Hector's Deli

Hector's Deli is a sandwich-focused bakery in Richmond, Melbourne, with a menu built around freshly made bread-based meals and a strong mix of classic deli flavours and more substantial fillings. The website says sandwiches are prepared each morning, with toasted options from 7am, fresh sandwiches from 8am and fried sandwiches from 11am. Breakfast is available until 10.30am, while coffee and a house spritz round out the drinks offering.

The toasted range includes the HCT, combining mortadella, provolone, mozzarella and tomato chutney on white sourdough, as well as a tuna melt with pickled green chilli, onion and melted American cheese on light rye. Beef & Pickles takes a more robust route with pastrami, cheese, mustard pickle spread, dill pickles and kraut. There is also a mushroom melt with roasted mushrooms, pickle mayo and two cheeses, giving the meat-free selection more substance than a simple side option.

For something crisp and filling, the fried sandwich menu centres on crumbed chicken schnitzel or mushroom served in steamed milk buns. The Spicy Fried Chicken adds American cheese, Buffalo sauce, ranch and pickles, while the Fried Mushroom pairs its crumbed filling with tarragon butter, lettuce and house sauce. Fresh sandwiches cover smoked pork shoulder, chicken salad, rare roast beef and hot honey salami. The vegan Salad sandwich combines spicy chickpea mix, vegetables and parsley pesto on house-baked rye, and a separate salad can be served with chicken, tuna or chickpea mix.

The menu suits a quick solo breakfast, a takeaway lunch or an easy stop with a small group, with enough variety for meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans. Dietary requirements and allergies should be discussed with the team before ordering; the website notes that alterations are not guaranteed and that gluten-free options are not currently available. Hector's Deli holds a 4.3 Google rating from 202 reviews.