Expect "hardcore Italian" at Adelaide's latest sando stop, set to open in the eastern suburbs under the Bar Lune, Spread, Dolly and Fettle crew.

Sam Worrell-Thompson asks CityMag to meet him at Bar Lune as his new venture isn’t far away. He then says to look across The Parade and, in burning red, we spy a logo beaming Don’s Deli from a corner locale.

“[We’re] going real Cibo style — you know?” Sam says while looking across at Don’s Deli.

“Everyone says red sells, so let’s see if red sells.”

Don’s Deli is co-owned by Sam and Josh Dehaas who also own Spread, Dolly, Fettle and, of course, Bar Lune and should open in late March.

Despite Don’s Deli being a sandwich spot specialising in authentic Italian focaccias, the team assures us it’s much different from its sibling Spread.

“I think with Spread in terms of cuisines, we try and stay Mediterranean, but there’s not too many rules,” Sam says.

“Whereas this will just be hardcore Italian.”

The benefit of this is creating flavours “that people know”, while also being “cost-effective”.

Another factor differentiating the two sandwich bars is Don’s Deli’s simplicity.

“Don’s is I guess a more approachable sandwich bar [compared to] Spread — a little bit more playful,” Sam says.

“This will be real wholesome – quite classic.”

Part of the Spread offering

This trickles down to the interiors – or lack of. There’s no indoor seating, only a takeaway counter with a large menu behind it featuring what’s on offer for that day, a cabinet with pastries, and shelves for Dawn Patrol coffee and drinks.

Outside, there will be a large bench available for takeaway dining, with crates and seats scattered around the outdoor area which Sam describes as “seriously simple”.

They hope this simplicity will encourage a “relaxed offering and customer”.

“We tried to break this mould at Spread, [but] I don’t know if it’s just the areas we’re in,” Sam says.

“For here, there are no plates. There are no coffee cups. It’s a takeaway shop — you sit on crates.

“We have done this on a serious budget over there and that bench that you can see facing out towards us, that’s literally the only sort of money we’ve spent externally for now.

“We’ll come up with a game plan for some coverage in winter.”

What differentiates Don’s Deli from other sando eateries around Adelaide is its accessibility. Sam says he wants there to be “nothing over $16” on offer.

With a late March opening plan, the menu is not finalised. Sam does admit they are looking at including a “muffuletta” style focaccia.

“So you might go salami, ham, prosciutto provolone, and then an olive salad. So the olive salad would have like artichokes, peppers,” Sam says. “We do that just on Wednesdays over [at Spread] but that will probably be a walk-up starter over here full-time.”

“Your classics – mortadella, Stracciatella, pistachio, honey kind of vibe.”

Being a suburban spot, Sam understands their venture is a destination since Bar Lune is no different. He’s hoping being located near local schools will attract a regular daytime clientele for Don’s.

“We know the area well,” Sam says. “I went to Pembroke, Josh lives up the road. I guess we know this side of town a lot better as for what’s going on,” Sam says.

“There’s a sandwich bar on The Parade, Rodeo, but that’s about it this side of town.

“[There’s] Frankly Bagels just down across the road from Fettle [on Magill Road] — that’s awesome, that pumps. But still probably far enough away that if people were on foot, this is kind of isolated.”

Sam says the location will give the eastern suburbs a taste of Melbourne’s traditional takeaway sando culture like Piccolo Panini Bar and Hugo’s Deli.

Sam says Melbourne is ahead of Adelaide in terms of how they value hospitality ventures.

“Adelaide gets so caught up in the aesthetics, but do they deliver on service?” Sam says.

“I would rather that money go into the service, you know? We’re miles behind Melbourne.

“They’re about products. They’re about good staff. And it’s not about the shiny new toy which is good.”

We ask Sam why this new venture is titled Don’s Deli, and he laughs.

“So with the boys, I call myself Don [and] Donnie. So every time I do a deal or hire a good staff member or whatever, I say ‘Don’s done another deal,’” Sam says.

Don’s Deli is located at 324 The Parade, Kensington with a late March launch planned.

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