Canteen Lunch in the Alley

Canteen Lunch in the Alley is a restaurant located in Ottumwa, Iowa. It opened in the 1920s and has been a local institution famous for their loose-meat sandwiches and homemade pies. Their loose-meat sandwich is commonly compared to the sandwiches available at the chain fast-food restaurant Maid-Rite, yet locals are known to prefer the 'Canteen' sandwiches for various reasons ranging from the fact it's a family-owned restaurant for over 80 years to the secret seasoning and sauce used in the recipe.

The restaurant's design is a horseshoe-shaped counter-top surrounded by high swivel chairs. The meat for the sandwiches are prepared in the middle of the counter-top in a large meat steamer, constantly being stirred and mixed by the staff. Besides the sandwich, homemade pies and shakes are the other items on the menu.

The Canteen was the model for the restaurant opened by Roseanne Barr in her sitcom Roseanne, which was named "The Lunchbox". From their speciality loose-meat sandwiches to the layout of the interior, The Lunchbox was nearly an exact replica of the Canteen. Barr was formerly married to actor Tom Arnold, a native of Ottumwa, and frequently visited Ottumwa during their marriage.

External links

*http://www.mytravelguide.com/restaurants/profile-32610005-United_States_Iowa_Ottumwa_Canteen_Lunch_In_The_Alley.html
*http://iowabackroads.com/2007/places/canteen-lunch-in-the-alley/
*http://chefmoz.org/United_States/IA/Ottumwa/Canteen_Lunch_In_The_Alley988582097.html
*http://LifeInIA.com