Britain’s Best Delis: Delilah Fine Foods in Nottingham

When Nottingham’s Delilah Fine Foods first opened its doors in 2005, founder Sangita Tryner had no previous experience of running a deli–just a deep love of food, a clear sense that something was missing from the city and the determination to make it happen.

The idea had been years in the making. After around a decade working in the food industry, she had learned not only how to taste food properly but also how much food matters to consumers. A visit to Valvona & Crolla, with its ladders, bustling atmosphere and family feel–a taste of the magic a brilliant food emporium can showcase–provided the inspiration for her own retail establishment.

“I fell in love,” she recalls. “I did some market research in Nottingham and there was a gap in the market. There was nothing like it.”

Creating magic

Turning that idea into reality was considerably harder. As a first-time business owner with no property or retail background, she spent around 18 months trying to persuade someone to give her a premises. Eventually, with the support of her husband Rick, she opened Delilah Fine Foods in a modest 1,000 square foot unit.

The limitations were considerable, but so was the ambition. The space had to accommodate the deli, coffee service, breakfast and kitchen, while the concept itself was built around a simple principle: showcasing exceptional food and the people who make it.

“I just wanted to showcase the amazing people that make the food and drink we sell, getting them in front of people who have never seen something like it,” she says.

That focus remains at the heart of Delilah’s USP. It is not simply a shop selling premium cheese, charcuterie and other speciality foods; it is a place designed to make those products accessible, exciting and part of an experience. “Tastings, a visible cheese and meat counter, café food and events all connect the retail and hospitality sides of the business,” she explains.

Sangita also credits the independent food community with helping shape the operation. She sought advice from established retailers, spent time working behind the counter at a Nottingham farm shop, and took inspiration from tasting bars elsewhere. “I cobbled all these things I loved from other destinations together and Delilah was born.”

A risk that paid off

The original premises eventually became a victim of its own success. “At Christmas, queues formed at the door, with customers waiting for one of the handful of seats to become available,” she explains.

With the business already operating seven days a week, producinghampers and supplying Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, there was little room to increase revenue; the team and space were at capacity. “Then the landlord increased the rent by £20,000,” she continues. “The answer was either to move or close.”

The solution was an old bank building in the city centre, which had been empty for around 12 years, was enormous compared with the original deli and was difficult to see into from the street. “Buying it meant taking a huge financial risk at the height of the recession, but the building offered something the original site never could: room to grow,” she says.

The new Delilah Fine Foods site incorporated five apartments upstairs–providing additional financial security–while the ground floor became a 70-cover destination combining deli, café and food bar.

“The move transformed our customer base,” says Sangita. “Regulars followed while students, their families and new visitors also discovered us.” The building evolved, too: large windows were designed to make the space welcoming and transparent, allowing passers-by to see people drinking coffee and enjoying food rather than wondering what was inside.

People at its heart

Today, the concept remains deliberately broad. “There are spaces for solo customers at the bar, and
tables for groups and food woven throughout the building,” she says.

“Crucially, the deli has not been sacrificed for the sake of hospitality. Nothing goes on the menu without having at least three or four ingredients from the deli.”

That philosophy extends to the events programme, including elaborate food and wine evenings hosted by Rick, Sangita’s husband, who brings a decade of experience in the wine industry to the table.

But perhaps Delilah’s most important USP is less tangible: its people. Sangita believes customers return because of the personalities behind the counter, and the business has invested in developing its team, bringing new ideas and energy to the business, to the delight of all.

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