Review: Simple and homemade at Sarah’s Place

As downtown Roanoke’s living options have expanded, so too have the number of casual and easy dining options, now including Sarah’s Place, a small café and bakery located in The Patrick Henry on Jefferson Street. Sarah’s Place describes itself as specializing in “simply good food,” serving the early morning breakfast crowd and lunch goers throughout the week.

My first visit to Sarah’s Place was around eight o’clock one morning for breakfast. The breakfast menu is relatively simple, mainly comprising breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal and waffles, along with a number of rotating bakery treats such as freshly made donuts and assorted pastries.

Because we like a heartier breakfast, my dining companion and I both opted for breakfast sandwiches. I ordered the bacon, egg and cheese biscuit ($2.50) and he chose the ham, egg, and cheese bagel ($2.50). In addition, we ordered two coffees ($1.65 each).

New patrons should note that the folks at Sarah’s Place make everything to order, meaning that there is typically a short wait while the items are prepared.

While we chose to eat there , most customers — probably including residents of the apartments upstairs — seemed to be taking their food to go. The seating area itself is relatively inviting, with small two- or four-top tables decorated with simple flowers. A large television playing loud music detracted slightly from the ambiance, though I imagine the to-go customers didn’t really notice.

After a few minutes, the cashier delivered the sandwiches to our table. My biscuit was light and fluffy, filled with freshly prepared egg and several strips of bacon covered in melted cheese. Likewise, my date’s bagel was layered with a freshly cooked egg, slices of ham, and cheese. I appreciated that the coffee, while not a special brand, was strong and that the establishment offers a small selection of flavored syrups and fresh cream, which customers can add to their liking.

The cashier let me know that all of their bakery items, which looked delicious, are made in-house . Before leaving, I couldn’t resist grabbing a sticky bun ($3) for the road. The dough was dense and full of cinnamon and sugar, decadently smothered in a glazed pecan and walnut topping. However, it was not overly sweet and made for the perfect mid-morning pick-me-up.

Our second visit was for lunch, for which Sarah’s Place has a slightly larger menu of salads, panini and other sandwiches. Salads include the antipasta with ham, salami, pepperoni, black olives, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and cucumbers on spring greens ($8), while other offerings include the hummus wrap ($7) or the Sarah’s Special, which is turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, spinach and mayo on French bread ($7). All sandwiches come with one side.

I was eager to try the Cherry Blossom sandwich, with roast beef, spicy cherry butter, mayo and lettuce on freshly made white bread ($7). The bread itself was quite good — dense and moist. The spicy cherry butter was more like a jelly or jam than butter and was as sweet as it was spicy, but it worked well on this sandwich. The roast beef was flavorful and generously layered, with fresh greens on top.

My date was torn between ordering the ham and Brie or turkey and provolone panini, but he took the staff’s suggestion and went with turkey ($7). His sandwich was made of the same white bread, which was nicely grilled, melding the turkey, cheese, and avocado spread with crispy bacon. I stole a bite and will likely order that during my next visit.

For a side, we tried macaroni salad, the least enjoyable aspect of the meal. Aside from a few shredded carrots and crisp celery, it lacked flavor .

After polishing off our sandwiches, I was excited to try a slice of homemade cheesecake for dessert. It was simple, light, creamy and fluffy, by far worth the price tag ($2) and easily the best cheesecake I’ve had in a long time. It was perfectly accompanied by a hot cup of coffee, rounding out an overall enjoyable and casual lunch.

Patrons should note that convenient 30-minute parking is available directly in front of The Patrick Henry, and the restaurant also delivers breakfast or lunch to downtown Roanoke locations, including Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Orders may be placed via call or text.

Sarah’s Place offers downtown diners a simple, light option for freshly prepared food and tasty baked treats at an affordable price. It’s certainly worth a visit — and not just for residents of The Patrick Henry.

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