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TRAVELLER
THE WORLD HAS
changed since Mark and Laura
Brown took over Arcadia Delicatessen fromMark’s
father six years ago. These days, Laura spends as much
time tweeting and tending the shop’s Facebook page
as her husband does serving customers. This modern
approach seems to be paying off, with Arcadia named
as one of the top 10 delis in the UK last year.
“The internet is now a big part of the Belfast food
scene,” says Laura. “The foodie community is growing,
thanks to social media like Twitter. It’s where we hear
what the local chefs and food producers are doing, and
read what the city’s food bloggers are saying.”
Belfast’s Lisburn Road has also changed, evolving
into the city’s “style mile”, with fashion and beauty
boutiques, restaurants and cafés. Arcadia suits the
independent ethos perfectly, working with small local
and continental suppliers to keep the Aladdin’s cave of
a shop crammed with gourmet goodies.
Floor-to-ceiling shelves are full of handmade
jams, exotic spices and perfumed teas, but the main
attraction is the enormous deli counter that stretches
the length of the shop, bursting with cheeses, hams
and olives. Fermanagh Black Bacon, made with
rare-breed pork and dry cured for three months by
butcher Pat O’Doherty, is a delicious highlight.
“People here spend more on groceries than in other
parts of the UK,” says Laura. “We’re really into food.”
Arcadia Delicatessen. 378 Lisburn Road, Belfast;
tel: +44 (0)28 9038 1779, arcadiadeli.co.uk
THE GOURMET MERCHANTS
Mark and Laura Brown, Arcadia Delicatessen
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