Martinho’s
Downtown Mebane is a sight to see: it’s tiny, so don’t blink. Nestled a block off Church St at 106 W Clay, between 3rd and 4th, is a small deli, bakery, and restaurant called Martinho’s. It’s run by a Portugese family, and their sandwiches are great. I’ve never had a pizza there, but have been told by several friends that they do a good job with those also.
When you walk in you’re given the option of ordering either at the register or seating yourself and waiting for one of their friendly waitstaff to come check to see what you want. I often get the their hot chicken sandwich with jalapenos, marinara sauce, cheese, and onions, and the sandwiches always come out very hot, made on bread they bake themselves. I’ve never been there when they weren’t busy, and they usually have the sports du jour running on their TVs, so even if you go by yourself, you have something to do beyond just eat your meal.
The only complaint I have is that the tables are tight for 4 people, unless you’re sharing a pizza. With 4 individual meals on the table, along with drinks, silverware, napkins, and condiments, bumping elbows becomes unavoidable.
The minor irritation of elbow bumping aside, however, and Martinho’s is a great pleace for lunch, dinner, or take-away.