About us

In December 2020, Paul and I moved to Tavistock after 25 years in Australia. It seemed just as we were starting to feel settled in (pandemic and all!) the opportunity to take on the deli came up.

Good timing, fortune, or fate we don’t know but we found my food home here at De la Torre’s.

I started my career in food retail but inexplicably took a diversion into a long corporate career in advertising and marketing. All through that time my passion for great food grew, and cooking, eating, sharing food with friends, sourcing food, researching recipes and chefs, and travelling took up all my free time. Putting this into practice was always my plan.

We thank Martin and Mary for entrusting De la Torre’s to us and for all the love and hard work they have invested over their ownership. We are also indebted to the original founders, Penny and Luis who established the business over 20 years ago.

PASSION & PROVENANCE

We work with suppliers who source from family-run, small scale producers as well as the best quality speciality importers.

Herbs and vegetables are sourced locally wherever possible, and we always have a supply of Spanish garlic.

Many of our products are AOP or DOP (Protected Destination of Origin) certificated or have been given a Great Taste Award.

CARBON AND COMMUNITY

Our deli pots are biodegradable and compostable, as well as reusable and recyclable. You're welcome to bring in your own clean containers to refill with our Italian extra virgin olive oil. And if you're looking for an interesting planter for the garden, have one (or more) of our empty olive or oil cans - just share a picture of what your grow!

Our waste oil is turned into biofuel and we partner with local businesses to keep local money local.

We celebrate diverse food cultures and are delighted to bring you the pleasure of finding out about and eating produce from all around the Mediterranean - north and south - right here, in Devon.

TRADITION

Luis and Penny de la Torre's started their olive venture back in 2001 with a table stall in the heritage Tavistock Pannier Market. They graduated to one of the lock-ups and then moved to the current shop premises in The Market perimeter in 2010.

They passed the baton on in 2019 to Martin and Mary who nurtured and expanded the business, flourishing through the pandemic years.

We are forever grateful to our predecessors and hope to continue the traditions so well established.