Review: The Merc is friendly and cozy with excellent food
The Dennis Village Mercantile, or The Merc as it is affectionately called, is a cheerful coffee shop that serves breakfast and lunch. It’s a hidden gem behind the Dennis Post Office on Main Street that would be easy to miss if you weren’t looking for it. I promise it’s worth the search. My son, his girlfriend and I had a lovely lunch there and all agreed we would go back.
The menu is printed on blackboards behind the counter. Cold drinks are self-serve in large coolers and Cape Cod potato chips are in baskets nearby. More baskets and a bakery case showcased sweet goodies. We grabbed drinks and ordered at the counter.
The first floor of The Merc has some seating including a large table, but most of the seating is on the second floor. Small built-in tables for two overlook the large opening with views to the first floor. Walls are a cheery yellow and plenty of windows create a warm and bright atmosphere. Two couches are arranged in corners for a comfortable place to chat over coffee. Free Wi-Fi can be accessed with the password, “Jimmy Tuna,” which is also the name of the sandwich Katie ordered ($6.75).
It was a delicious sandwich, plump with a generous amount of tuna that had small bits of celery and just the right amount of mayo to hold the sandwich together without being soupy or dry. The sandwich came with red onion slices, pickles, cheddar cheese and honey mustard dressing. It was a winning combination.
The Merc serves sandwiches on a choice of homemade breads. We all ordered the whole grain bread, which was fabulous. It was as dark as pumpernickel, soft and fresh.
Thommy ordered the Club Merc ($6.75) and was equally happy with his sandwich. The wonderful bread was piled high with sliced turkey, ham, Havarti cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato. They don’t skimp on the filings with their sandwiches and the ingredients were all incredibly fresh tasting. His only complaint was that the bacon was microwaved, which made it dry and too crisp for his liking.
I began my meal with a cup of onion, leek and potato soup ($3). It was the most disappointing item we sampled. It consisted of large chunks of red bliss potato, sliced onions and leeks in a chicken stock broth. The broth had almost no seasoning, and lacked flavor. Even salt would have improved it. I ended up not finishing it and focusing on my excellent veggie sandwich ($6) instead.
The sandwich had slices of Havarti cheese, cucumbers sliced the long way, grated carrots, sprouts, tomato slices, red onion slices, green leafy lettuce and creamy dill dressing. The veggies were crisp and fresh and the combination was wonderful.
The Merc carries Bruce Cost unfiltered ginger ale, which is simply delightful. It is made with fresh ginger and pure cane sugar and comes with bits of ginger floating in the bottom. I don’t splurge on soda often, but this was worth it.
Our experience at The Merc left all of us happy and full. The friendly staff and comfortable dining room enhanced our visit greatly. The prices were very fair. We ordered three sandwiches, a cup of soup and three beverages for just $30 before tip. We will definitely be back, especially because I can’t wait to sample their other breads like anadama, oatmeal and sour dough.
The Dennis Village Mercantile
778 Main St., Dennis
508-385-3877, dennisvillagemercantile.com
Open 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
