Have you fallen into a rut when it comes to what you eat over the lunch hour? By default, do you simply head to the spot that’s nearest the office for a midday meal on the fly? If that’s you, then you’re missing out on some delicious possibilities. Let our soup and sandwich guide inspire you to break old habits. Even if it takes a few extra minutes of driving time, the dozens of possible combinations resulting from these hearty, made-from-scratch soup offerings and hefty sandwiches will make it worth your while.
Toasted Ham and Brie Sandwich and Tomato Basil Soup
Owner Arnaud de Rambures just added a slew of hot selections to the menu at Chez Arnaud, including warm sandwiches and homemade soups. The tomato basil soup and chicken wild rice soup have been popular right out of the gate, served with a piece of baguette or ciabatta ($3.95 for a cup or $5.95 for a bowl). Two flavors of soup are featured every day, with 6 – 8 flavors being rotated regularly. Sandwiches like the brie with French ham are served on a baguette and toasted in the oven upon request ($5.95 - $6.95). From 7 a.m. – 11 a.m., there’s a sandwich with an early-morning slant, made with scrambled eggs, black forest ham and Swiss cheese. Lunch combinations offer a little price break, when a half sandwich—with your choice of a small soup, half quiche or salad, and a drink —rings up at $7.50.
Porky Pig Sandwich and Cream of Chicken Wild Rice Soup
All the soups, including the stocks, are made from scratch daily at The Lookout Bar and Grill, and the chicken wild rice has become so popular that it’s made available by the gallon ($3.99 for a cup, $5.99 for a bowl or $32.99 for a gallon). Every Friday there is one chili among the soups du jour, like the white chicken chili or a standard beef chili. All soups are all served with fresh corn bread. In the sandwich department, you might have a hard time whittling down all those choices to just one, but the porky pig ($8.99) is highly recommended. The sandwich has gotten lots of exposure while being served out of The Lookout’s concession trailer at events like the Anoka County Fair. The restaurant smokes its own pork in a smoker out back and makes its own barbecue sauce for the sandwich, which is served on an onion bun. Other favorite sandwiches include the Italian beef dip ($9.99), made with garlic-roasted beef, mushrooms, caramelized onions and provolone, or the house club ($8.99). The restaurant buys all of its breads fresh from Main Street Bakery.
Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich and Vegetable Beef Barley Soup
The soups are a selling point at Dehn’s Country Manor, where the vegetable beef barley is made from a homemade beef stock, prime rib tips, and big chunks of carrot, celery and onion ($3.50 for a cup or $4.50 for a bowl, served with bread). This rich, hearty soup is always available, along with a soup of the day, which can vary from bean soups and chili, to a dill pickle soup with homemade potato soup base, chopped kosher dills and fresh dill, to a baked potato with ham. The grilled ham and cheese sandwich ($6.75) is made with brown sugar and honey ham (carved in house) and thick wheat Texas bread. Owner Mike Dehn likes it best with Swiss cheese, but smoked cheddar and American can be substituted. Dehn’s is also known for serving a really nice reuben sandwich ($9.75), with extra lean corned beef (shaved in house), marble rye bread, fresh sauerkraut and homemade thousand island dressing. All sandwiches come with a choice of soup, salad or fries.
Boney Billy Sandwich and Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup
The most popular sandwich at Erbert and Gerbert’s goes by the name of Boney Billy. A hoagie bun is filled with turkey breast, tomato, onion, mayonnaise and sprouts ($4.49). Any regular sized sandwich can be upgraded to include a soup and soda for an additional $3.99. Half sandwich and soup combinations were recently tacked on to the offerings, starting at $5.99. The Wisconsin beer cheese soup is a complement to any sandwich, made with a blend of four Wisconsin cheeses, carrots, Miller High Life beer and a touch of Tabasco. At least 5 – 8 flavors of soup are available every day ($2.69 for a cup or $3.79 for a bowl), with a popular Minnesota chicken wild rice that is always on the menu.
Egg Salad Sandwich and Chicken Dumpling Soup
Breads are made in house at Henry’s Café, starting every sandwich off right. The traditional egg salad is served on white or wheat bread, and is offered daily in combination with a soup of your choice ($6.99 with a cup or $7.99 with a bowl). All soups are made in house, and some of the staple soups of the day are the chicken dumpling and the cream of chicken wild rice ($2.99 for a cup or $3.99 for a bowl). The mild chili ($3.79 for a cup or $4.79 for a bowl), made with tomatoes, beans and hamburger, is another favorite.
Chicken Noodle Soup and Build-Your-Own Sandwich
No time to wait around for someone to put your order together? Try the deli lunch line at Osseo Meat Market & Deli. Put together your own sandwich on a homemade bun with cold cuts like roast beef, turkey, ham, and hard salami, and fixings like tomato, lettuce and cheese. Sandwiches are weighed and sold by the pound, so you can size it to match your appetite. Add a soup to your meal, like chicken noodle or chili, starting at $2.25 for a 10-ounce portion or $3.25 for a 16-ounce portion. The deli lunch is available from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Monday through Friday; among its offerings, you’ll find hot dogs, polish sausage, drinks, and freshly-baked bars and cookies. Prices are subject to change, and there is no eat-in area.
Reuben Sandwich and Chicken Wild Rice Soup
At Duffy’s Bar and Grill in Osseo, the long list of sandwiches includes everything from a pork tenderloin sandwich ($7.25) to the Duffy’s dago ($6.75), made with Italian spicy sausage sourced from Osseo Deli & Meats. The reuben sandwich ($8.50), a favorite among customers, is served on pumpernickel with a pickle and a side of fries. The soup changes every day, but we hear there’s a loyal following for the chicken wild rice soup ($2.50 for a cup or $3.95 for a bowl). The soup and sandwich combo ($6.50) includes a cup of soup and your choice of a ham, turkey or roast beef sandwich.
