As the town of Lake Park continues to put money and effort in its revitalization with new stores, small festivals, art galleries and a cleaned-up Lake Avenue, a small shop at the west end of Lake Avenue continues to concentrate on a simple equation: fresh ingredients and unique combinations equal great sandwiches.
Brown Baggin' It is a small, cool oasis, with two picnic tables outside, six tables inside and six seats at the counter. Ocean-blue tinted walls feature photos and prints, along with glassware and jewlery displayed on shelves (all locally made and for sale). A huge blackboard list the regular menu, along with daily specials. The tempting, house-made desserts (cookies, fudge and a changing specialty bread) are displayed on the counter. You may want to eat dessert first when you see them. Then again, after one of Brown Baggin's big sandwiches, you may have to ask for dessert to go.
Owners Joe, Leila and Brian put intelligence and passion into Baggin's creations: the combinations of meats, condiments and breads are different from what you will find at so many other sandwich shops. Try a Spicy Bird (turkey, adobo mayonnaise, tomato, cucumber, red onion and Cheddar cheese in a honey wheat tortilla), or a BLTT (bacon, lettuce, turkey and tomato with romaine and avocado mayo on a croissant). Their signature Big Brown Bag has a little of almost everything: turkey, roast beef, ham, American, Swiss and provolone cheeses, thousand island dressing, romaine, tomato and red onion packed onto sourdough bread. You can combine your sandwich and a side in the Beef & Slaw: roast beef with their house-made purple slaw, Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing on a baugette. The sandwiches are heavy on the fillings, and those that include the cabbage slaw can be a little messy to eat. Just ask for a few extra napkins and enjoy.
The shop also offers hummus, salads, a soup of the day (the soup is not on the summer menu) and a children's menu. Sandwiches come with a choice of a homemade side (potato, pasta, fruit, or cucumber red onion salad, or purple coleslaw) and their dressings are also homemade. Sandwiches range in price from $7 to $9 and salads and soups from $3 to $7. While these prices put them at the high end of the sandwich shop spectrum, two can easily share, or eat half and take half home. Brown' Baggin' It can pack anything on the menu to go, offers catering and delivery service, and has a sandwich card program (buy six and the seventh is free).
Lake Park's renaissance and renewal may be a work in progress, but there's nothing in progress at Brown Baggin' It except innovative, overstuffed sandwiches at a fair price.
Brown Baggin' it, 934 Park Avenue, Lake Park, FL 33403 Phone 561-842-2515. Fax: 561-584-8692. Open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Sunday.
Comments
So glad Brown Baggin' It is getting the recognition it deserves. I've been going there since it opened, and the sandwiches you get are definitely worth every penny. They're also very involved in the community, extremely friendly, and all around just good people. If you're a first timer, go and get the Pressed Roast Beef with a side of potato salad, and you'll be in there at least once a week after that!
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