Nouns Deli: A Nounish Experiment in Food and Community
What happens when a decentralized group of internet strangers funds a real-world sandwich shop?
Details
In Malvern, Victoria, Nouns Deli is doing something completely different. More than just a sandwich shop, it’s a real-world experiment in Nounish thinking, backed by a decentralized group of internet strangers who believed in a new kind of restaurant. Funded through Nouns, Nouns Deli blends digital art, NFT culture, and classic deli fare into something fresh, unique, and Nounish.
The project took shape with Proposal 254, which secured the funding to launch the first-ever Nounish IRL venue. The proposal funded the renovation and name-change from Stan’s Deli to Nouns Deli.
The deli team didn’t just build a restaurant that looks ‘cool.’ They’re engaging the local community to do good, providing food and cooking for the less fortunate while spreading the Nounish ethos.
The Nouns Deli team isn’t just serving sandwiches; it’s serving up a new blueprint for how blockchain projects can exist and impact the real world.
The Birth of a Nounish Food Brand
In September 2023, Proposal 254 passed with an ambitious goal: to rebrand an existing sandwich shop into the world’s first IRL Nounish food venue. The idea was spearheaded by 87Bones, a long-time member of the Nouns community who also happened to own Stan’s Deli, a well-regarded Melbourne sandwich shop.
Located at 248b Glenferrie Rd, Malvern, Nouns Deli officially opened its doors on February 1st, 2024 with a mission to serve “Better Between Bread.” The menu—featuring stacked sandwiches, burgers, and coffee—became the first-ever Nounish food experiment in the real world. Check out the menu on DoorDash.
Expanding the Vision
With the deli up and running, Proposal 557 — titled “Nouns Deli – Let’s Keep Cooking” — was passed to continue growing and proliferating Nouns’ presence through food, art, and community.
The new funding helped push Nouns Deli further into the culture, introducing:
- Art and NFT Collaborations – Bringing Web3 into the physical space.
- New Menu Innovations – Including collabs with NFT projects like Chimpers.
- Community Events & Engagements – IRL activations that merge food, art, and tech.
- Open-Source Recipes – Nouns Deli isn’t just serving up food; they’re providing open-source recipes anyone can take and use themselves through their CC0 Recipe Library.
That isn’t all — The Nouns Deli team also received one Noun so they can begin voting on proposals as a team, and embed themselves even deeper into Nouns, vote-by-vote.
One Year After Opening
In just under twelve months, Nouns Deli has welcomed over 45,000 guests, averaging around 870 visitors per week. Beyond foot traffic, the deli fulfilled 4,500 DoorDash orders, each one proudly featuring the Noggles, further spreading Nouns brand beyond the storefront.
Beyond its own walls, Nouns Deli has extended its reach by catering 8 external events for well-known brands such as Coinbase, Pudgy Oceania, CoinTree, FireBlocks, and Variety, introducing even more people to the Nounish ethos. Additionally, the deli has made community service a core part of its mission, raising over $6,000 for charity and completing 5 ‘Doing Good’ activations with organizations like Ronald McDonald House, FareShare, and FoodBank.
Open Source Recipes
Nouns Deli isn’t just serving up food, they’re providing open source recipes anyone can take and use themselves through their CC0 Recipe Library.
These recipes are commonly featured in the Nouns Deli “Better Between Bread” mini cooking series, found on YouTube:
Nouns Deli Artist Collaboration
The Deli is active onchain also — Engaging in a variety of collaborations with artists. These strategic collaborations keep Nouns Deli connected with its roots through onchain culture while driving real world impact.
Some notable collaborations that have happened so far include:
Timpers x Chimpers Burger
In April 2024, Nouns Deli teamed up with Timpers and the NFT project Chimpers to create a co-branded “Chimpers !CHOMP” burger. This wasn’t just a sandwich—it came with exclusive digital artwork from Timpers, a key Nouns artist and founder of Chimpers. Patrons who ordered the burger could also mint a limited-edition NFT, making it one of the first NFT-backed food items in Melbourne.
Gremplin’s “Deli Art #7” for Conservation
Another major collaboration came from Gremplin, one of the most respected artists in the NFT space (creator of CrypToadz and collaborator on the Nouns collection). His “Deli Art #7” piece was launched as a limited NFT to raise funds for conservation efforts for the Armoured Mist Frog, an endangered species.
Lambie Turns Painting into Digital Masterpiece
As the resident artist, Lambie has contributed detailed illustrations featured in Nouns Deli’s publications, underscoring the deli’s dedication to supporting local artists. One of her physical artworks, Banana Soft Split, was turned into an NFT and raffled off to one lucky winner.
Mr. Seaks for Charity
In a charitable initiative, Nouns Deli partnered with artist Mr. Seaks to create the ‘ParkD-Up’ illustration, raising funds for Ronald McDonald House.
Deadfellaz Halloween Collaboration
Psych from Deadfellez created an awesome piece of Halloween artwork for Nouns Deli. Each mint entered you into a raffle to win a Deadfellaz NFT.
Lachlan and His Bold Work
Renowned for his inspiration drawn from traditional sign painting and vintage signage, has carved a niche in the intersection of art and commerce with his unique visual storytelling. Teaming up with Nouns Deli and Lil Bevs Lachlan helps bring the visual identity of Nouns Deli and surrounding ventures to life. Check out his mint for Nouns deli.
These collaborations are featured on screens at the Deli where customers get a taste of onchain art and have the ability to mint each piece, proving that a restaurant backed by NFTs can be more than just a gimmick—it can be a cultural touchpoint.
The Bigger Picture of Nouns Deli
Nouns Deli proves that a restaurant can be more than just a profit-generating business. It can be a place to gather, to learn about Nouns, to create content, and to give back by helping feed the local community. It’s a real-world example of how a decentralized brand like Nouns can fund ventures that deliver tangible public goods. By combining food, community engagement, and creativity, Nouns Deli shows how onchain-powered projects can make a meaningful and lasting impact—both locally and beyond.
Media and Links
Website: https://nounsdeli.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nounsdeli/
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NounsDeliMelb
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NounsDeliMelb
https://www.theurbanlist.com/melbourne/a-list/nouns-deli
https://nouns-deli.wheree.com/menu
https://nftnow.com/news/chimpers-and-nouns-deli-team-up-for-web3-burgers-down-under
https://nftcalendar.io/news/chimpers-and-nouns-deli-to-launch-nft-backed-burgers
https://www.theurbanlist.com/melbourne/a-list/nouns-deli
https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/malvern/cafes/nouns-deli
https://www.theage.com.au/topic/nouns-deli-6grw
https://restaurantguru.com/Stans-Deli-Malvern
Funding Details & Timeline
- Proposal 254 – Funded the initial launch and rebranding of Nouns Deli for $202,761.
- Proposal 557 – Funded 12 months of growth, community activations, and brand expansion with $272,500 + 1 Noun.
The Team Behind the Deli
Nouns deli is the dream child of long time Nouner and contributor Guy Bentley (87Bones). Guy is a serial entrepreneur and veteran in the restaurant industry with many successful businesses under his belt.
Interested in collaborating with Nouns Deli, or hiring them for an upcoming event? Reach out via email, found on NounsDeli.com.