Based on reviews and having visited this place once, I was in the mood to try some stuff not TooGoodToGo. Here're some things not listed online or in other reviews. It might be on signs only. Pholourie street food w/ tamarind chutney can only be ordered Wed-Sat Doubles can only be ordered Fri and Sat Kingfish can only be ordered on Fri and Sat I had currant roll, Guava Pone, Coconut Bake & Smoke Herring, and I couldn't find the Tropical rhythms (reggae medley ) drink. So, I had an Irish Sea Moss and another drink instead. The currant roll was nice, but unsurprisingly a bit dry. Maybe because it's a Monday and it's hard to predict who will order what when. Guava Pone was a bit different of a taste and seemed to have more of a coconut upsurge than guava. The smoke herring was fine for any meal, but it wasn't really knocking me out of the park. Curry Chicken Roti- no more rotis (for the day I'm guessing), but over the phone, she made it sound like they don't make them anymore period. Seems like that would be such a staple. I'll probably pick a Friday or Saturday to try the rest in the future. The new closing hours are: M-W closes at 7PM R-Sa closes at 830'Pm I only know because of TooGoodToGo and going by the educated assumption that they sell on their last opening hour. They don't post on the door and maybe they don't post hours on physical signs because of the neighborhood. read more

Long time customer! Consistently delicious! A taste of home every time. Love my bake and salt fish.

Brown Sugar is such a great neighborhood local spot for good Trini/Caribbean food. Service isn't what you go for here, but good home cooked authentic Caribbean flavors. It's likely when you arrive that you won't be greeted or smiled at unless they recognize you as a regular - but I find the home flavors are worth the visit. The pictures along with this review are the most recent prices as of 1/31/23 according to what's posted in the restaurant. Doubles are only served on the weekends, and prices ordering from the restaurant are better than 3rd party vendors such as Grubhub (ie $8 for mini chicken stew lunch platter versus $9 on grubhub) I find the mini is more than enough food for one. There were 3 pieces of tender chicken, and served over my choice of rice and peas, with mac and cheese. I'm a little confused though, because I received a call that the mini platter can only have 1 side- so I chose the peas and rice. I was pleasantly surprised when I got home that I got the mac I ordered as well! I'm not sure if that was a mistake, or they decided to give me a half portion of each for the mini. I also ordered the chicken patty, which took me right back to Jamaica. The mac was good, it was a block of mac and cheese that was so rich, cheesy and decadent and the top of the mac was just how I like it - slightly well done cheese. This is one of my favorite West Philly local spots I love to support. Check them out. read more

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Brown Sugar platters are unbelievably delicious. I was first introduced to them on TGTG but since then I've been back to order meals. Everything I have tried has been delicious!!! I've had a few types of chicken and several of their sides. Everything is sooo good. The people who work there are so nice too and they really load you up w a lot of the delicious food. Last night we went and got a stewed chicken platter and an ox tail platter. Both w rice and pumpkin. yummmmm. You order from the window on the right and you pay at the window on the left. Then they bring out your food when you are taking it to go. It's pretty easy to park there too and the meters out front end pretty early so i've never had to pay to park. read more

Brown Sugar Bakery & Cafe - Stewed chicken platter - Bakeries Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This food was so horrible. I ordered 3 oxtails platter with sides , I wasted $67 for this damn food and it tastes like shit. I had instant throw up and diarrhea from eating this food with an 15 minute eating this food. The oxtail was sooo rough to get the meat off the bone and the macaroni cheese had a weird taste to it with green stuff in it maybe celeryI hate celery and the Rice was so dry and old asf.. where Keith lee so he can shut the fucking place down too these rating are lying 4.2 it's should be 0.0 rating Please don't everrrrrrrrrr come here unless you need to taking a shit real bad then this the place for you read more

I was just moved to tears at the Smoked Herring on the freshest homemade bread I've tasted in years. I enjoyed it with a pineapple soda that absolutely rocked my world. I had the best service - likely a benefit of going earlier in the day - and I wanted to stay and lounge in the home-like atmosphere. I went with a friend, and she sang and danced at how loving memories of her Trini background came flooding back with each bite (she got her Smoked Herring sandwich with pepper sauce). Overall, it was an excellent meal in a loving atmosphere for an extremely fair price. There isn't much seating, but there is some...so whether you get their yummies to-go and plan to dine in, GET YOU SOME! read more

Order the Brown Stew Chicken Platter, such a disappointment. Rice & Peas were good, not over cooked or dry with good flavor. The cabbage was a bit oily but tasted decent. Stew Chicken was horrible. More bones then chicken. The Few pieces of chicken were over cooked, and bland !!! This was my 1st time & last time ordering from here. read more

