IT MAY be tucked way in a tiny Rockdale street but that has not stopped Swallow Coffee gaining quite the following.
Owner Peter Bosevski has expanded into the building next door to open The Nest Deli, home to regional produce in NSW.
The Leader visited on the first day of trade to see produce from the south coast and the Southern Highlands and beyond.
Small Cow Farm cheeses from Robertson, Kangaroo Valley olives and olive oil, Pecora Dairy products, Snowy Mountains smoked trout, Norco milk from northern NSW, sauces from Outback Pride, chutneys and flatbreads were tempting.
Mr Bosevski said he would offer produce from different areas as the deli expanded and he hoped to travel to different farms to learn more.
‘‘We are educating people about regional foods and doing monthly events to learn about the product from the producer,’’ he said.
He said one of the original tenants of the building in the mid-1920s was a grocer, making a lovely symmetry with his new offering of fresh food.
Mr Bosevski is planning classes through the popular Laneway Learning system, which has the tagline ‘‘cheap, fun classes in anything and everything’’.
Swallow Coffee continues to serve its popular coffee range, sandwiches on Luxe bread, home-made baked goods and salads.
The Deli also had some excitement in its opening week with a freak accident at the bus stop outside the shop on Wednesday night where a bus tyre exploded, damaging the shop's window.
Mr Bosevski said ‘‘It could be a good sign — a blessing’’ and it was all cleared and business as usual by Thursday morning.
The Nest Deli, 1/7 Tramway Arcade, Rockdale.
Have you visited The Nest Deli? What did you think?
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