If I've said it once, I've said it a million times. Walking aisles of supermarkets can be super…read morefun. Think of all the different packaging design to devour. No, just me? Okay then. Awkward. This super chic grocer is up there for me. Head straight to the aisles of jams, chutneys, and other such condiments. Packaging branding heaven. I used to live across the road from James Street Market (and still visit frequently) and yes, it is as dangerous on your back pocket as you might imagine but let's break it down. For a slightly higher price you're selecting top quality produce, specialty cheeses, sweets and other accoutrements. You've got access to a patisserie (French Twist), a florist, a butcher, a fishery and sushi bar. The produce is always fresh and the ability to walk out empty handed? Extremely difficult. Case in point: a friend and I were recently on the hunt for salted caramel for a cheesecake. Sure, we could have made it from scratch (and normally we might have) but to put it bluntly "Ain't no body got time for that!". We'd hunted a few different specialty stores we thought would be on the money but it was James Street Markets that came through with the goods. The staff member that looked after us found it on the shelf with such air and grace. There was no trouble for her to point us in the direction of the jar that held our salted caramel dreams.

Despite its namesake, the drawing card for Fine Fruit On James is actually its cheeses. Yes, yes…read morethey also have fresh fruit and vegetables but in general, I find Brisbane has such an excellent range of fresh fruit and vegies anyway, especially if you shop for seasonal produce. You can usually pick up a few unusual mushroom types at Fine Fruit On James - enokis, King Oysters, wood-ear mushrooms but Asian supermarkets usually cover the same range. I repeat, it is their cheeses which stand out against their competitors. They have everything from camembert in the Adelaide Hills to Spanish manchengo. I became a goats' cheese convert after sampling their 'Lingot Chevre De Pelussin'. They also stock a decent range of gourmet deli products such as ice creams, pates, dips, oils, sauces and vinaigrettes. For an indulgent grocery shopping experience, Fine Fruit On James is the place to go.

When it's so convenient to pick up my weekly meat supply along with the general grocery run at…read moreWoolworths or Coles, a butcher has got be pretty special for me to make a specific trip. I've been driving across town to Prime Specialty Meats at James Street for years. For a long time, it was the only place I could get good quality quail and duck meat - essential if you're an Asian cook. Nowadays I go for their excellent range of salamis and sausages. Also, when I'm feeling like a fancy dinner but I'm too lazy to marinate anything, their nutty rump stir fry is fantastic with rice and mixed vegetables.

These guys make me wish I had a LOT more money. They are definitely a prime butchers - everything…read morein this store is the best of the best. The only problem is you pay for it. Saying that, I'll pay whatever they charge for their Bangalow ham. It is the crack of deli meats. They also sell a wide range of speciality meats such as duck and their hand made sausages are tres tasty. Oh and the staff are cute. What's not to like?

Spoon Deli is good if you want something fresh, fast and tasty. It's not so good if you want…read moreamazing coffee or something unusual and different. I like the location of Spoon and can see why it's tempting for James St Market shoppers to pop in post/pre shopping and grab a quick cup of joe. Personally, I would make the one minute walk around the back of the markets to grab a coffee at Campos than settle for an okay coffee at Spoon. It sounds mean but I personally think Spoon needs to pick up its game. There are so many new coffee houses springing up with exciting menus and delicious coffee - Spoon needs to work a little harder to keep up. Salads are good as are the toasted sandwiches. The BEST thing about Spoon is the gourmet produce for sale on site - a nice range and reasonably priced.

When I first arrived at Spoon Deli Cafe, I couldn't understand how it possibly scored less than…read morefive stars from Yelpers. An incredibly long breakfast menu, nice environment for a bite to eat, and a gourmet deli attached. Then there was a bit of a mix up with our meals and I could see why most gave it only 3 out of five stars. Also I'm not sure if it's a Brisbane thing, but I have ordered poached eggs a couple of times in Brisbane, and I received 2 poached eggs and only one tiny piece of toast. Surely you need two pieces of toast for 2 eggs?