Brown Sugar Bakery & Cafe - a take out container of food - Bakeries Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Garbage. This platter was $25 and was dry. The oxtail was tough enough to still be on the animal, the cabbage had no seasoning and the service matched. Don't spend 1 hard earned dollar there. They don't run out of food, they just don't make 1/2 of their menu. Seriously, if i could jump through the phone and steer you down the street then I would. Don't play yourself, don't pay your money, just don't. I beg of you. Basura. Gyaabage. Issa no for me and I TRIED. read more

Brown Sugar Bakery & Cafe - Trash. Light skin rice & peas and tasteless cabbage. - Bakeries Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Super nice and friendly staff! Currant rolls were DELICIOUS!!! We will definitely return!

Trinidad is an island off of South America in the Caribbean Sea with a diverse and fascinating cuisine. Its best restaurant and bakery in Philadelphia is located on the 52nd Street shopping area of West Philadelphia. This establishment called Brown Sugar Café & Bakery is the real deal. There are so many choices here representing all the highlights of Trinidadian culinary traditions. On a recent visit here I started with the famous Doubles and added on to that a Trinidadian beef patty and the well-known street food Pholourie served with tamarind chutney. All were excellent but the beef patty was exceptional. I could have eaten a dozen of these. For dessert I thoroughly enjoyed a moist and flavorful Guava Pone and a wonderful Currant Roll. The staff here were friendly and helpful ... and I can't think of anything not to like about the fine Trinidadian eatery called Brown Sugar. read more

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The Alloou Pie was delicious. The dough was amazing and the chana with the tamarind sauce was good. Tip: To get access to the full menu, go after 1:30pm read more

Brown Sugar Bakery & Cafe - Allou Pie - I meant to take a picture before it was almost gone but I kept eating it - Bakeries Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We tried some rotis from Brown Sugar. The roti wrap itself was flaky & chewy. Goat curry roti: Goat was tender, and the sauce was flavourful. I wish it came with pumpkin or something less starchy than potato. Channa & potato roti: Unfortunately, there was not enough channa & it was mostly potato. Roti was soft & tasty but there was too much potato. It was a potato overload for this meal. Service was fine. 3+ stars read more

Great food and the best Rotti in my book. Authentic food and flavors.Nice warm and friendly spot.

Friendliness staff. I got two large oxtail platters and a small curry goat platter. It's fresh and when they are out they are out. Next time I go I will have a fresh juice. They are very generous with the portions. As you can see in my picture. read more

Brown Sugar Bakery & Cafe - Large Oxtail Platter with Cabbage - Bakeries Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Great Trinidadian food. I used to go here for years when I lived down the road. Found them on Postmates and jumped at the chance to order some food. I only wish that they updated their Postmates menu because unless you've been here before in person, you're missing some food selections, like side orders and drink options. Go down there to 52nd Street, half a block from Walnut Street, and check out their bake goods and the juice bar is lit too. Updated: Postmates is a terrible service, they complete their orders like 30% of the time. I think you guys should try UberEats for your restaurant's deliveries instead. read more

I finally found an authentic Trinidadian Roti place in Philly. After trying Roti for the first time in Toronto, I've been desperately craving it again. However, after asking my friends who are from the area-- no one seemed to know where I could satisfy this craving. After doing some research.... I found Brown Sugar, opened up the Yelp app and decided to give it a try. I'm very happy I did! I ordered the Curry Chicken Roti to-go. I watched as the lady behind the counter meticulously made my Roti. First the wrap, then the filling, followed by the Curry Chicken. All for $7.50! It was immaculately clean and the staff was friendly. Would definitely recommend you try it out! read more

Not sure why this place is getting such high reviews. Just had a curry chicken platter that had way too much cumin. Portion sizes were nice, got the max & cheese as a side and it was a hard cold block of macaroni and bad cheese. Cabbage had no salt to it and was undercooked. Should have known something was up with the colorless rice & peas. However; the Heart of Love juices they sell are fantastic. Would not recommend going here. read more

The food here is too notch, but the service can be slow at times, but not enough to deter a visit. Their roti is there real deal, specially the goat roti. They also make a good Curry chicken dish. read more

Fast friendly service. My only complaint is the confusion when ordering for a first-timer. It's a little confusing because you order at one window and pay at another, and if you want a beef patty, cocoa bread, or any other baked item then you have to order at the front of the store. Other than that, the food was delicious and affordable. read more

Brown Sugar Bakery & Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Vegan options are on point! We ordered the soya platter, aloo pie and two different veggie patties. Everything was exceptional, I'll definitely be back. read more

