Britain’s Best Delis: Arcadia, Belfast

With its high-end independent boutiques, historic properties, incredible food scene and street art, Belfast’s Lisburn Road is one of the hottest addresses in Northern Ireland.

Part of the ‘golden mile’ into the city, it’s the place to people-watch and be seen, especially on a bustling weekend.

And it’s also home to one of Belfast’s oldest food and drink businesses – Arcadia – a fantastic example of how one generation can inspire the next, and how food retail has evolved, adapted and grown over many decades.

To step over the threshold at Arcadia, is to instantly immerse yourself in a world of deliciousness. A serve over counter (running the length of the shop) brims with olives, antipasti, charcuterie, savouries and salads, sitting alongside a dizzying array of cheeses – many sourced locally. And tall shelves and chillers burst with a taste of Northern Ireland and beyond. No matter where you lay your eyes, there’s something to tantalise the taste buds.

Incredibly, Arcadia has been open, in the very same spot, for more than 90 years, run by the same family. Third generation owners Mark and Laura Brown say they’re immensely proud to have taken on the baton of running the shop 25 years ago, continuing the family legacy.

“The shop opened in 1933,” explains Laura. “Mark’s grandmother will have worked behind the same counter he works behind! Initially it was a bakery, which morphed into a general food store, which then morphed into bringing in ‘exotic’ Bries and things in the 60s! People would go on holiday, and come back saying, ‘I had this lovely cheese’, or ‘I ate these fantastic olives’, and Mark’s father would try to get them in for customers. That’s how it all snowballed to what we have today.”

Changing times

Mark took over Arcadia from his dad William in 2007 – though you’ll often still find William, in his element, busily serving or stacking shelves.

Every generation has put their own stamp on the shop, Laura says, adding that one of their greatest joys has been not only embracing the latest food trends, adapting to changing tastes, but helping customers rediscover the pleasure of simple, local products, going back to basics. “Things we might have shied away from in the past – like dairy products. We’ve got really really good butter. And Northern Ireland wasn’t known for its cheeses, but in the last 15 years we’ve been making some lovely varieties. Then there are things like bacon. We’re so proud to sell them.”

As a 21st Century retailer, Laura adds there’s no getting away from technology and advancements, and it’s been her role to ensure Arcadia is platformed on social media, and has a presence online, largely led by what has become a very successful digital hamper service – one which makes a massive contribution to the shop’s bottom line. “It’s a difficult time for small independent retailers,” she says. “But what’s fantastic is that we are unique, one-off, and a labour of love essentially, so hampers have given us another income stream. People know they will get something a bit different from us. It is hard work, but the hampers are so well received and we’re really proud of them.”

An eclectic fan base

Having been a part of the local retail scene for nearly a century, Arcadia has a place in many people’s hearts, and continues to be visited by familiar faces, their children, and grandchildren. Its location also, naturally, attracts foodies new to the area, or visiting. “It’s a very traditional high street, and lots of our customers are people who walk out their doors and round the corner to see us,” Laura reveals. “We get lots of families particularly. I like to think they feel quite smug to have something like this at the end of their street.”

Tallying with what other indie retailers are telling us, Laura says younger shoppers are increasingly finding their way to Arcadia too, “because there’s that trend of going back to making from scratch, and wanting to use good ingredients. They see the value in that because it makes such a difference.”

Local matters

Supporting Northern Irish makers is exceptionally important to Laura, and there’s no part of Arcadia, no category, that doesn’t include something from the surrounding area. In the counter, cheeses like Ballylisk Triple Rose, Young Buck and Kearney Blue, and on the shelves Black Fire sauces, and Taste Joy peanut butter, for example.

Customers are actively seeking anything local, she says. “Especially in the current economic climate. They realise if they’re buying local, that money stays within the area, enhances all of our lives, and goes back to the producers who are growing food.”

A great deal of food and drink available at Arcadia is sourced from within a 20-mile radius of the shop. “So they know where it’s coming from. I think that’s pretty important in the current era of mass production where you don’t necessarily know where things were made a lot of the time.”

Customers are also, Laura continues, being economical, and watching their money. “They want to buy good things, and they’re picking quality over quantity and being careful with their spending.”

What makes a great deli?

You need to know your market, and know your customers, thinks Laura, to make it in the deli world. You also need to move with the times, and change and adapt alongside shoppers, as well as being on top of trends and recipes they’re seeing.

“Certain chefs might be talking about ingredients, like pomegranate molasses, or products you can’t get everywhere. We like to have all those things in stock, so if they’re making something at home that needs speciality ingredients, they know they can come to us.”

Speaking of trends, Laura has recognised a few tide shifts, including the leaning towards whole foods and ingredients that lend themselves to the health conscious. “We’ve bought in a lot more selection of beans and pulses – really good varieties and organic as well, which is something else people are talking about more.”

Ferments are high on customers’ priority lists as well. “It’s something they’re definitely talking about – their gut biome. We’ve got fresh fermented products from local makers which you just can’t get anywhere else. You won’t find them in your local supermarkets.

A passion project

Anyone running a food business will tell you it’s not a job, it’s a vocation. You really have to love what you do – and Mark and Laura are ‘all in’. What she loves most is the feedback they get, and the fact they’ve gotten to know so many regular customers. It’s a real community endeavour. “A lot of older shoppers come in. With all the self-service in shops nowadays, putting things through tills, there’s no personal experience anymore. But we know a lot of our customers by name, and would ask about their families. I think that’s something that’s underestimated in terms of small shops. You can have a chat, and there’s that social aspect to it. Loneliness is bigger than ever. People come in for a talk, and leave with a smile on their faces, which is really nice.”

Laura thinks this is something the government needs to be more aware of. More value needs to be associated with small high street retailers. “If we lose these shops, we lose that sense of community, and that’s something I am very personally aware of.”

A few favourites

Laura is drawn to so many products in the shop, but if she had to pull out her top picks, they include:

Bacon from Fermanagh – “We have a unique product from them called Black Bacon, It’s covered in treacle and all the good stuff!”

Abernethy Butter - “We really really like it. It comes in all different sorts of flavours. We’re so proud of our dairy products here.”

Lecale Harvest Confit Duck - “It’s such a good product, and it’s ambient. It doesn’t have to be refrigerated, but I always tend to have one in my fridge at home because you can pull it out, and it’s already cooked. I put it into a tomato base to make a really lovely duck ragu with our local Caparelli pasta for a quick, easy dish that looks homemade and sophisticated.