Sandwich Works

For lunch on Thursday, February 20, 2014 I went to downtown Winchester to check out its newest restaurant. Called Sandwich Works, it opened on January 31 at 28 East Piccadilly Street. This was once the location of Coalie Harry's, the area's first English pub for a number of years.

My wife and I had eaten at Coalie's a number of times before it was succeeded by DBGB Grill and Bar, otherwise known as Dung Beetle Grill and Bar. I tried to go there for lunch once, but discovered that they didn't open until 4:00 PM and never went back.

The Sandwich Works advertises as "Not Your Ordinary Sandwich Shop". It opens at 7:00 AM Monday-Saturday, closing at 7:00 PM Monday-Thursday and at 9:00 PM Friday and Saturday. The phone number is 540-504-7821 and delivery orders have a $25.00 minimum.

Further back a counter is along the right wall with a writing shelf. It has pencils and paper menu forms for checking off your lunch preferences. One form is for building your own sandwiches, with boxes to mark for Bread, Meat, Cheese, Toppings, and Condiments, as well as Sides.

There's also space for notes. A similar form is for building your own salad, with boxes to mark for Lettuce, Meat, Toppings, Cheese, and Dressings, as well as Sides. It also has space for notes.

A blackboard on the wall lists other menu items such as the Chef's Special, Award Winning Chili. Soups of the Day were Tomato Bisque and Beef Barley. Seafood Specials for Friday and Saturday nights were Steamed Shrimp, Steamed Crab Legs, or a Pound of Seafood. A video screen on the back wall and one over the front door were displaying CMT programs.

The counter on the right is also the preparation area for the food. You hand in your order here, with your name on it, to the attendant waiting to prepare it in front of you, if you wish to watch. All of the meats are on a cutting board which is part of the counter. A belt toaster can be used if you want a hot sandwich.

It should be noted that the Sandwich Works does not use the usual deli selections of such processed meats as corned beef, pastrami, and other lunch meats. All of their meats are slow cooked daily in-house, making them more moist and tender, and they are carved to order.

The far end of the counter has the cashier's station; she will call out your name when your order is ready, and will add the price of drinks to your order. There are three tables along the left wall; one is in the window. Further back is the dispenser for fountain drinks, along with a refrigerated display case for bottled and canned drinks.

My sandwich order was for beef brisket on a Kaiser roll, with a small soft drink. I had to settle for a Coke because the dispenser did not have Dr. Pepper or Mr. Pibb. The beef was tender and moist, as advertised; I often find sliced beef sandwiches tough to chew, and was pleased with this one.

I may try the top round the next time I eat at Sandwich Works; I will certainly put the place on my keep list for times I'm downtown and need a quick lunch. I may even try it for a breakfast sometime; I don't usually have sandwiches for breakfast, but the Works also offers Omelettes and Biscuits with Gravy.

The five tables in the entry each provide seating for two. More seating is available if you go all the way to the back of the room, turn left into an open doorway, and turn right to go down a long corridor to the rear of the building. En route you will find the restrooms on your right.

At the end of the corridor an open doorway on your left is the entrance to a much larger dining area. It has eight rectangular tables seating eight, along with three round tables also seating eight. This area has its own soft drink dispenser for refills. I didn't see any sign directing people to this area, but I may have missed it.