counter full of cheese, cured meats, olives and things I can’t pronounce but absolutely want to eat. Baguettes that feel like a small love letter to France. Focaccia that’s soft, chewy, and absolutely not trying too hard. And tiramisu that may or may not have caused me to weep softly on a Tuesday morning.

There are shelves of wine, pasta, oils, and sauces. It's less “shop” and more “shrine to taste.” You go in for a sandwich and come out with twelve-year-aged vinegar and a sudden interest in Sicilian anchovies.

In the end, Mercatus isn’t just a deli. It’s a pilgrimage site. A place where my language skills fails, but hand gestures and hungry eyes get you what you need. A café where the coffee is better than most marriages, and the company is even warmer.

Would I recommend it? Of course I would. Would I move into the pantry if allowed? Without hesitation. Would I ever pronounce stracciatella correctly? No. But would they serve me anyway, smile, and gently correct me? Always.

Grazie, Mercatus. You’ve ruined all other...

You need to come at the right time if you have a sandwich in mind; they only sell what is displayed. @mercatusdeli

I came here twice because of the “sucky” timing. The best time to come would probably be 930am onwards (but also based on your luck).

While the sandwiches are good, I would prefer if it’s made-to-order or allow some customisations/ adds on. Also, while it’s good, I may have overhyped it in my head (it’s a me problem). — could use a bit more ingredients to make it more packed 👀

Here’s what we tried:

Homemade Schiacciata (14.50 AUD) - comes with prosciutto, provow cheese, salad, tomato, mayo. I did a mistake for opting a toasted version, it became pretty oily and salty to enjoy. I’ll say, have it non-toasted next time.

Mortadella Croissant (12.50 AUD) - A good layer of mortadella with straciatella and pistachios. A good and easy bite.

Serrano Baguette (15 AUD) - A combination with Swiss cheese, salad and extra virgin olive oil. I had it untoasted because I wanted to enjoy the cured meat. A fair warning that this sandwich is best to be eaten IF you have strong teeth/jaws 😬.

Location: Adelaide St, Brisbane City 🇦🇺 Time: Closed on weekends; 7am-6pm

#critzspot #foodie #foodier #noms #eats #aussie #australia #brisbane #curedmeat #sandwich...

I recently placed a catering order with Mercatus Deli, and from the very first inquiry Giulia and her team were amazingly helpful, responsive and accommodating. The sandwiches and pastries were excellent - as they always are from here - fresh, delicious, high quality and beautifully presented. Our order was prepared quickly and with such incredible customer service from Giulia and Miko. They had prepared it for us in beautiful big boxes - and when I arrived on foot to collect it their team insisted on helping me get it back to my office. Miko was incredibly kind and walked it all the way back to my building with me and even up to my office floor. In what had been somewhat of a hectic morning, it was a huge help I wasn't expecting and chatting with Miko ended up being a highlight of my day.

On top of the incredible range of products, delicious food and excellent coffee - the amazing hospitality and kindness of the team at Mercatus Deli makes it a spot I could not recommend enough. Thank you for your help...