BEDFORD, Va. (WDBJ) – History runs deep in Bedford, it’s everywhere you look, even when you’re looking for food.

HAS Town kitchen and provisionsthe history dates back to the 1800s. We will show you in this week Eating in your hometown!

“Good food, made fresh, every day,” said owner Melanie Mays-Srsic.

Short, sweet and precise. That’s how they roll in Bedford. Welcome to Town Kitchen & Provisions on North Bridge Street, but don’t blink; you might miss something special.

“You could drive by and not realize you just walked past the best little sandwich shop in town,” said Joe, a regular customer.

That’s because it’s in an old house…not just any old house, though; the Wharton Cottage, built in 1847. Don’t miss the history lesson before heading inside and trying owner Melanie Mays-Srsic’s version of deli classics.

“I thought Bedford just needed an independent sandwich shop, not fast food. I tried to be fun with the menu and give it fun names, so it wasn’t like every sandwich shop…just ham, cheese and bread,” Mays-Srsic said.

Originally from Lynchburg, Melanie went to school to study theater before being bitten by the culinary bug, which led her to work in a bakery before opening the Millstone Gourmet Tea Room in Sedalia, which she operated for 17 years. Then, in 2013, she moved to Bedford to open this family-owned sandwich shop.

“I looked around for a few years, nothing really struck me. This space then became available and I thought this is it, I love this building and it has so much pop. Additionally, it has historical value,” Mays-Srsic said.

She set to work transforming an old medicine store into what you see today, the walls covered in works by local artists to make you feel right at home.

“I don’t know, I just like the feel of a house; it just has that comfort because it’s been there so long, and I felt like it was a great place to have a little sandwich shop,” Mays-Srsic said.

And like any home, it’s all about curb appeal and landscaping. This place has it.

“We have the Wharton Garden in the back and it’s amazing. That’s all Fred, he’s my owner at the Wharton Foundation,” Mays-Srsic said.

Now that you feel at home, it’s time to eat at home.

“Everything is homemade. All the sauces, the slaw, the chili, the egg salad, everything you’ll get is made in house,” Mays-Srsic said.

And when it’s gone, it’s gone. Lucky for us, we arrived early to see what this cuisine has to offer.

“The fryer cluck, which is fried chicken breast marinated for two days, and we hand fry it every day in a cast iron skillet with homemade Wanda slaw. She’s been with me for twenty years and our crack mayonnaise and pickles. Crack mayonnaise contains siracha with roasted garlic. The turkey is on the prowl, our club. It’s turkey, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes with cracked mayonnaise. Woody is our Reuben. The Romanian nightmare. Homemade Egg Salad, Homemade Pimento Cheese, Homemade Vinegar Slaw, and Root Beer Mustard Pastrami. It’s a sandwich that you’re married to too because you can’t put it down,” Mays-Srsic said.

Since everything is made to order, you can tailor it to your palate and dietary restrictions, like Alpha-gal, which Melanie sees daily. This is a benefit that customers have noticed.

“When you order something, they make the sandwich and you can get it the way you want it. They have gluten-free options and she has vegetarian falafels,” Joe said.

“I like talking to people and I like feeding people. Whether it’s at home or at work, I think it’s something that’s in the blood. You must love it. You have to love it and have a passion for it to get through the tough times and I’ve always loved it,” Mays-Srsic said.

Town Kitchen & Provisions, a local restaurant with a history full of flavor.

Town Kitchen & Provisions is located at 309 N Bridge St, Bedford, VA 24523 and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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