Rob Roy Deli & Drinks in Tweed Heads has your holiday sipping and snacking sorted
Cheese boarding has become somewhat of a competitive sport and – if we’re being totally honest – we’re here for it. Gone are the days of chunky rounds of supermarket salami nestled next to some mass-produced cheese, now, it’s delicate strands of prosciutto and perfectly placed piles of pistachio-peppered mortadella, artisan crackers and locally made cheese that’s bursting with flavour and character. It’s a no-brainer. If you too appreciate a solid offering of charcuterie and fancy a sip, you’re going to love the cut of Rob Roy Deli & Drinks’ jib. The Tweed Heads local is approaching its first birthday and if you’re yet to make the pilgrimage south in search of cheese, wine and all things fine, consider this the sign you’ve been waiting for …
Selecting wine (and cheese, for that matter) can be a daunting task if you’re not necessarily ‘in the know’. From overly lofty tasting notes to unheard-of varietals from somewhere equally as unheard of – it can be a bit overwhelming. This is where Rob Roy Deli & Drinks comes in. The boutique bottle shop and deli is here to help you navigate the wild world of wine in the most enjoyable way possible – whether you’re fond of a punchy pet-nat, a funky orange wine or an easy-drinking red. There’s something for every palette with a strong lean toward organic and bio-dynamic drops and a focus on small producers and interesting grape varieties that you won’t find in your local bottle-o. The store’s eclectic collection is curated by the team’s own expert sommelier Lyndon Ridgway-Browne, whose resume includes a stint at the hatted Paper Daisy restaurant. While some people have a photographic memory, Lyndon’s superpower is remembering taste in incredible detail. Rob Roy Deli & Drinks also offers a wide range of boutique brews that are available by the tin, or you can curate your own six-pack, and a scattering of spirits.
Joining Lyndon at the helm of Rob Roy is a motley crew of hospitality folk that includes Sam Saulwick, Paul Giddings and Tom Scott from Bread Social, alongside Adam Vaughan, the venue’s own chef and production manager, deli master Steve and Isaac, who curates the beer and spirit offering. Drawing upon their collective and vast experience in the food industry, the team has dug deep to create a range of smallgoods, pantry staples, ready-made meals to heat and eat as well as an array of cheeses, salt rubs, pickles, preserves and picnic essentials that uphold the venue’s strong ethos of supporting local farms and producers. Every product that has made its way onto a shelf here has been tried, tested and genuinely enjoyed by the team. “You can pick any bottle off the shelf and know that it’s something that we would drink,” Adam says. “Everything here is something that we would gladly hand our card over for, it gives us the ability to give people the information about the product that can inspire trust.”
If all of that drooling has left you ravenous, you’re in luck – the cabinet is filled with a selection of ready-made sandwiches. Rob Roy Deli & Drinks has delivered a fresh-faced bottle shop concept that is geared towards making the whole experience accessible, approachable and, above all, enjoyable. “I think people are hungry for that special experience you don’t get from major shops, [here] people can talk to you about the products you’re buying instead of wandering around picking things up and wondering if it’s good or shit. We’ll actually give you the low-down – you can safely pick up anything in here and know that we back it.” Adam says.
Ready to shop? Skip over to our Stumble Guide for opening times. Oh, and if you happen to be hosting Christmas, you can pre-order your spread (including booze) but you’d better be quick – orders close December 15.
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Gold Coast dining guide with more than 870 places to eat, drink, shop and play.