Come for the Coffee, Not for the Sandwiches

As I waited at the counter to place my order at Greenberry's, an employee poured a large sack of coffee beans into a grinder. The machine whirred, grinding the roasted beans into fine grounds, and the store filled with a strong aroma of coffee. The smell alone was enough to induce an early-evening pick-me-up.

But I came here not for the coffee, but to make the next stop on the Morristown Munchies tour of downtown sandwiches. From tuna salad to smoked ham, Greenberry's Coffee and Tea offers six sandwiches on its menu, available in whole or half portions.

Founded in 1992 in Charlotesville, Va., the 14-store chain is concentrated primarily in the south, with two Garden State locations: Morristown and Wayne. Like its other stores, the Morristown location is decorated with hardwood floors, and tables to match, with green accents to reflect the founder's Scotch Irish heritage. Seating is available outside, in the front of the store and in a small area toward the back of the store.

Between the counter and the rear seating, a few bookshelves offer customers the opportunity to "bring a book, share a book," and "bring a mug, share a mug." Perhaps this is an attempt to fulfill the company's values, which start with a commitment to create "a warm, friendly environment" for customers. Below those shelves that each hold a handful of coffee mugs and old paperbacks are a microwave and toaster. In back a bulletin board advertises local events, such as shows at the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts–and a flyer introducing Morristown Patch to the neighborhood.

I didn't have to scan far down the menu to find my choice of sandwiches for the evening: bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado ($6.99). Out of curiosity, I asked the woman behind the counter what her favorite sandwich was: the stacked turkey, she said, with havarti cheese, avocado, lettuce, roasted red tomatoes and mayo. Tempting, but I stuck with my first choice.

My fellow Patch contributor (and one-time boss) who joined me at Greenberry's chose the grilled Italian chicken with fresh mozzarella, roasted tomato and balsamic vinaigrette ($7.99).

All sandwiches are served on a choice of rustic sourdough or hearty multigrain bread. The menu says that all sandwiches are served hot pressed or not pressed–though we were not asked our preference.

My sandwich was served hot pressed, which sounds appealing if you're only considering the multigrain bread, which was rustic, seedy and in this case, warm, toasted and sporting grill marks. But the hot-pressing also heats the ingredients inside, and warm mayo, avocado and leafy green lettuce are not so appealing. A not-pressed sandwich would have been more appetizing.

The bacon was smoky and flavorful, but thin, like what one might get on a hamburger. And the avocado was a letdown. I expected actual sliced avocado and instead received what seemed more like a mashed avocado spread that lacked that distinctive creamy taste. Perhaps my expectations were too high: Avocados are primarily grown in Central and South America, Mexico and Southern California, so to expect fresh avocados in a mid-Atlantic coffee shop may be asking too much.

The chicken sandwich was not made with one, solid chicken breast, but instead with three or four long, thick slices of chicken breast. The sandwich was heavy on the balsamic vinaigrette, but otherwise enjoyable, I am told.

All sandwiches are served with a side of what appears to be multigrain crackers, but instead taste more like Tostitos–a pleasant surprise.

The drink menu includes plenty of alternatives to coffee. We sampled the mango smoothie and the Italian soda–seltzer with raspberry syrup (also available in several other flavors, such as cherry, vanilla and caramel). They were good choices for an evening meal, but the coffee here is the real star.

Several weeks ago, I wrote about the Barnes and Noble Cafe for Springfield Patch. "Come for the space, the sweets or the Starbucks–but not the food," I wrote. Likewise, with Greenberry's, if you're drawn by the coffee, the comfortable environment or the WiFi access and happen to be hungry, the sandwiches are a convenient, viable lunch option. But this is not a destination for food. Best to stick with C'est Cheese or Zebu for quality sandwiches downtown.