Maloneys Grocer

Out and about in Coog, killing time between appointments and in dire need of a late lunch and an arvo coffee fix. It’s a beautiful day — perfect for some alfresco beachside dining. I know there’s a gourmet grocer here somewhere. I bought organic bay leaves there once. Ah ha — Maloneys! Crammed with market fresh fruit and veg, gourmet groceries galore, specialty breads, organic delights, and a gourmet deli with loads of ready to eat morsels including plenty of gluten free options for wheat intolerants like moi. This is the kinda place that makes you wanna eat healthy, because everything looks so damn fresh and vibrant. I opt for one of the many ready made salads (which justifies my chocolate loaded mocha, right?) Persian Rice salad to be precise — loaded to the hilt with little exotic goodies, and fresh as it gets… partnered with a mean Lavazza mocha — up there with the best of them. Staff are super duper friendly, helpful and chatty. And I wonder down to the beach with a little spring in my afternoon step. Pick your park bench — be careful to avoid bird crap and bums. There’s a dude on the bongos, gentle sea breeze in my hair, and the warmth of the sun on my pasty ‘wintrified’ skin. Clearly the way to go if you’re killin’ time in the Bay.

The pyramids of oranges, lemons, apples and pears leap out at you from Maloneys. So much cleaner, better presented and well stocked with delicious delicacies that many other Australian supermarkets, it is a pleasure to go grocery shopping here. Plastic tubs of dried fruits and nuts tower on one side of the entry, and fruit and veg on the other. Rows of uniform leeks, beetroots and carrots are crying out to be whizzed up into soups or sizzled into stir fries.
I could spend hours exploring their shelves laden with organic oats, lentils, muesli and all manner of other amazing produce. The emphasis here is very much Australian, and they have a wide selection of organic goods here too.
What makes Maloneys extra-​special is their staff. Extremely friendly and chatty, helpful and efficient. When I reached the checkout, the guy serving me recommended that I buy a different type of passion fruit which was on special offer, thereby saving me about $ 3. He also helped me pick the ripest avocados and was extremely friendly. I think a shopping experience at Maloneys can best be epitomised by the jar of free sweets they have sitting at each checkout, and the fact they didn’t mind that I took two.