Melanie's Kitchen in South Gloucestershire

There are, arguably, two reasons to visit Downend. One is on a summer’s afternoon to watch Downend CC play cricket with the bar in full swing and plenty of boundaries being scored as the ground is relatively small; the other is to pay a visit to Melanie’s Kitchen. This delicatessen shop is a positive cornucopia of cheeses, bakery items, biscuits, chutneys, artisan breads etc etc. The man who serves at the cheese counter (who I assume is not Melanie!) is a fountain of knowledge on local cheeses and knows all of the local cheese producers, when their cheeses are at their best and is happy to provide advice to ensure that you will leave well satisfied having enjoyed a sensory and culinary experience second to none. It’s full marks from me.

Went in for lunch, and the staff were so friendly. The food was wonderful and freshly cooked. The deli is well stocked at very reasonable prices.

I've tried most of their cakesNever disappointed - sevwd with a tea in a real china cup and always a friendly welcomeSerioulsybimlressive Delhi range of jars and teas and grains and flours and .....Worth a visit, enjoy tea and cake and marvel at the wall to wall goods to buy and take home

Haven't been here for a while as I always find the staff particularly cold and unfriendly - to the point of being rude. Popped in today thinking things may have improved and wanting to support local small businesses only to find nothing has changed, barely an acknowledgement, no thank you and definitely no smiles. Don't understand this cold detached attitude, could be such a lovely little local deli, cafe if only they were friendly.

We really enjoyed lour toasties with salad on Friday. Also A good deli choice and tempting selection to take away. The Cornish Tregothnan estate tea was also delicious.

We had lunch here today. There were a small number of tables and plenty of deli food to browse whilst waiting for our order. The menu was a good mix of sandwiches, soups and other light offerings. The food was very well presented and delicious. The apple in the salad was particularly nice! Prices were reasonable.

Unfortunately wheelchair users can not use this shop as there is no ramp to the step and they said they will not be getting one.

I was pleased to have dropped in. Enjoyed the superior ingredients, condiments and the respectful and kind service at the table. A good place for a quiet stop in a busy day.

I agree with the other reviewers about the fact that the owner and staff were generally unfriendly and detached when I visited. The products on offer are really good so I expected the food to be of equal standard. Unfortunately, the vegetarian breakfast I ordered was extremely bland: the lentil cakes were burnt and unseasoned and there were no sauces or dressing on any of the food. Plus, the coffee was of poor quality which you wouldn't expect from a deli but the main reason why I would be reluctant to return is the unfriendliness of the staff.

Deli items are good quality. I often go in but the man serving is miserable and he never smiles. I can't believe he doesn't know what good customer service should be. When I ask questions about food items he seems reluctant to answer. I always tell myself I won't go back because he is so unfriendly and barely says thank you , even when I have spent quite a lot of money. Such a shame as the speciality food items are great.

Lots of choice of good quality foodstuffs, gift ideas, bakery products, with a very nice little cafe featuring Mels home cooked food, well worth a visit.

I often visit Melanie's Kitchen to buy treats and special ingredients. Today I had lunch there with my toddler daughter. The food and service were fantastic - simple enough, but all the ingredients are high quality. It's clean, calm and peaceful. My daughter sat in their highchair and enjoyed looking around. I've never see her devour a ham sandwich so vigorously - she really enjoyed it. Our families live hundred of miles away and they always find time to pop in when they visit.

Unfortunately it is the only place to sell half decent bread in Downend so I reluctantly part with my money occassionally. I'm amazed by the other reviews as find the staff incredibly unfriendly as do others I have spoken to in the area. You would think after a couple of years of shopping there they might crack a smile to their locals. Im going to be making the short extra walk to staple hill bakery!

Kind friendly staff who make you welcome and seek to personalise care. Pop in regularly for a pit stop of different kinds depending on company and weather. Today again a lovely pleasant welcome and mix of all sorts of food. A top place.

We decided to have a quick cola while we cooled down from our walk, we were not really hungry but we decided to try their olives! Lovely! Great choice, staff are always friendly and knowledgeable, definitely coming back soon!

This is a great place for a fairly light, cafe-style lunch. The food is fairly simple (toasted sandwiches, soup, quiche, that kind of thing...) but always tasty, often served with the same fresh ingredients that are available in the delicatessen of which this is a part. The shop is popular locally and understandably so with a good range of treats as well as more everyday items such as fresh bread. Friendly too. Well worth a visit if you are in the area.

A really good deli which helps to bring life to a village cut in half by the very busy Badminton Road & drained by nearby supermarkets

Excellent service by friendly staff, food is locally sourced & organic. A deli style shop & cafe that serves food & drink. Good for a quick coffee or a tasty meal.Happy to acccommodate babies & young children. Also good for food intolerances & allergies as everything is home made or made by local small businesses. The staff know about their stock & menu.