Oh So Deli

For those unfamiliar with Woodlands Shopping Centre, Oh So Deli might be tricky to find the first time you look for it. But for those in the local area, the space has long been something of a destination.

It was previously the Village Patisserie, an important pillar of the local community. But when owner Joel Lutz, a former manager of Offshoot Coffee first took over the space in 2021, locals kept stopping by to make sure the hot chips and thick shakes were sticking around.

Now the chips are hand-cut using royal blue potatoes and the thickshakes come in non-traditional flavours such as salted caramel and Fruit Loop milk cereal.

But the stars of the show are the made-to-order sandwiches that, like the fries and thickshakes, demonstrate little kitchen flourishes. The chicken katsu sando features a fried-to-order chicken cutlet and a Japanese-style slaw spiked with orange zest. A house-made confit tomato jam sits at the heart of the vegetarian eggplant parmy, as well as the meatball sub. The Reuben is packed with corned beef and a house-made Russian dressing.

The chef’s thinking is also applied to the toast menu. Toppings might include orange, mascarpone, berries and honey; or avocado with whipped feta, pickled beets and candied grapefruit. There’s a similar exactness to the coffee offering, too, with local roaster Timely Coffee supplying the beans.

While the 11-seat cafe is best described as cosy, the shopping centre is across the road from Jackadder Lake Reserve, a calming lake and parkland that has all the makings of an ideal picnic spot.