The first day of vacation in Sandwich, we lunched at Beth's Bakery and Café on Jarves St. It was within walking distance of the inn so it was the perfect spot for a quick lunch.
Of course, I am a sucker for any chalkboard menu so I knew I would like the place. Hmm, homemade mac and cheese, yum!
It was quite warm that day but we still sat outside on the deck. Good people watching and there was a breeze.
The café used to be a Puritan Church. My sister wanted to know if Jarves St was church row because the inn used to be a church, the café was a church and the stores down the street were formerly the first Catholic Church in Sandwich.
We both had the mac and cheese. I opted for the fruit cup instead of the salad. It was all very good.
Here's the inside of the café. Lots of goodies to choose from. We didn't have any fancy drinks or desserts.
This is the view from the deck.
One morning I walked down to Beth's for my morning coffee. They had just opened and I was the first customer. I ended up meeting Joe ,the owner, and he gave me the history of the place. Beth is his wife's name.
Yes, the place was a Puritan Church once and much later it was a USO Hall.
Now it is a cute café with beadboard walls and simple decoration. A nice local place for coffee, breakfast or lunch. The owner told me he changed the name from Beth's Special Teas to Beth's Café and Bakery because people thought it was a tea shop. He said he rarely had male customers when the name was Beth's Special Teas.
There was quite the collection of antiques hung high above the restaurant. I love the old sewing machine table. I just got one at a recent yard sale.
He told me he got the stain glass windows from a builder who had salvaged them from an old building. Joe had them in his basement for years. He thought they were pretty but he had no idea how he would use them.
When he bought the building, he realized he had the perfect spot for the doves. He said unfortunately because of the way the glass was cut he could only put them in as descending doves. Either way, they are beautiful.
I enjoyed speaking with Joe, and Gail, who made my cappuccino. She was so pleasant and efficient I was sure she was Joe's wife. I asked if she was Beth. She laughed and said no she was not an owner.
Everyone on staff was great.
If you are in the Sandwich area check out Beth's Bakery and Café on Jarves St. You'll be happy you did.
