Tognini’s

There is lots on offer in this small half coffee shop half deli. With an Italian flavour it’s hard to choose what to pick, catering for all times of the day. Breakfast, deli lunches or take away pre-​made pizzas, frozen pasta and soups.
Coffee is goooood, which makes for a good pit stop on the way to work, with parking right out the front.
A little on the pricey side with toast and (very) small coffee costing $ 10.50.

Quick caffeine fix needed on your way to work? Need a gourmet [insert food option here] for that glamorous dinner party you’re throwing this week? Then Tognini’s is the place for you. With various spots around the city, you’re sure never to be too far from this gourmet delight.
Truth be told, I’ve never stopped here for more than a quick coffee (and the raspberry muffins are some of the best in Brisbane. No, seriously!) but the café is always buzzing with people holding business meetings, mums and families.

Tognini’s is a deli and located in the Milton Centro shopping centre along Milton road. Although I can not rate this place’s café section; their deli section offers a sound range of meats, cheese and finger foods.
The fact that I live a few doors down from one of Brisbane’s best delis (Rosalie Gourmet Markets) makes a difference in my rating of Tognini’s. I find the place to be a little bit small, therefore they can not stock as much as it’s competitors. They still manage to offer a variety of cheeses and deli meets though but if you are after a wide selection of pantry good, it is fairly limited. One good thing about Tognini’s is that it is only a few doors down from IGA so it is very convenient as you can head there after doing your groceries.
There is nothing wrong with Tognini’s. If you are after looking for a deli in Milton area than it is a great option.

I love a good deli where you can barely move down the aisle because it’s packed with people. It’s always a good sign that they’re selling good produce. And this is exactly what it’s like in Tognini’s in Milton.
Similar to the Tognini’s in Spring Hill and Fortitude Valley, they serve up delicious coffees and freshly squeezed juices throughout the day, as well as a selection of divine looking muffins and cakes. There’s also a breakfast and lunch menu featuring a large variety of the deli products for sale.
But the main drawcard here is the huge amount of antipasti-​style items. I’m talking cheeses, cold cuts, sun dried tomatoes and one of the largest assortment of olives I’ve seen this side of the equator. On top of that there’s crackers, pasta, frozen already-​baked pastas, gourmet muesli, sauces, fig and pomegranate jam and chocolates.

When delis were a rare thing in Brisbane, Tognini’s was the place to be. I can remember coming here often as a child and the kindly Italian Nonna used to give me a handful of Smarties. Sometime in the 90s, Tognini’s changed hands and I never saw Nonna again, but I still frequented Tognini’s while my Dad stocked up on cheeses, deli meats, and other gourmet goodies that you couldn’t find anywhere else.
As the new millennium dawned and we all survived the dreaded Y2K, Brisbane’s deli scene was blossoming as new delis popped up everywhere. When Tognini’s opened new branches at the Cultural Centre and in Spring Hill, their prices went up and with the crop of new delis in competition with them this makes them less appealing than they used to be.
Tognini’s Milton is still a great deli with a wonderful variety of gourmet foods and you can get a good coffee and snack there. Some of the salads in their cabinet are really tasty and their breakfasts are good. I still go to Tognini’s if I’m in the area, but it’s prices and the range of other delis around mean that it’s no longer my number one choice, especially since there’s no Nonna or free smarties anymore.