I had the most delicious work lunch recently at the lovely Tognini's…read more They make so many yummy things here and I managed get the best waitress who just dealt with my allergies with no problems. Would you like salad? How about you just tell me what you can eat and we'll make you something. Amazing. Turned out 'something' was smoked chicken salad with fetta, roasted pumpkin and lemon dressing. Yum! The coffee is delicious here too. Just saying.

Tognini's is good for picking up a coffee and something for lunch or perhaps dinner on the way to…read morework. They have a range of gourmet pre-prepared meals available from their cafe/deli that are all pretty tasty for something in air-sealed packaging. Their salads and desserts are quite good too. I can't recommend dining in, however, as the several times I tried it was an awful experience. The service was slow and quite rude and the food was terrible and overpriced. The worst meal was an eggs benedict in which the hollandaise sauce tasted like someone had softened a bit of butter and whacked some lemon juice in it-really gross. Definitely not worth waiting 45 minutes for.

"Ooh, look at how wonderfully they've stacked the pineapple."…read more"Ooh, seven different salted caramel sauces." "Ooh, beetroot and mint dip." "Ooh, Beetroot sourdough." "Ooh, those cuts of lamb look delicious" "Ooh, what gorgeous packaging" The Standard Market Company is my equivalent to a candy story for a child. It's resplendently full of fresh produce, meats, gourmet pantry items, cheeses and more. It's certainly a place to visit if you wish to feel like you're living the life of the rich and famous, or if you just want high quality produce for your daily meals. I ducked in for a few items only and resisted the temptation for much more. For $20 I managed to get a few avocados, a loaf of beetroot sourdough, radishes and a few other piece. Yes, it is marginally more expensive that say, Woolworths or Coles, but I honestly don't feel like it is asking that much more on your purse strings. The avocados I bought were actually cheaper than the supermarket across the way and to add to that they were higher quality and larger. You might be looking for cheeses and dips for a weekend get together with friends, or specialty items for a romantic dinner for two or you may just want to eat single girl style with smoked salmon, crackers, and olives (or is that just me?) - point is, whatever the occasion, you'll find something to please here.

If you are after fresh produce, a huge deli and cheese section, bakery and butcher then the…read moreStandard Market Company is the place to come. We have been shopping here regularly for the past 2 months and not once have been disappointed. The produce is all so fresh and very reasonably priced, the meat from the butchers - while expensive - is of the best quality, the deli and cheese has such a big selection and is well priced and the bakery has so many yummy choices including gluten free. This would also be a good place to come if you are catering for a dinner party or if you just want to treat yourself and that special someone with such an amazing selection of items on offer.

Attention all lactose and gluten intolerant beings! This deli is a must-go for all those suffering…read morethe crippling affects of said allergies. Intolerant free? Don't worry, there's still rows upon rows of sumptuous produce for you too, I was just a little over-excited to see such a large variety of allergy-specific foodstuffs. This deli is huge, and it's easy to get lost in aisles of towering cheeses; pasta sauces; ready-made and ridiculously healthy meals; gourmet ice cream, gelato and sorbets; and olive oils. Seriously, there are so many varieties of olive oil, it's hard not to believe you're in Italy. But the best part? The huge selection of gluten-free muesli (yes, there is the Byron Bay's own Brookfarm Muesli [though exceedingly expensive it is outrageously delicious]) as well as dairy-free gelato and the gluten-free pasta. And it's not just the spaghetti which is gluten-free, it's everything from squid-ink pasta to tagliatelle. And of course, to be true to any deli, Zone is packed with fresh fruit and veg, a huge number of cuts of meat and wonderfully sweat pastry treats (I highly recommend the Turkish Delight...out of this world!).

This is my favourite deli in all of Brisbane and luckily for me it is close to work. Also a tip…read morethat not many know is that they give 10% discount to Qhealth staff when you show your ID badge at the till. What could be better! It is a small store but it has a bit of everything. There is a large gluten free section which is fantastic for a one stop shop. The fruit and veg is to die for, it is bigger and tastier than more mainstream supermarkets. It is pricier, however it stays fresher than items purchased elsewhere. As for the deli section WOW, I love love love it. The antipasto selection is vast and all super tasty. I am not someone who likes olives, in fact I can be found discretely trying to spit them out, however the olives from zone fresh are delicious and you can find me fighting for the last one! Definitely try the stuffed olives with brie and sweet chilli. You can also order platters from zone fresh. I have ordered some for this weekend so i will report back. The butcher section is also fantastic. The meat, poultry etc is all delicious and great quality. You can get some handy hints from the butchers for recipes for dinner. I also love the oil selection in zone fresh. My husband is a chef so likes to experiment with different things. This store is a cave of treasures for him to create culinary delights. Don't expect to get things cheaply in zone fresh but do expect the best quality and service.

