Down the industrial eastern end of Tuam Street in an old brickery is a secluded slice of Italy. A half and half slice, to be precise – a feast for the eyes on one side, taste on the other (and smell all over). Olive-leaf green window frames enclose the colosseum-esque space that is the Mediterranean Food Company; along with the Italian tunes gracing your ears you’d be forgiven for thinking that you were on a different continent.

The red Vespa parked in the courtyard is a friendly beacon and an indication of what lies inside; authentic, quality Italian goods. Canned tomatoes, pasta, flour and wine, to name but a few staples, line the shelves, while the deli fridge is stocked with a generous selection of European cured meats and cheeses. And let’s not forget about the pizza dough. The other half of the Mediterranean Food Co. is a café/pizzeria, where the house-made northern-Italian style pizza dough is the base for crafting their authentic Italian pizza. The sourdough culture used in the dough has a reputation of its own – it is 18 years old and counting. Individual portions of the dough are even available to purchase. Keep the ball rolling by picking up some Italian mozzarella and Sicilian tomatoes from the grocer to (re)create the taste in your own home.

What started as a small Italian-import business has grown into Christchurch’s go-to European grocer and eatery, family-owned and on the scene for over two decades. The Mediterranean Food Co. has a second shop in Riverside Market where they sell grocery and deli items (and yes, the pizza dough too). Nationwide shipping is available, so anyone can get a Mediterranean food fix from the comfort of their kiwi couch.

With a (sourdough) culture that is almost as old as the supermarket itself, the Mediterranean Food Co. is a European food experience like no other. One that is only getting better with age.