Browns Delights

I took a wee trip around Hyde Park the other day and decided to pop in here to grab a sandwich for lunch. It was entering the latter half of the day and there weren’t many people about so the shop wasn’t too busy. From the moment of entering you get the impression that this is a family run business; there was a lovely little girl sat at the table inside and her mother/​older sister was keeping and eye on her.
I wasn’t sure about what to get so had a we browse, and I must admit I am useless with spice, so opted for a beef roll rather than the more exotic Caribbean options. I spied some delicious looking cake slices and grabbed one of those too — they were a marzipan slice of some description with cream and jam inside! It was so nice that I kept it for later to enjoy with a cup of tea.
The whole shop had a community vibe about it, with most of the family seemingly in the back preparing food, and they had a hoard of local flyers and business cards on their counter and everything was laid back and down to earth. I’m sure that business must boom during the student months, especially since they offer lunch for under a fiver! A very reasonable price for some homely offerings.

This business seems to be in a transition phase. A until recently it had always been a bakery selling loaves and sandwiches to take-​away. Last time I checked it still did sandwiches but with a little bit extra — Caribbean food. The sign has changed and the outside walls have been painted to really catch your eye as mine was just passing by. Previously, it took me ages to notice there was a bakery there and even then I rarely went in. There was a sign in the window advertising curry goat and rice which is great as there is any overwhelming lack of Caribbean food in Hyde Park. Instead it is saturated with Indian and Pizza take-​aways.

Browns delights is one of those places that is nowhere near as well known as it should be. Up until about two months ago the place looked like a newsagents or a simple sandwich shop from the outside, but recently artists have been painting the surrounding outside walls with some great work, which has made the place look much more eye catching. Although I still think it could benefit from more marketing and advertising to get the place the full amount of custom it deserves.
It is run by a really friendly family, and a is true star at producing tasty grub. They sell gorgeous Carribean food, including a particularly mouth watering jerk chicken, but also a selection of sandwiches if you are hoping to eat on the move and not spill sauce all over yourself. A friend of mine has told me on more than one occasion to check out their baloney sandwich saying it is ‘well fit’.
In the summer they have a small array of outdoor seating so you can chill out and watch the world go by whilst eating which is always a plus. However one thing to watch out for is the awning, great for shading the outdoor munchers but is bit low so a possible hazard for the taller amongst us when standing up, so I’m told.

Brown’s delights is a fairly bizarre place at the weekends, I’ll go into that in a minute, but by day in the week it is a sandwhich shop.
It is not a restaurant, but a takeaway. And a Caribbean one at that. It sells Caribbean specialities such as curried goat, jerk chicken and rice and peas.
It is the only place of its kind in Hyde Park, and I think it is rare that people take time to give it a go.
The food is fantastic and a brilliant change to the regular fast food options of chinese, indian curry, pizza or burgers.
I once went on a Sunday afternoon to get me some goat, and the entire family was sat in shop, having a natter and a cuppa. I was nervous and ordered from the door, and went back to pick it up about half an hour later. It was quite nice to see an entire group of people chatting away, as if it were a coffee meeting, despite the fact I did feel like I was imposing on a family event. The food though, really was a welcome change, conjurring up fond memories of carnival.