On recommendation from family and while we were staying in New Farm, we came by New Farm Deli, an…read moreItalian eatery and cafe, for breakfast. This place is hopping! Although it has heaps of seating both indoor and outdoor, almost all of it was taken, and there was a healthy line on a Saturday morning for those who didn't have bookings. If you don't want to wait in line, be sure to make a booking in advance. My girlfriend and her daughter ordered the Funghetto, which is one of their veggie options. Served with large field mushrooms and fetta, served on toasted sourdough, they both found it quite tasty. The sourdough is toasted and the crust a little tough, so be sure to ask your waiter for a sharp knife! The daughter's fiance ordered the Egg's Benedict with Bacon, one of his favorites. I got the Fumati, which is eggs scrambled with smoked salmon, and was so yummy. A couple of us ordered their cold-pressed juices, which was quite tasty and refreshing. Great place to stop for a bite if you're staying in New Farm or vicinity. It's right on the 196 and 199 bus lines if you're not walkable, so easy to get to from elsewhere in town.

A delightful approach to brunch with an Italian twist! We received two beautifully arranged plates…read morewith amazingly delicious and huge portions. The biggest complaint I had was the pesto was so delicious I wish I had more... Hubby's breakfast with peppers, onions, and poached eggs was luxurious in a delicious sauce and accompanied with perfectly grilled bread, crispy but still tender inside. The iced tea was slightly sweet with a nice twist in flavor. Would definitely go back just to try more amazing options. After brunch we wandered through the little store & got osso Buco ravioli, Napoli sauce, meatballs, and roasted veg... All were a wonderful dinner.

Ismail's Discount Halal Meats is one of the only halal butchers in the inner city of Brisbane. I…read moreknow there are a number of halal shops and butchers on the south side of town (Underwood, Sunnybank, Mt Gravatt), but Ismail's is the only one I know of in the city or Valley or inner suburbs. Located in the McWhirter Building, Ismail's Discount Halal Meats stocks a great range of chicken and beef sausages that are extremely tasty. They also stock beef salami and mortadella, which is very hard to get from most of the regular butchers or delis. My husband doesn't eat pork, so we're constantly on the look out for alternative deli/sandwich meats. The staff are always friendly and accommodating to any specific requests you have. We've asked them to cut the leg of lamb or rump steak a certain way, depending on what the recipe calls for.

Ismail's Discount Halal Meats is one of the original tenants of McWhirters, they were there long…read morebefore the apartments! The reason they survive is they know their niche and they fill it. They have all sorts of halal meats and meat products, and are traditional butchers in that they will offer advice on cuts and debone etc if you ask. It can be a less than inviting environment for a white girl on a summers day, but I guess that's more about respecting cultural appropriateness than anything else.

I love consistency. I can always count on finding exactly what I'm looking for when I find…read moreWoolworth's!

Even on vacation I seem to spend a fair amount of time doing the "hunting and gathering" thing for…read morethe family. Being a city boy, I usually find a good food market to do my "gathering" and skip the whole "hunting" part altogether. Found this place about an hour after our arrival in Brisbane and, frankly, have been back here no less than 4-5 times is less than three days. I guess when you travel with a teenage boy and twin 4 yr olds, you spend most of your time at the grocery store buying drinks, snacks, meals, souvenirs (Vegemite), etc. Relatively small by U.S. Standards, but if you live in a city where space is at a premium, it's to be expected. VERY clean and organized. Prices are pretty fair, and I've noticed they offer some decent sale prices as well. The fruits and veggies were excellent. The staff were helpful, although since I mainly used their "self check-out" my interaction with humans was limited . . . However, one of the clerks did smile at me, or was it a smirk???? I'm sure I'll be back numerous times before we leave.