Cheap Eats - Lunch the old-fashioned way

Nantucket Sandwich Shop’s homemade lunches are quite a catch

Located in a part of Alpharetta that actually feels like a small, convivial town, Nantucket Sandwich Shop looks as if it’s been plucked straight out of New England. Plastic crab and lobster hang in the tangles of fishing nets strung along the walls. Wooden floorboards are appropriately weathered, beaten and creaky in places. Yards of white cloth are bunched around florescent lights to calming, filtered effect. The family-owned shop does a bustling lunch business. A fast-moving line of nearby office workers files out carrying large white bags filled with Nantucket’s signature sandwiches.

SALAD DAYS: Portions are just right at Nantucket, where the soup and half-sandwich combo ($6.75) offers a lower-calorie alternative to fast-food value meals. All prices include at least a fountain drink, and a bag of chips in some cases. Nantucket shrimp salad ($6.75) is dainty and refreshing. It features a nest of romaine, iceberg and ripe tomato on which sits a scoop of shrimp salad. The tiny curls of shrimp are dressed with mayonnaise, a sprinkling of fresh dill, and onions and celery for added crunch.

ALL IN THE TOPPINGS: The Nantucket grilled chicken sandwich ($6.95) has a creamy, satisfying smash of buttery avocado. The chicken breast itself is a bit dry, but is slathered with ranch dressing and topped with a slice of Swiss cheese to compensate. It’s hefty enough so your fingerprints leave indentations on the seven-grain bun as you lift it, yet greaseless and filling without putting you into a post-lunch coma once you return to your desk.

MELT MY HEART: Nantucket’s tuna melt ($6.75) is addiction-worthy, with a hint of sweet relish and plenty of, but not too much, mayo. The tuna mix is squashed between slices of wheat and held together with melted Swiss. Handmade, crispy-chewy macadamia nut cookies ($1) are charming with uneven edges and a tight wrapping in plastic that recalls school bake sales.

CURE FOR A SUMMER COLD: I’m still not sure if my malady is a lingering summer cold or allergies, but the chicken noodle soup ($3.50) certainly soothes. Tender egg noodle twists exceed expectations by not being cooked to paste as in most soups, and an abundance of white and dark chicken meat rounds out the rich broth.Most of the tables in the small shop stay occupied until closing time, and with good reason. Nantucket Sandwich Shop is as cozy, welcoming and homey as its namesake, but, thankfully, can be accessed more easily than by boat or ferry.

cynthia.wong@creativeloafing.com