I couldn’t break away from my old ways completely, so of course I ordered a small side of cole slaw ($2.50). One of my favorite things about the Brown Bag is the menu items are named after guests - a life-long goal of mine. We ordered the last scoop of the Bonnie’s turkey salad ($8.95 for eight ounces). This had turkey, apples, and nuts in a mayo-based dressing. This sandwich gave competition for my #1 choice here. Cut in half for easy handling, the sandwich was big enough for a solid lunch but not too big to be unreasonable. I don’t ever eat thousand island dressing, and my goodness was it good on a sandwich. The cheese was melted while the veggies were still cool enough to provide a nice crunch and be a great balance to the warm meat. I opted for white bread and hot which I was pleased with. All submarines come on a choice of either white or wheat bread, and cold, hot, or toasted. The Dagwood was a three-meat sandwich with turkey, ham, and roast beef, layered with Swiss cheese, tomato, lettuce, pickle, and thousand island dressing. The first item listed under the submarines area of the menu. Right off the bat, I knew I was going to order the Dagwood ($10.50). There’s a chalkboard wall to the right of the counter with the daily specials as well as the soups and an assortment of different sides. ![]() Booths surround the ordering area as well as a display of the lovely desserts provided by Pies by Inge who works out the back part of the building’s basement. When we walked in, we were immediately greeted by a large menu and the order counter. Locals sneak in through the back entrance but to my surprise, the whole back side of the building is under construction, so we were forced to use the front entrance. ![]() When my partner and I went with my dad last week for an early dinner, I decided now was a good time to try something new. As long as I can remember, my order has been the honey turkey club ($10.50), a side of coleslaw ($2.50), and about 18 pickle spears (they used to be self-service, but that has changed since COVID). Thinking about it now, The Brown Bag is probably where my love for sandwiches started. As an adult who now lives in Champaign, I make it a point to go anytime I’m in Monticello or after a trip to Allerton Park. I have memories of eating there with many of my family members (my mom’s favorite is the veggie), friends, coworkers, and even by myself when I needed a pick-me-up. Growing up, I lived outside of Monticello and spent a solid amount of time inside the deli. Operating since the 1970s and a favorite of mine since about 1998, the Brown Bag is a hole-in-the-wall deli one wouldn’t expect to find in Piatt County, Illinois. As a product of Piatt County, I was excited when my editor was interested in a review of the Brown Bag.
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