The idea for SOUL Deli - Sydney’s first Korean brunch café/deli - came from a spur-of-the-moment pivot.
When the nation went into the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 and husband-and-wife team chef Daero Lee and Illa Kim had to close their Surry Hills contemporary Korean restaurant SOUL Dining, they launched BOWL by SOUL to offer freshly made takeaway rice bowls. The pivot proved hugely popular with locals, many who returned daily, to enjoy the affordable and authentic Korean rice bowls (deopbap), homemade with fresh ingredients.
The ‘takeaway’ from the pivot for Daero and Illa was discovering their customers’ desire to make Korean food a part of everyday life, not just a restaurant experience. Plus a genuine interest in Korean food, culture and contemporary design. So when the lockdown ended and they reopened SOUL Dining, the pivot concept evolved into SOUL Deli their second venture together.
Daero and Illa have now opened SOUL Deli, situated near Taylor Square in the heart of Surry Hills on the corner of Campbell Street and Little Oxford Street. With a fresh look of all- white interiors with accents of black it is the perfect ‘canvas’ for showcasing their food. Posters depicting iconic Korean food and scenes, created by German-Korean designers Sunny Yang and Ohyun Kwon from Gute Form line the walls.
SOUL Deli has three distinct offerings: a café, a deli and a ‘store’.
Café
Open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and morning and afternoon teas
SOUL Deli’s café’s all-day eat-in and takeaway menu features a selection of unique Korean-Australian dishes, including brunch favourites ‘Koreanised’ by Korean ingredients such as Daero’s homemade tofu and kimchi varieties and sauces.
Daero and Illa enjoyed creating a casual menu by offering options:
You can creat your own dish from a selection of popular Australian brunch go-tos (eggs, bacon, avocado, hash browns, tomatoes), as well as Korean foods (e.g. spicy pork belly, beef short rib, kimchi).
Or you can add other ingredients: their smashed avo with white kimchi and sourdough gives diners the option of adding bacon, egg and/or feta; the house hotcakes - served Ottogi-style - can have bacon, hash brown, and/or KFC too (Korean Fried Chicken); and their Soybean stew with white kimchi can go from a light meal to a main event with the addition of spicy pork belly, poached egg, stir-fried kimchi.
And, of course, SOUL Deli features some of the popular BOWL by SOUL favourites including spicy pork belly, umamishroom, and the SOUL galbi bowl.
Drinks-wise, there’s takeaway coffee by Primary Coffee - from local Australian-Korean micro-roaster Dan Kim - Korean green tea and T2 varieties, jars of juices by local Surry Hills supplier Simon Says Juice and Korean soft drinks.
The deli: a traditional-style showcase of homemade and locally produced Korean food
A passionate chef with an extensive knowledge of contemporary and traditional regional Korean cuisine, Daero makes it easy for customers to create Korean food at home by offering high quality freshly made ingredients. Easy sous-vide meal and barbecue kits including his popular beef short rib in galbi jus, spicy pork belly, and garlic marinated chicken breast are available to take-away. For those new to Korean cooking, the deli’s dedicated team is on hand to provide advice on how to use products and give tips on ingredient pairings.
The deli has a Kimchi bar offering a selection of homemade kimchi, three in different ageing stages, and a fresh, seasonal kimchi, which are sealed in 500ml glass jars. The deli also offers homemade tofu, and varieties of homemade pickles, which are readied for taking home in 500ml glass jars, vegan chilli and bulgogi sauces (including their ‘goes with anything’ fermented chilli sauce), and snacks such as seaweed crackling and freshly baked scones.
Store
Food, fashion and homewares
The store section of SOUL Deli offers range of high quality ethically-sourced packaged Korean food products carefully chosen by Daero that are essential for creating Korean dishes at home, as well as iconic fun childhood favourites, which will be comfortingly familiar for Korean expats.
As Daero and Illa are passionate supporters of artists and designers from the local Korean-Australian community, the store also showcases fashion, art and homewares including the Bysin range by Australian-Korean fashion designer Stella Sin, and Misty Island ceramics and pottery by artist Woochang Kim.
SOUL Deli
185 Campbell Street, Surry Hills
Open: Wednesdays to Sundays, 7am to 4pm