Tremont's La Bodega

One of the only restaurants in Tremont that "R" and I had never been to was La Bodega on the corner of Tremont and Jefferson. A small little sandwich shop, offering a wide variety of sandwiches, subs, wraps, soups, and salads. They are only open from 11AM - 7PM on Monday - Friday, and 11AM - 4PM on the weekends. Free street parking is available, but it can be difficult to find in Tremont during popular dining hours. La Bodega is just one block from the main strip of restaurants and bars on Professor Avenue, so parking is at a premium. Luckily, late yesterday afternoon we easily found a spot just down the block from the restaurant.

I had a hard time choosing from the lengthy menu, so "R" and I decided to split two sandwiches that sounded good to both of us. We had the Roast Beef #24 (half sandwich pictured below) with bleu cheese, horseradish mayo, lettuce, tomato, and onion ($8). Dining Deals Alert!

We also shared the Ham #38 (half sandwich pictured below) with ham, brie, and pineapple with honey mustard ($8.50).

I love that the menu is broken up by meat choice (Turkey, Roast Beef, Ham or Bacon, Chicken Salad, Fish). I think it makes narrowing down your selections a little easier. You also have a choice between 10 bread options. We selected Italian for both of our sandwiches. They also have a Vegetarian section, and a variety of soups and salads. Every order comes with a bag of chips.

It's no secret that I strongly dislike cold cuts. Give me a hot sandwich any day. So I appreciate that it looks like all sandwiches and wraps are pressed at La Bodega. It warmed it up just a bit, and the toasty crust was great.

Overall, I did like both sandwiches as much as I could. I am just NOT a sandwich person. Weird, I know. I ate about half of the Ham before I removed the ham itself, and then the melted brie and pineapple sandwich that I was left with was AWESOME. Maybe next time I should just skip the ham completely. The Roast Beef was good as well, but I wish that the horseradish mayo had more of a kick to it. A whole sandwich on the Italian bread was just too much food for me yesterday, so I'm about to enjoy the rest of the Roast Beef one for lunch today. Next time, I'd love to try one of their interesting Chicken Salad options.

There are about six tables in a small dining room just beyond the counter/ordering area, and a counter along the window with a few stools. They seem to do a lot of takeout and catering. With a lot of tempting options on the menu, I think there's something for everyone. Even this self-proclaimed sandwich-hater will keep La Bodega in mind for a quick lunch bite in Tremont.

I'm glad that we finally stopped in to a place that we frequently drive by. Do you have that place in your neighborhood that you always mean to try, but you just haven't made it there yet? I encourage you to make the effort. You never know what you will find.

La Bodega
869 Jefferson Avenue
Cleveland, OH
216-621-7075