The Dynamo burger (Photo by Stephen Clatterbuck)
Secret Sandwich Society got its start in tiny Fayetteville, West Virginia, but you might never guess its small-town roots to judge by the owners’ spinoff venture in downtown Richmond, in an erstwhile clothing retailer on suddenly happening Grace Street.
The look (prominent bar, exposed brick, gleaming wood, storefront windows) practically screams citified bistro, and the sandwiches target that middle ground beloved by budget-minded urban diners. All are named for American presidents or statesman. Pro tip: Put your money on the founders, in other words, Jefferson (shaved roast beef, sharp cheddar and horseradish on a crisped baguette), Adams (slow-roasted pork shoulder, honey butter, pimiento cheese and jalapeño on a brioche) and Quincy (roast beef and roasted-garlic mayo on a crisped baguette). The Eisenhower, alas, turned up some second-rate mortadella along with its ham, provolone and cherry peppers. Unfortunately, that same mortadella also features in the Ploughman’s Platter, a middling spread of meats and cheeses.
There are burgers to be had here, too, and they hew to the same pile-it-on ethos. Go for the Dynamo, outfitted with a smorgasbord’s worth of accompaniments — bacon, blue cheese, red peppers and fried onions — and pair it with an order of the Society Fries, hot and crisp and doused with pimiento cheese.
Yes, you’ll want to take the afternoon off and/or a nap afterwards, but going down? Pure, sophisticated comfort.
3 out of 5 stars
501 E. Grace St.
804-644-4777
Hours: Open daily, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Prices: $3 to $14.50, handicapped-accessible
