Bites Nearby: Matilda's Sandwich Shoppe

Matilda's, at the corner of Arlington and Crawford streets, is what a luncheonette should be. The food is good and fresh, the service is friendly, prices are reasonable and there's a side room with five tables, in case you want to sit and talk or read, rather than just grab a sandwich and go.

The owner, Wes, is casual and unassuming, yet he used to work at upscale places like Lumiere in Newton and Blue Ginger in Wellesley, so he knows good eating. Matilda's has only been open on weekdays for lunch, though, maybe that's why the staff are energetic and friendly.

What to eat: As its name implies, Matilda's specializes in sandwiches: chicken, turkey, BLT, roast beef, ham, chicken salad, tuna melt, corned beef, meatballs, grilled cheese,and others. They come on different kinds of homemade bread. There are also four different salads and a daily chicken soup and one other soup in winter. The chicken and rice soup is hearty, with plenty of onions and carrots.

The vibe: Casual, clean and bright.

Cool factor no. 1: Oldies music in the background — we're talking Roy Orbison and the Supremes. If there was a dance floor, it would be in use.

Cool factor no. 2: Besides sodas and bottled water, there are four kinds of tea from Taylor's, an English company: English breakfast, Ceylon, green tea with Jasmine, and an English decaf.

Cool factor no. 3: The place is across the street from one end of the spanking-new pedestrian-bike path in Watertown — and outside you can see where the path is going to be extended toward Cambridge.