We need more Maubys in the world.
It is – with only a small hint of hyperbole – the perfect neighbourhood restaurant. Unpretentious, affordable, friendly, and uncannily delicious, Mauby is the kind of place you could happily dine at once a week until the very end of your days.
First, a little background. Mauby began life as Jerk Off BBQ, a West Indian-inspired pop-up that roamed south London cooking up Jamaican-style barbecue before settling down in Deptford. Mauby saw its affable founders – Daniel and Heleena – change tact. After a successful crowdfunder, Mauby opened in the summer of 2024 in a former fish and chip shop. Though Caribbean flavours wouldn’t be entirely off the menu, the plan was for a wilfully eclectic offering of sturdy, seasonal plates and a cosy, sit-down atmosphere for locals. Just downwind of one of south London’s more iconic Wetherspoons, the Brockley Barge, and in little under a year, they’ve triumphed.
It’s a masterclass in nailing simple, effective dishes and doing them with pride
Unlike Tollington’s in Finsbury Park – which has barely touched the former chippy facade - this small space has shed all signs of the old inhabitants, and is light and airy, with big glass windows and a couple of thriving houseplants. Breezy soca plays on the stereo and the concrete floor is splattered artfully with paint. Wooden school chairs cluster around cosy tables, and there are hessian-sack cushions (more comfortable than you’d think), and a vase of fresh tulips on the counter. It’s giving ‘warehouse space that eight architects have just moved into’. By 7.30pm, the place is rammed, packed out with a Goldsmiths-adjacent crowd who are definitely here for the welcoming vibe, but can’t not have been enticed by the uber-reasonable pricing too.
The priciest dish on the menu is lamb chops - two juicy, flirty things cooked home-style with rosemary, thyme and sherry. The murky pool of flavourful fat and oil left at the bottom of the dish is worth the £15 price tag alone, and is perfect for mopping up with the ample £6 dish of crispy crushed potatoes.
A mound of self-assured fried chicken is a steal at £12, seasoned with a radiant, heat-seeking dry rub and served with a mega pepper pickle and huge dollop of spiced mayo. Other dishes are even more bargainous. There are stewed black-eyed peas at £7, and harissa chickpeas at £11, and though the menu isn’t long, it’s a masterclass in nailing a couple of simple, effective dishes and doing them well and with pride.
The portions aren’t messing about either. Sure, everything is served on small plates, but the food is piled high. There’s a veritable tower of plantain, which, like the spuds, come in handy for dipping into that insanely addictive leftover lamb juice. A bottle of home-made Bajan hot sauce is also delivered to the table, making for a mighty companion to the sides.
Brockley might just be the luckiest spot in south London. My ‘More Mauby’s’ petition starts now.
The vibe A casual, super-friendly neighborhood joint for a young, fun south London crowd.
The food An eclectic menu with Caribbean touches.
The drink Try the house ‘Mauby’ cocktail, featuring the medicinal-ish tasting Caribbean drink, topped with rum and lemon. There’s Kernel beer and affordable house wine, too.
Time Out tip If there’s fried chicken on the menu, order it immediately.