Queen Vic Deli is more than a business – it’s a family legacy

For Faye Konstantinidis, owner of Queen Vic Deli at Melbourne’s iconic Queen Victoria Market (QVM) running a deli isn’t just work – it’s a part of her family history.

“I’ve been in the market my entire life,” Faye said.

Up until around the age of 14, we used to shop there after school on a Friday night. We’d finish school at 3.30, get in the Monaro, and the whole family would drive to the market and do a family shop.

It’s a tradition that unexpectedly shaped her future.

“Interestingly enough, my shop, the one I own now, is the shop we used to shop at,” Faye told CBD News.

“I had no intention of buying a deli or getting involved in anything like that. It just happened.”

Faye’s parents, Greek migrants, first stepped into the market trade in the late ‘80s.

“My father, being of Greek background, was like a lot of migrants back then – he wanted to have his own business,” she said.

“They were factory workers, and they went from the factory straight into a deli. They knew nothing about delis back then.”

Her mother eventually bought a small deli across from the shop that would later become Faye’s own.

“That was our first foothold in the market in terms of owning our own business.”

When Faye returned from travelling overseas in her 20s, she jumped back behind the counter to help her mother.

Then in 1996, Faye bought the very deli where she and her family had once shopped.

“And I’m still there,” she added proudly.

“It was a lot of hard work, but it was worth it. Our world basically became the market in many ways.”

Today, Faye’s Queen Vic Deli is known for its specialty products and personal touch.

“I try and sell little bits and pieces that people can’t find in other places,” she said.

“I’ve got fresh truffles, plus truffle products when fresh truffles are unavailable – honey, salt, mustards, oils. Apart from that, I’ll sell things like smoked anchovies, which are very uncommon.”

Much of what she stocks or makes comes straight from her own backyard, with gardening being her second love.

“I make homemade tzatziki, panforte, rocky road, and preserved lemons from my garden. When I’m marinating the olives, we bring rosemary and lemons from home.”

With truffle season in full swing, QVM and Queen Vic Deli have become the city’s go-to destinations for all things truffle.

“Every week, we’ll get two deliveries of truffles,” Faye said.

“They vary from $30 up to $160, depending on the size. I recommend just shaving them on top of a pasta dish with a bit of Reggiano and olive oil.”

After decades at QVM, Faye says it’s the people that make it so special.

“My favourite part about it is the customers, definitely. I love the vibrance, I love the customers. I really love the old customers I’ve known for nearly 30 years – and then I see their kids, and I see the kids having kids – it’s very special.”

It’s a legacy she hopes will continue for future generations.

“I want to make sure that we keep the markets alive. They’re like little diamonds that we’ve got to look after,” she told CBD News.

“It’s not just shopping – it’s socialsing, it’s interacting, it’s having good quality food at your fingertips. There’s a huge difference between what the market sells and what you get in other places.”

And for Faye, that difference is worth every early morning behind the counter.

“I love everything about the market.” •