Trini transplant visiting from Michigan. OMG! This place had generous portions and lots of variety, including breakfast options. Actually took home some baked goods for family & friends. Oh! And some doubles - yes they travel well when you're desperate. lol! Their currants rolls are amazingly good! Can't say enough good things about this place. From Center City take the Market-Frankford Line (Blue Line) towards 69th street. Exit @ 52nd. From station head about 1/4 mile south on 52nd. read more

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Love love love this place !!! I always order soy chunks with rice & greens ! Hot damn it's so good ! It has just the right amazing of spice & flavors bursting into your mouth! It's so filling and their portion sizes can truly feed two even with the small platter. My rating below : Best out of 5...5 being the best! Vegetarian/ Vegan Food options: 3 Parking availability: 2 Business Energy Cleanliness : 4 Bathrooms: unknown Staff friendliness : 4 Seating Space: unknown Service: 5 I've never been inside the actual business because I ask my partner to pick up on his way home from work at least twice a week. I'm truly surprised it's taken me this long write a review on them. This is definitely a hidden gem in west philly & I'm so glad they have vegan options for me & the the food is oh so yummy. read more

Had the lunch platters (curry chicken and goat) and the roti here - the platters were decently sized and the curry was flavorful. The Mac and cheese that came with the platter tasted a little stale though, but as a side dish it worked out okay. I would recommend getting the roti instead - it comes out hot, with a substantial filling, and is really satisfying to eat. Would love to come back to try the juices or pastries - they have a pretty big assortment on the menu! read more

Brown Sugar Bakery & Cafe - Goat Platter - Bakeries Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Soooo delicious. I never tried it before bc I wasn't sure if there would be vegetarian options but there were two different lunch specials made with soya (I think the one I got was tempeh? maybe?) and it was SO GOOD. The spinach patties are incredible!! I will be back soon - and often. read more

A great place to get fresh #veggie juice in west Philadelphia! Please read more below. A great mix of West Indian/Trinidadian food. Get there quick because the fish runs out early. Platters are plentiful and reasonably priced. Authentic food. I recommend the "King Fish" with macaroni & cheesecake. read more

Had goat with rice and peas and pumpkin as well as a roti with beef and potatoes. Everything was absolutely delicious. Surprisingly not very greasy. A myriad of different flavors with an excellent level of spiciness to the goat and beef but with a rather sweet taste to the potatoes and pumpkin. Great value for your money. Lots of great drink options (that I did not try unfortunately as I was too full from my main meal, and I got a "mini platter" mind you). Goat was excellent with the bones in and even with marrow in some of the bones which was delicious. Not much seating space. No knives and only plastic utensils which make eating some of the larger bits of meat ungainly. Found a new #1 place off the beaten path in philly for sure. read more

Had the oxtails, rice & peas, and cabbage. Overall, food was very good. However, I feel like I was skimped on the oxtails. As per my photo, for a large platter, I've gotten more oxtails at every other Jamaican spot I've ordered from. I'm used to an oxtail platter basically overflowing with juices and meat so much that I have a slight regret of greed, and feeling like I probably didn't need that much food. But when I opened the platter from here I was kinda disappointed. *Ok, I'll be honest, I started eating one oxtail on the bottom left of the plate, as you can see, before I took the pic. But still, I feel it's obvious there wasn't that much on the plate. read more

Brown Sugar Bakery & Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

really cute spot. smells amazing in there. the person who helped me there was super smiley, warm, welcoming, and kind. got currant rolls for a friend that was celebrating an anniversary and she said they were amazing. all around sweet :) read more

I don't even want to tell you about this place. I don't want to tell you, because I don't want it to get crowded. I want to walk in the door and get my delicious double, or pattie, veggie roti, or coconut cake. But I'm going to tell you, because good people run this joint, and good people deserve good business. 52nd St. is dotted with Caribbean joints - this one is Trinidad/Tobago. The food is authentic, down to the "roots" and Ting beverages in the cold case, is made quickly, and is inexpensive. Because a decent number of their customers are Rastafari, there are also tons of vegetarian options, which make me happy. If you want hot food, order at the window at the back, and for bakery items, order at the case. Watch out for the Black Cake, a specialty soaked in rum, that is only available during the Holidays. This is a real neighborhood joint run be real folks celebrating their culture and their customers. Photos Calypso and Soca musicians line the walls, and you can pick up cds here, or informational publications about Haile Selassie, or a flyer for all the crazy Reggae shows you didn't know were going on in West Philly. read more

