Last spring I fell in love with Surf Bar on Folly Beach for so many things: a decidedly laid-back vibe, a wood-burning stove that infuses the food with a uniquely smoky taste, a potently delicious Painkiller, a big beefy burger, and a black bean burger hearty enough to attract vegans from far and wide.
This year, my new love is equally laid back and delicious. The Drop In Deli hasn’t exactly been a secret, but I’ve neglected to stop in and try it out (really wish I had gone there that day last spring instead of Lazo’s).
Last Friday, when the skies were blue and the air was a warm 70 degrees, I took the kids and headed to the beach for a quick lunch. Taking advice from our resident hippie writer Stratton Lawrence, I decided to drop in on the Drop In.
Can you get more appealing than that? Love the sign and the overall presentation to the street. It says modern but not too modern. Cool but not too cool.
We ordered three sandwiches followed by the monstrous brownie ala mode. Behold the BLT with pimento cheese on white bread:
A kids’ grilled cheese. It is what it is.
The blackened grouper with lemon garlic aioli on kaiser roll.
The sandwiches are as no frills as the bar.
My take: The Drop In Deli on Folly is loaded with personality, and either you’ll like that personality or you won’t. For me, I appreciate things like concrete walls and clever sandwich names like the Pholly Cheese Steak (with cheese whiz) or the Four Guys Burger (“They got five, we got four.”)
But what I really appreciate are sandwiches prepared with care and thought. This isn’t just a killer beer shack (PBRs are two bucks in the can), it’s a gathering place where you can bring your kids for lunch or stop by for a quick bite on your way out of town and not be disappointed.
Next time, I’m going to leave the kids at home and hit the Drop In for sushi night (Sushi by Lisa serves it up weekdays from 6-8 and the aforementioned Stratton tells me it’s good stuff) and try the Top Shelf Cream Soda made with Navan Vanilla, Belvedere Vodka, Sprite, and club soda. Sounds good, no?
Pros: A neighborhood joint that embodies the neighborhood it serves, well-done sandwiches, no frills, super casual
Cons: might be a little too low-rent for some
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