Spotlight on Al's.
In-house pastrami, Redbrick coffee, free batch-brew refills, and some of the best sandwiches you'll eat in the city. We're not too shy to say it.
Down on Alinga Street near the bus interchange, Al's Deli & Diner is our love letter to the classic New York deli, with a Canberra accent. It's meant to feel familiar the second you walk in: relaxed, unfussy, and quietly very good at one thing, feeding you well.
Green-and-white chequered tiles lead you past the counter to timber booths and walls covered in framed photos, each one a story from the crew or a mate of the venue. We didn't want a fit-out that felt designed. We wanted one that felt lived-in.
The menu's simple on purpose, and we sweat every detail. Sandwiches made fresh to order and built big, the pastrami sliced in-house, the bread always fresh, every combo balanced properly. The loaded chicken salad, the classic beef and pickle, a rotating special or two. No shortcuts, because that's the whole job.
We'll happily argue our chicken salad sandwich is the best in the city. Come in and tell us we're wrong.
The coffee pulls its weight too. We pour Redbrick, one of Canberra's best roasters, and the batch-brew refills are free, because that's just how a diner should treat you.
Mostly, though, it's the crew that makes it. Head chef Liam came across from the Bar Rochford kitchen and keeps the classics honest. Carla's been here since day one, turning out pastries every morning that are worth the trip on their own. And behind the machine, Fisho, years deep in Canberra's coffee scene, makes every cup easy. Sit under the arches or tuck into a booth, and we'll take care of the rest.