Village Cheese Shanty — Restaurant in Leland Township

This little shanty provides quite the variety of sandwiches. They offer wraps, baguettes and pretzel buns with various cheeses, metas and toppings. But how was it overall?

The shanty sits in historic Fishtown, so you need to either park down in that area (there is a fee to do so) or find something along the street just outside of Fishtown. We did the latter and found some free parking about a block away.

The shack is one of the first places you’ll see in the area. They had a menu outside, but I didn’t see any prices listed. I asked about the sandwich we wanted to try, and it was almost $10 per sandwich. We also ordered one can of Coke and a bag of potato chips, for a grand total of $25 for the two of us. And no credit card here - so bring plenty of cash or your checkbook.

We were offered a pager, so we walked around the nearby shops, but we didn’t wait more than 10 minutes.

Seating options are limited. They had two picnic tables off to the side, although there are a lot of benches. However, depending on the sandwich you select, a table would be helpful.

We had each ordered the Orchard, which normally comes as a wrap, but they offered to replace that with a pretzel bun. I had wanted to try that, so I agreed, as did my wife. For this particular sandwich, I’d recommend the wrap. While the bun was soft, it was a lot of bread, and it was quite messy. I’d stick to it as a wrap.

Outside the bun, I thought the sandwich was really good. They had given us large chunks of chicken breast and a number of thick slices of Brie cheese. The dried cherries, sunflower seeds, tomatoes and spinach added to the wonderful flavor.

I’d recommend a stop here. The atmosphere is unusual as you sit among these old fish huts. The sound of water makes it a nice...

If you know, you know—and if you don’t, get to the Village Cheese Shanty early and find out. This iconic shack in Historic Fishtown has earned its stripes with legendary pretzel bread sandwiches, made fresh daily from a passed-down family recipe you won’t find anywhere else. But here’s the deal: they only make a limited batch, so calling ahead or arriving early is essential if you want to snag one.

The staff runs a tight, friendly ship—working hard and fast in a compact space to feed a crowd that only grows come peak season. Expect a bit of a wait (even with a phone order), and bring cash—no credit cards here, thanks to spotty reception and simple shanty charm. Think of it more as a specialty deli than a grab-and-go.

They’ve also stepped up their merch game, which is great to see. Pro tip: grab some fresh cheese curds, then head next door to Carlson’s for smoked fish or jerky—it’s a Fishtown snacking rite of passage. Just mind those wooden toothpicks holding your sammie together before you dive in!

This place is the real deal—local, handcrafted, full of flavor and heart. Be patient, be kind, and enjoy the best of Leland one...

17 October 2016 - This place has great sandwiches, BUT they really need to work on their signage. This place is cash or check only! There is no indication of this when waiting in the 10+ minute line. No mention of this when you start to order. There is only a small, taped-over sign flat on the counter that mentions this info. We lucked out and my wife had her checkbook. While we were waiting for our food we saw multiple other people turned away because they only had a credit/debit card. I doubt they came back either. The one couple was pretty frustrated for sure. I can't blame them. I wouldn't come back either when the line is so long. For the record I'm totally fine with places not accepting cards. But you need to be very proactive and place a sign (multiple signs?) in a very obvious place, like on your front door. The cashier was even grumbling about people that didn't know. News flash, your signage sucks!! It's not the customer's fault. Not a good first impression, even with...