When you imagine a traditional deli, you might picture towers of pecorino, legs of prosciutto hanging from the ceiling, chalkboard menus advertising daily specials, and Italian nonnas in check aprons handing out salami samples. But with the recent uptick in interest in Korean food – from fried chicken to soju – the demand for spicy, sour delicacies is huge.

Enter: Yangga Korean Deli, the latest in a series of updated designer delis taking things to the next level. Part old-school Korean kitchen, part providore, this luminescent corner of Chatswood Chase has been busy with customers keen to experiment with Korean cuisine since it opened late last year.

When you step inside the modern space, fitted out with sleek glass and wooden accents, you’re instantly transported to South Korea’s capital city, Seoul. Staff can be spotted rolling out thick white dough to create fat, bouncy rice cakes for their homemade tteokbokki – a beloved Korean street food smothered in a spicy-sweet sauce – or slicing carrots and cabbage for their house-made kimchi. Open fridges, reminiscent of Korea's ubiquitous convenience stores, are packed with ready-made treats like Kimbap (Korean sushi) and a variety of moreish, house-made banchan (side dishes).

The atmosphere is casual, with a focus on ease. While you can grab a delicious on-the-go lunch, like the bestselling Miyeok Guk (that’s seaweed soup with beef), there’s also a wealth of side dishes to enhance your home cooking. From soy eggs – ideal for adding depth to soups or rice dishes – to Namul – veggies seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, and toasted sesame oil – each addition promises to pack a punch of flavour and flair your housemates will be begging you to share.

But the best part is the friendly staff, who are mostly members of the deli’s owners and operators, the Yang family. Always on hand to help, they’re not just selling food, they’re sharing their passion and knowledge to guide you through new tastes and traditions, the way a Deli should and always has. Stick around long enough and you might even encounter Jihye, the family matriarch, offering samples and chatting with customers, proudly sharing her culinary creations with the Chatswood Chase community. It’s a deli – undoubtedly – just done differently.