Born n raised in Brooklyn so Roti and Caribbean food in general is a regular part of my diet. The lack of good Caribbean restaurants in philly is a recurring disappointment. that being said I was happy to find this place. The Roti skin is flavorful, not too doughy or chewy and just the right amount of flaky. The chicken inside was well seasoned and for only $6 you definitely get a good amount for the price. I've had it twice so far and definitely plan on returning next time I get a hankering. Haven't tried their baked goods yet but I have my eye on their currant rolls. Also, Roti is traditionally made with the meat left on the bone so please ignore other reviewers complaining about that. It adds to the experience as you also get to enjoy the sauces that the bones soak up. read more

One my favorite places to grab take out. They have really good fruit smoothies, and the baked mac n cheese is one of a kind lol. The platters are always paked with delicious food, so I normally grab a mini unless I'm sharing with my lady. Hands down a true gem in the city of Philly!!! #currygoat #oxtails #beef/cickenpatties read more

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I've had their soya and potato rotis, and all I can say is that they're just so good! The roti wrap is chewy and the dough is a little flaky, just the way I like it. The potato filling is a bit on the salty side, but it balances out well with the curry and onion flavoring. It comes piping hot and is extremely filling--definitely worth the money. The roti can be a bit messy to eat, so be prepared to dig in with a fork and knife. Overall a wonderful food experience from another hole-in-the-wall place that shouldn't be so easily overlooked. read more

I've been coming to Brown Sugar for years for their tasty and inexpensive rotis, veggie platters and cakes. There is almost always two vegetarian proteins offered for the platters, one is typically soya chunks (which are not my preference) as well as burger, soya chicken or a tasty victual called "dinner roll". In addition they have a rotating assortment of sides such as bean stews, steamed veg, cabbage, spinach etc.. Some meat and fish items are available as well. I recommend asking what's available on the day you visit and selecting what sounds good. This is definitely more of a takeout place but there are a few tables where you can eat, listen to some Reggae or Soca, and soak up the nice Trini Rasta vibes. read more

I need to go to this place a few more times to try their different stuff.. but the doubles (chickpea stew sandwiched between 2 puffy flatbreads) I had there were a great little afternoon snack. $1.50 each and you could have 3 for a totally legit lunch.. maybe 2 if you are eating light. They also have roti with all different meats including shrimp and "soya" and other standard West Indian fare like curry goat, collard greens, etc. Plates of those things range in price and size from about $5 up. I am giving 4 stars just because doubles I've had in the past were a little more substantial, and they could have been spicier (though they were well-spiced, just not hot). The thing I was most disappointed by was the subpar ginger-pineapple juice I got for $3. $3!? But I think that was more my fault than theirs. btw this is a storefront bakery setup with a window in the back with the hot dishes to order. There are a couple of tables in there too but it's not a nice-lunch-out sort of place. read more

It is wonderful to be newly aware that something is possible. I had never conceived of salt fish, coconut, and a slightly sweet sandwich bun as a breakfast food. Brown Sugar made a compelling argument to me that not only is such a thing possible, but that is desirable. Similarly, I knew that in the Caribbean South Asian cuisine could mix with African and South American cuisines into something original and delightful. I had had chapatis. I had had thick African stews. I was familiar with jerk chicken. But a roti, a delightful, substantial combination of all three? Amazing! I have no real basis to compare Brown Sugar with other Trini food, but for 6 bucks you can do a lot worse than a chicken or goat roti. read more

This is another great, hidden gem in Philadelphia. This Trinidadian eatery is tucked away at on Baltimore Avenue near 53nd Street. The oxtail platter cost no more than $6 and included a flavorful accompaniment of beans and rice and a cole slaw flavored with horseradish. I highly recommend this place to any ventursome foodie who is looking for an inexpensive and exotic getaway for their palate. read more

Good place to go for traditional West Indian pastries and decent rotis. Staff isn't overly friendly, but not particularly rude either, which is good enough. Saturdays they have shrimp rotis - really good, large and full of shrimp. I recommend calling ahead and making sure they're open. We recently visited at 1pm on a Sunday and the place was closed. Very frustrating because we made a 25 min drive there, but there may be covid hours we were not aware of. read more

My absolute favorite place since I moved to the city. My jaw hit the floor when I saw they had doubles, and then again when I tasted how perfect they are! & Their oxtail is ON POINT! I don't have anything negative to say, this place is a true gem and the employees are so friendly. Their food brings back so many happy memories and I always leave with a smile on my face. I'd give 6 stars if I could read more

The best place in Philly for roti, doubles, and chicken curry. They have great breads and healthy smoothies/shakes. The eat-in section is small so I usually take my food to go. read more

Well established Trini spot on 52nd & Chancellor... half-way between the El and Malcolm X Park. The food is solid and consistent. I usually stick to the oxtails or curry goat & doubles, but I've also had their snapper, jerk & various roti's as well. Everything is decent. Portions vs. price vs. quality make this place a win-win-win situation. read more