Delicatessen/specialist food shop

Anyone of a generation old enough to remember the widespread British hostility to garlic and other foreign 'muck' will rub their eyes with disbelief every time they go into one of the country's amazing new breed of delis and food halls. The deli boom offers us a rainbow-coloured, global pick 'n' mix culinary culture. We can eat the world, through an unprecedented choice of Mexican and Thai food, Mediterranean and Indian, Japanese and American foods, not to mention the pick of the gastronomic crop from our own shores.

Shopping has never been like this before. Fancy a Vietnamese pho? Simply go buy the noodles and fish sauce. Ready to bbq some spare ribs? Select a bottle of fiery, down-home Texan marinade. Throwing a pasta supper together? Buy some fresh tagliatelle, ready-made sauce and a wedge of proper Parmesan. Deli food covers all bases, but sometimes it's easy to feel as if you're drowning in a sea of chutney, fancy biscuit tins and obscure olive oils. Why do some delis simply do it better than others? How do you sort the good from the bad, because the simple fact is those are the ones to which you'll want to return.

A good start is to check if the deli is a member of the Guild of Fine Food Retailers, whose cause is to champion both the independent speciality retailer and producers of fine food. The relationship is important because both are two sides of the same coin, and because most deli shoppers want to be able to buy items that are exclusive to the independent sector, that can't be found in the supermarkets (such as many of the Great Taste Award winners, the Oscars of the artisan producer world). Small delis might not always be able to win on price, but they can score on quality, provenance, exclusivity and the enthusiasm and knowledge of their staff.

Delis that work well for their customers not only have great atmosphere, coherent layout, well-stocked shelves and clear labelling but they tempt and educate you with tastings, special promotions and customer offers. Sampling a Provencal olive may make you buy the jar; a slice of ham can open the way to discovering amazing Spanish charcuterie; trying a Welsh lemon curd may lay the foundation for lifelong addiction. The deli of today is an Aladdin's cave of delights; at last, they've put the deli back into delicious.

by Clarissa Hyman