When customers walk into the Brick House Cafe & Coffee Shop in Manheim, they usually have a similar reaction.

"I hear the word 'unique' a lot," manager Scott Davis says. "It's almost like an antique shop but without any stuffiness."

The restaurant owes its unique atmosphere to its history. Built in the 1860s, the building housed the E.E. Kready General Merchandise Store from the turn of the 20th century until the 1950s. More recently, it was home to Mudpies Cafe and Emporium.

In July 2006, David Reist opened the Brick House, using the building's construction as inspiration for the restaurant's name.

"The whole building is brick under the plaster walls," Davis says. "We discovered that when we were doing some electrical updating."

An interior window showcases an area of the wall where the original brick is exposed.

When turning the gift shop into a restaurant, Reist and Davis were careful to do minimal renovating.

"We didn't want to lose any character of the old building," Davis says. "We repainted and things like that, but we didn't do any major reconstruction."

The restaurant serves a variety of breakfast items — including waffles and breakfast wraps — as well as soups, salads and sandwiches.

"For lunch, our paninis are our specialty," Davis says, noting that one popular item is the Tuscan Chicken Melt, which features grilled Italian-seasoned chicken, black-olive pesto sauce, grilled onions, mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes.

A daily special offers customers half a grilled cheese sandwich, a cup of soup and a beverage for $5.

Everything on the menu is available for takeout, and customers can also rent the building for private functions, such as bridal showers or birthday parties.

Along with seating on the main floor and an upstairs loft, the restaurant has a backyard patio that provides a quiet respite from busy Route 72.

"The waterfall by the patio is unique and makes a great atmosphere out there," Davis says. "You can be 20 yards away from Main Street in Manheim and not realize it or even hear any of the traffic."

RESTAURANT: Brick House Cafe and Coffee Shop

ADDRESS: 60 N. Main St., Manheim

PHONE: 665-5588

DATE VISITED: Friday, April 20

TIME VISITED: Noon to 12:45 p.m.

ON THE MENU: Salads, soups, sandwiches, wraps, grilled panini

GOOD IDEA: Need a pick-me-up? Order from the Brick House's extensive coffee-drink menu, or try a smoothie, fresh-brewed iced tea or old-fashioned Boylan brand soda. The restaurant also sells ground and whole-bean coffee under its own label.

TASTE TEST: Diner No. 1: Brick House Cheeseburger Wrap, $5.75. The flour tortilla was stuffed with an all-beef patty, American cheese, romaine lettuce, onion and mayonnaise and came with chips. It was a unique twist on an old favorite and was delicious.

Diner No 2: Chicken Cordon Bleu Panini, $6.50; mini portion of red-skin potato salad, $.50. The grilled panini, stuffed to the brim with Italian grilled chicken, ham, provolone and Swiss cheeses and mayo, was huge — large enough for two lunches, really. The creamy potato salad had a tasty, slightly sweet flavor.

COUNTDOWN: We ordered at a counter and seated ourselves. Our food was delivered to our table in about 15 minutes.

PRICES: Chef salad, $5.95; roasted turkey panini, $5.95; Tuscan chicken melt panini, $6.25; roasted vegetable wrap, $5.50; chicken quesadilla, $6.50; ham and cheese sandwich, $4.95; tuna salad sandwich, $4.95; soup in a bread bowl, $5

Total for two people, not including tax and gratuity: $12.75

PLASTIC ACCEPTED: Visa, MasterCard, Discover

ATTITUDE: A long counter is the focal point of the restaurant's main room, while a brick pathway and soon-to-bloom water gardens highlight the outdoor dining area.

AIR QUALITY: All nonsmoking inside; smoking allowed on outdoor patio

DRESS CODE: Casual

HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE: Yes, with portable ramp

HOURS: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays; 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday

RESERVATIONS: Taken, but not required

PARKING: A parking lot is located behind the restaurant.

ONE MORE THING: Live entertainment is offered Fridays about once a month.

Dining on a Dime appears the first Wednesday of the month in Your Life and features meals $10 and under (per person), not including tax and gratuity. Know of an inexpensive spot serving some great food? Tell us by calling 291-8755 or by e-mail at yourlife@LNPnews.com. blog comments powered by Disqus