One of my favorite delis in the hills, always so friendly! I was originally told to try the hot…read moredogs (not normally what you'd call gourmet) which were delicious and good value. Now I've moved on to the pizzas. So many tasty combinations of flavors for such a little store! (and all served on a little tray with a frilly little paper doylie thingy!) The whole experience oozes that old country town charm, even though you're only minutes from the freeway. The coffee's not bad either.

We used to visit the Heathfield Deli (as it was known) back when we were kids to grab bags of…read morelollies, soft drink and the occassional pie on the way home from school. Now we go there for milk, the paper and a gourmet hot dog or foccacia. The Deli was bought up and re-done by a young family a few years ago. Now it caters not only for passing school kids (the lollies are still there) and local hills residents, but for the recently landed cosmopolitan gentry in the hills. You don't need to fly down the freeway for a good coffee anymore, or even make the short trek to Stirling when you live around the corner from the Gourmet General Store. Regular general store products (milk, bread, toilet roll and other domestic necessities) are supplemented here by the 'gourmet' menu and products on offer. It's a bit schizophrenic as far as setups go, but the prices aren't prohibitive and it works. It seems odd to find a 'gourmet' general store tucked away on semi-rural Longwood Road in the Adelaide Hills. Indeed, it's odd to see the adjective 'gourmet' in front of the phrase general store, but there it is.

Rad little shop & post office. Really good selection of reasonably priced freshly made rolls for…read moresuch a small shop, not too bad coffee either. I often try to get there for lunch, when upon ordering, the lady at the counter sighs as if you've just asked for a 3 course meal rather than a humble roll. To the uninitiated it might seem your purchase is not appreciated, but really it's all just part of the experience! By the time the roll is made (which isn't very long at all), the attitude is improved and you leave feeling somehow lifted by the experience. There's something about small general stores and delis, they're often more about the familiar, friendly people who serve you rather than the appearance or layout, and the Bridgewater Store is no exception.

My favourite supermarket in the hills for range, price, friendliness and convenience…read more I wasn't a fan of the store layout at first, but it's grown on me. The checkout area, with it's huge glass windows and high ceilings feels like you're in an airport. And just like at the airport, I always feel as if I'm forgetting something. I like seeing the wide range of local, South Australian and Australian products. Some might think three different sections dedicated to cheese throughout the store is too many, but is there really such a thing as too much cheese? Probably. But only if you eat it all at once.

Foodland Supermarkets are something for South Australian's to be proud about. Really, I think it…read moretakes a strong business model and a very proud and loyal following to stand up to other corporate giant's in the supermarket business in Australia. As for the Romeo group who owns the Foodland in Stirling, you need to go there to see why their business is thriving. Generally, you will find a lot of produce from around the world. They are very particular in offering quality products amongst bigger brand names. In particular, the Romeo group Foodlands have amazing cheese, bakery and vegetable sections. Everything is fresh and a lot of it is locally sourced. Apart from the cheese of course; they have a huge variety of some of the best cheeses from around the world. Be sure to speak to the staff about the cheese, they are very knowledgeable for a supermarket. As for the layout of this store, it is easy to navigate. It is new, clean and well stocked in a logical order. There is nothing worse when you spend a while having to walk up and down isles to find simple things like shredded coconut. I am one of those loyal customers of Foodland. I refuse to go to the larger supermarkets unless it is an emergency. Be sure to support a business that supports it's community by selling local produce.