(*This is the first in a new column feature wherein I’ll be calling attention to all of the great things there are to see, do, buy, experience, eat, and drink, in Brown County. Welcome to 5 Things!)
By: Michael Bunker
The things I hear most commonly about downtown are that “everything is closed until Thursday,” and, “We don’t go downtown to eat lunch because no place is open.” Well, I’m here to dispel those myths.
Are there delicious and affordable places to eat lunch downtown every single weekday? Of course! And I’m here to help you find them. In fact, we felt bad that we couldn’t include more of our favorite spots in this column. But rules are rules! This is just one week in our lives, and there were many more choices we could have made. That only means I get to revisit this topic soon!
We embarked on the mission of proving that downtown Brownwood is a wonderful place to eat lunch every day of the work week (someone has to do it!) So, my wife and I took a week of business days and ate our lunches downtown. Our only rule was that the businesses had to be downtown, or at the very least walkable from our downtown apartment. No worries, we didn’t have to stray far!
MONDAY
Monday is the day when people commonly lament “Nobody is open on Monday!” Not so fast! We actually had to sit down and figure out where to eat. We considered 3-4 before we settled on Fuzzy’s Taco Shop adjacent to Shaw’s Marketplace at the very doorway to downtown at 508 N. Central. I had the taco plate special with shredded chicken tacos, Mexican rice, and black beans. I had a nice cool schooner of Shiner Bock to go with it. We sat out on Fuzzy’s cool porch because the afternoon was nice, and after the brisk walk (it took 5 minutes from our door to Fuzzy’s) it felt nice to sit out in the perfect temperatures and nice breeze. Danielle had two shredded chicken tacos a la carte, and a cool Truly boozy beverage. We arrived right at 11 pm and we had our choice of seating. The food was fast and delicious, and we sat and enjoyed our drinks before our walk back home.
TUESDAY
I’d seen the posts on Facebook, and I couldn’t avoid heading over to Steves’ Market and Deli at 110 E. Chandler Street for lunch on Tuesday. The pictures of the Deep Ellum Bacon Burger with tots were too much for me to pass up. I was sitting out in front of the apartment when my good friend Jordan walked by (he lives in the apartment across Brown Street from me.) He was carrying a Styrofoam to-go container and had a smile on his face. “What’s up?” I said. “That blue cheese bacon burger at Steves’ is legit!” he said. Steves’ is just about three blocks down Brown Street and then just a few feet over on Chandler. You know what I ordered, and Danielle ordered the Spurlock club sandwich w/mayo and Broccoli cheese soup. I got a special root beer that came with my lunch special. The Deep Ellum Bacon Burger was, shall we say, dripping with blue cheese. So delicious. When I saw the burger, I told Danielle “No way I can eat all of this. Half of it is going home with me.” The owner came by, and I said, “I’m going to need more napkins, this is at least a two-napkin burger.” And it was. It came with an order of tots that must have been the whole bag because it was enough for three people! Well, the burger was so delicious I ate all of it, but no way could I eat that many tots! 5 stars on this lunch!
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday was an easy choice, and the one closest to the apartment. So close, in fact, that the back wall of the restaurant is across the alley from our apartment. Tre3s Leches Bakery at 201 E. Baker Street, catercorner from Pioneer Taphouse, is our go-to for a quick and inexpensive breakfast or lunch. But Wednesday is Quesabirria day, and that makes it a sure thing for this hump day lunch. Frankly, we just ordered a single Quesabirria meal because it comes with four very large fried, slow cooked birria and cheesy tacos, with a side of the consommé broth for dipping! Now, our usual order at Tr3s Leches is their delicious burritos (their lunch burritos are inexpensive and probably more than you can eat… unless you’re like me!) or their street tacos, but Wednesday lunch is Quesabirria day for sure.
THURSDAY
Thursday’s choice was more difficult because so many awesome places are open for lunch (or late lunch) on Thursday. We decided to revisit one of our favorites, a new(ish) place downtown across from the courthouse. Welcome to Grazed and Confused! This fantastic little eatery is located at 306 North Broadway Suite A, and it’s easy to find. You can’t miss it if you are downtown near the courthouse. It’s right across the street.
The Toasty Roasty sandwich is my favorite right now, and, as a creature of habit, I usually order what I know will be ‘knock it out of the park’ good. You cannot go wrong with this sandwich: Roast Beef piled on Rye Marble Bread with bacon, smoked gouda, spicy mustard, and grilled onions. Served with delicious chips and some assorted fruit garnish (also delicious!) This is a home run. Danielle ordered the Cheesiest Grilled Cheese sandwich. Three kinds of cheese (yep… THREE) White Cheddar, Gruyere, and Provolone melted to perfection on Brioche bread toasted with Parmesan Garlic Butter.
This place is about a three-minute walk from the apartment, and they are open for breakfast too!
FRIDAY
Friday wouldn’t be Friday without a trip to Pioneer Taphouse. Sometimes we stop in for a cold pint of any of the 30+ beers on tap, but on this Friday we dropped in for pizza – which is their specialty (and beer… also a specialty.) We ordered their 14-inch two-topping pizza with pepperoni and sausage (only $10 on the lunch special – 2 for $20,) with a couple of beers. We sat out front at their outdoor bistro tables and enjoyed a beautiful, sunny Baker Street lunch in downtown Brownwood! Pioneer is literally a half-block from our apartment at 112 E. Baker St. On Fridays and Saturdays, they open for lunch at noon. Micah Jaynes, the owner, told me to let you know that they have the $10 pizza special I mentioned before at lunch, and they also have awesome paninis and flatbreads. But take it for me, all of their offerings are delicious and fast.
What a week!
Well, we’re coming to the close of our first 5 Things! column, and I’m hoping you learned something new and tasty about downtown Brownwood, Texas. More 5 Things! columns will be coming, several a month, so be watching this space. And feel free to clue me in if there are other cool places to go and things to do in Brown County that you think might be overlooked.
Maybe you’re one of the people who believe there isn’t anywhere to eat downtown on weekdays, and maybe you’re stuck in the rut of the same old fast food and chain choices you usually pick from for lunch. Take my word for it, head downtown at lunchtime, and let them know that Bunker sent you.
