For the best chicken in the west, locals flock to Charcoal Chicken in Sunshine Marketplace. The store hatched in 1998 and owner John has been serving up mouth-watering chooks to loyal customers ever since.

John’s charcoal chickens are a delicious labour of love. His succulent birds have crispy flavoured skin and are stuffed to perfection.

The family-run chicken shop is a low-frill, no-fuss local treasure. Many of the customers greet John by name.

Although he does regular charcoal chicken, it’s the Filipino-style Spanish chicken the shop is known for. Marinated in garlicky sweet soy, sandwiched between two metal grills, and rotisseried slowly over smouldering charcoal.

His staff are worth their weight in chicken salt – which they shake generously on top of their crunchy chips. They pride themselves on providing great old-fashioned service and getting to know their many regular customers.

“I love training my staff and watching them flourish,” says John. “They never just wing it.”

Over the years he’s seen the centre change hands twice. “My favourite thing is seeing the locals grow into adulthood or become parents.”