For those who frequent downtown Harrisonburg or just like grabbing a bite with friends, a new dining option has just recently hit the sidewalks. Munch, located on S Main St., is a small sandwich-style restaurant that has taken the place of Lola’s Delicatessen. Lola’s seemed to be a popular spot in downtown with 4.8 stars on Yelp, although I was never there myself. Unfortunately, the deli closed their doors last June after seven years of service. Fortunately, something new came to take its place and from what I’ve tasted, I’m impressed.
Walking into the store, I was greeted by a homey vibe as well as a very friendly employee. It was very open with large windows on one side and a decent amount of seating. Based on a picture I had seen online I was expecting a sort of deli style with some basic sandwiches made of good quality ingredients.
Looking at the menu, I was surprised by what some of the sandwiches had to offer. Perhaps I don’t get out a lot, but a ham sandwich with apple butter and cream cheese wasn’t what I was expecting. The number of ingredients I didn’t recognize on the menu definitely reflects my lack of culinary knowledge, but I think there were some interesting choices there. A dill turkey with dill mayo, dill pickles, and crunchy dill slaw caught my eye as well as a buffalo chicken with slow cooked duck fat.
I ultimately ended up on the ham sandwich, which I paired with one of their plate-sized cookies. There were about six other customers in the store when I arrived, with more showing up after I sat down. Even though it wasn’t very busy, I was impressed by how quickly the food came out. I was also pleased with the size of the sandwich, receiving what I would say is comparable to a Subway footlong worth of food. I wasn’t even able to finish it all in one sitting and had to bring half home. As I was leaving after only eating half my sandwich, one of the employees came up to me and asked if I needed a box without me saying anything.
As for the sandwich itself, I was again pleasantly surprised. The ham worked well with the apple butter, which provided a little bit of sweetness while not overpowering it. The quality was very good and I’m a little disappointed I didn’t get to try more off the menu. The cookie was fine, but probably not something I would pay four dollars for again.
That also brings me to arguably the second most important aspect of the experience, the price. My sandwich was $15 like most of the other menu items in that area. Along with the cookie and a cream soda I got for $3, my total came out to $22. All in all, I think the price is pretty reasonable for what you get. I don’t think the cookie is necessarily worth it, but the sandwich was very nice for what I paid. It isn’t super cheap, but neither is the food and I think it is somewhere I would return with friends or family. There are of course a lot of good options in Harrisonburg, but if you haven’t already I think it’s somewhere you should check out.