Melbury & Appleton – Muswell Hill
This gem of a place was recommended to me by my friend Joan Podel, and to be honest I wasn’t that keen on reviewing it at first. Why? Simply because in my experience this type of deli often leave the food out in the open for everyone and their kids to poke and sneeze into, they don’t even try and cover the food. In short, they aren’t always the cleanest of places, so I tend to stay well clear!
Nothing could have been further from the truth when I visited Melbury & Appleton in Muswell Hill. From the moment you walk through the door you can’t help but be impressed by the huge range of food and drinks. Not to mention the freezer section, home baking ingredients and the cheese counter. But I wasn’t here to buy cheese or frozen burgers for tomorrows dinner, I was here to try the famous Melbury Cake and a Latte!
The service was very friendly (but I did have to come clean about why I was taking photos). So after a long chat with the owner and breaking my RMB code by telling her why I wanted to take the photos, I settled down to try some of the Melbury Cake and a Latte. There is nice cake and then there is Melbury Cake, a fresh moist chocolate cake with vanilla cream icing. Apparently this is the one that everyone who works for Melbury & Appleton requests for their birthday.
Everything was properly covered and there were even signs asking people not to touch the produce, but instead to ask for assistance. There seems to be a trend in other establishments to go the other way and leave food uncovered which frustrates me to distraction. I’m glad the good people of Melbury & Appleton choose to keep their food covered over or wrapped up. On a final note, the seating area does get a little chilly, so take a jumper 
Melbury & Appleton, 271 Muswell Hill Broadway, London, N10 1DE
Our Rating:
Tags: Bistros, melbury and appleton, muswell hill, North London
May 30th, 2009 at 11:47 am
i have always enjoyed M&A, their range is very good, and i have spent much time and moneu on their cheeses, bread flour, meats & popcorn (comes in different colours. exciting.) and i have enjoyed conversations with the manager there on many occasions. which is why the experience i just had dissapointed me so much.
i am a regular customer, and 2 weeks ago i bought a not inexpensive (£25) can of extra virgin olive oil. i got it home, opened it and decanted some into my oil drizel bottle, and put the can into a cupboard.
a few days later i opened the cupboard to find oil all over it. the can was leaking from the weak point in the bottom where the can sides are sealed together. while sealed the vacuum in the can meant this weakness in the can had not leaked, but as soon as i opened it, and the vacuum released, it allowed the oil to leak out.
i would simply have to go and swap it for a new one.
i couldn’t go in the week as the shop is not open before or after i go/return from work, and the next weekend was not good either as, since it was a bank holiday, i had arranged to go to visit my brothers grave with my family for the first time since he was buried, so it would have to wait till the following weekend.
i went in today, and showed it to the manager, who essentially accused me of damaging the can. i showed her the weakness in the can, and explained how the vacuum had stopped it leaking before it was opened. she said “i doubt your story” she said “it was fine in the shop” she said “you bought that ages ago – at least two or three weeks ago” i explained it was 2 weekends before (i had the reciept!), and why i had not been in earlier to return it. she was rude and aggressive with me. she did agree to swap it, but kept stating that the can was fine in the shop, and that i must have done something. she kept making it sound like she was doing me a favour, that i didn’t deserve a new can, since this was clearly my own fault. i found it outragous. you simply do not speak to a customer like that. i was so angry that she kept insinuating that i had damaged the can was being unreasonable wanted a swap.
she has lost me as a customer now.
disgraceful. i am very upset by it.
June 9th, 2009 at 12:35 am
@victoria –
I think you are being very unfair here. The can was very dented when you returned it to us several weeks after you had purchased it, and only a little oil was missing from it. It was not dented when you purchased it – we take pride in our stock and ensure that goods are in pristine condition at the time of purchase. We have never heard of a vacuum-sealed can of olive oil.
This can had been on our shelf for a few weeks before you bought it and there was no evidence of it leaking on the shelf or onto items below it. This all suggests that the can was damaged after purchase.
We were very upset by your behaviour towards us. We certainly weren’t agressive, we just did not find your story plausible, despite this we did replace your oil without charge, even though you did not have a receipt, as we remembered you purchasing the oil.