Pickett’s Deli & Rotisserie

This is chef Scott Pickett’s first non-restaurant; a 36-seat deli and wine bar at Queen Victoria Market. It’s a much more casual concept than his other venues, fine diners Estelle by Scott Pickett (ESP), Estelle Bistro and Saint Crispin.

Pickett’s Deli & Rotisserie is no run-of-the-mill diner. It’s modelled on something you’d find in either New York or Paris, with marble counters, high ceilings and a herringbone-patterned wooden floor. At its centre sits a giant rotisserie.

It functions both as an all-day eatery and general store, where you can stop for breakfast (house-set yoghurt, fruit, rice pudding, muesli), lunch (sandwiches and salads), dinner, a glass of wine, oysters and charcuterie. Or you can pop in and pick up a bottle of wine, house-made pickles and preserves, a roast chicken – anything – to take away.

Chef Aaron Brodie from Estelle runs the kitchen. The rotisserie is the main focus with Milawa, Bannockburn and Saskia Beer chickens (the latter to order, stuffed with truffle butter). Other meats, including duck, beef and the house-cured and smoked bacon are cooked in the rotisserie, too.

The wine list is by James Dossan, sommelier at ESP, and Aaron King, who was also at ESP but is now managing Pickett’s Deli. Coffee is by Dukes Coffee Roasters.