Does the term coffee house conjure up an image of an artsy shop with the aroma of great brews, acoustic music, poetry readings, people talking and having fun, and of course, good food?
If so, you’ve just pictured one of the bright stars on Main Street in Mount Airy.
Look for a green awning, small, twinkling lights in the window, window ledges adorned with pretty tea and coffee cups and pots, and City Hall right next door.
‘‘Vintage” is the appropriate description for the restaurant’s décor. Wispy curtains, hanging chandeliers, stained glass light fixtures from by-gone eras, and charming antique furniture fill this coffeehouse with a pleasant ambiance.
A small seating area with tables is immediately inside the entrance. Finding your way to the ordering window, you pass a large antique sideboard where gleaming containers of coffee give off a wonderful aroma. Beneath each spigot is a dish of the beans used in the brew.
Directly ahead is a large blackboard touting daily specials, as well as regular items.
As you are placing your order, you can watch as the food is skillfully prepared by the highly visible staff, hustling to keep the customers pleased with their service.
Through another door and down a slight ramp waits a large, homey dining area offering many seating choices from ceramic topped ice cream parlor-style tables to couches and counters with high stools.
We arrived on a busy night, but were served swiftly. It was rather chilly, so my husband and I both ordered hot chocolate, which was piping hot, piled high with whipped cream, and delicious.
Two tuna melt sandwiches ($5.29 each) were served hot from the grill overflowing with cheese.
The entire menu at The Vintage Coffee House is available any time during business hours.
Breakfast sandwiches include egg and cheese, a classic BLT, sausage or bacon with egg and cheese on a bagel, egg and cheese croissant or ciabata, egg and sausage wrap, egg with spinach and Provolone ciabata, a ‘‘no guilt” English muffin and an egg or veggie omelet with toast.
When lunch rolls around you will find sandwiches served on white, rye, croissants, or as wraps. Some unique choices include a hearty hummus, veggie salad topped with balsamic vinegar, lettuce wraps and a grilled chicken salsa wrap with tortilla chips. The latter is chicken, salsa, onions, Romaine lettuce, tomato, and cheese in a tortilla wrap.
The ever-popular panini sandwiches include the tuna melt, chicken and spinach, turkey or ham bacon press, bacon spinach and tomato, smoked ham and cheese, veggie, chicken salsa or Vidalia chicken ciabatta. Extra meat, hummus, veggies, cheese or cream cheese can be added for a slight additional cost. Don’t they sound delicious?
All are less than $6.
As expected, a large selection of coffee drinks are available, as well as Chai Lattes, steamers and hot chocolate. In addition to the regular cold beverages, ‘‘anything can be made on the rocks.” Flavored syrup and Torani sauces can be added to any beverage.
If you are not interested in a meal, and want something sweet to accompany your special beverage, The Vintage Coffee House offers a nice array of baked goods, including muffins, danish, cinnamon rolls, crumb cake, cinnamon twists, scones, cookies, brownies, assorted seasonal pies and cheesecake.
On Fridays and Saturdays, The Vintage Coffee House serves up eclectic entertainment. Open mic, groups, singles, music, poetry and comedy are all part of the show on different evenings.
The motto for the coffee house is ‘‘Come in — Sit and Sip.”
It would be a good idea to take them up on that.
The VintageCoffee House
106 Main Street
Mount Airy
301-829-7722
7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday
7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday
8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday
Closed Sunday
Handicapped Accessible
Visa and MasterCard
