Matt KeayThere are plenty of delights to be found down Fossgate way. Recently, more and more this street and its environs has evolved into a trendy area of the city, with the ever-popular Meltons Too, retro fashion at The Deep and Purple Haze, the quirky and inimitable Give A Dog A Bone and the inspiring Spring Espresso. Among the myriad cafes, bookshops and unusual shops there lies something worth shouting about; The Hairy Fig.
For the uninitiated, The Hairy Fig is an exciting and indispensable delicatessen in the centre of the city. Now, a deli is not usually something to get too excited about. We all of us like to purchase cheese and meats or oils and pastries, but more often than not that transaction is for the purpose of a special meal or a treat for lunch. Shopping at the Hairy Fig, however, is an event.
The shop is tiny, and believe me when I say it is packed with product. Everywhere you look, there is something more delicious and tempting. Jars and pots and bottles of varying size and shape and content line the shelves and sit expectantly in the windows. Fresh pasties and pastries accompany these goods, and look almost too good to eat (the sausage rolls are a personal favourite of mine).
The self-proclaimed ‘Purveyors of Fine Fodder’ are not just any ordinary deli, however. The food on offer represents a veritable smorgasbord of treats from around the world. The website (click here) boasts such artisan products as fois gras, truffles, truffle oil, juice, salt and honey, jamon and salamis, endless cheeses, exclusive chocolates, and a dazzling array of aged balsamic vinegars available ‘on tap’.
The list goes on. You would be hard pressed to enter the building with a grumbly in your tumbly and not leave it with something you will no doubt fail to resist unwrapping and having a cheeky bite of before you get home. In a world of fast food, easy dining and lazy diners, The Hairy Fig is providing a most necessary and important service; quality.
So, whether you’re preparing a special picnic, an indulgent lunch, or you’re out shopping and fancy an alternative to a high street pasty, get yourself to Fossgate and see what all the fuss is about.
