You'd think the Old Lyme Ice Cream Shoppe would be satisfied with its stellar lineup of homemade frozen treats, sold in an adorable building on beautiful Lyme Street.

Well, the proprietors have done us one better by adding a catering/lunch counter operation called Rosie's Kitchen, housed in the same building.

The Rosie's menu offers a long list of sandwiches, four different salads, daily specials and some fresh-made goodies in a refrigerated case inside the shop. While the sandwiches are commonly found elsewhere (BLT, tuna salad, Cuban and the like), their preparation and ingredients make them stand out from the crowd.

For instance, the New Englander ($8.25) at first glance appears to be a high-end turkey sandwich: you've got roasted turkey coupled with Vermont cheddar, Granny Smith apples, lettuce and spicy Bee Sting mustard (which was not at all spicy but still delicious). But when your sandwich maker knows the value of thinly slicing both turkey and apples - which merges their flavors oh so very well - and selects a perfect roll (ciabatta) and layers all of the ingredients beautifully, you've got yourself a fantastic sandwich. The zing of the apple and mustard make the sandwich great to the last bite.

The Fresh Mozz ($6.50) accomplishes similar excellence. We've all had fresh mozzarella and tomato sandwiches, and the pairing is generally always yummy. But Rosie's version is served warm on focaccia bread with pesto and some balsamic vinegar in the mix, lending loads of zest to otherwise delicious and well-selected mozzarella and tomatoes.

Great texture is possibly the best part of the Chicken Sandwich ($8.25), a bit of a misnomer in that this is a generously filled wrap. We've got crisp cool lettuce meeting with shredded chicken, crispy bacon, and uber fresh tomatoes paired with cheddar cheese, carmelized onions and Ranch dressing (I got my dressing on the side). This is heady, flavorful stuff, indeed, but all those crispy, toothy ingredients keep the overall presentation quite refreshing and will nicely vanquish even the worst of hunger pangs.

On the salad side, I opted for the Greek ($8.50 and huge), which turned out to be a hybrid of the menu's Greek and Garden salads. While my salad contained the greens, feta, peperoncini and grilled chicken noted on the menu description, it did not include the tomatoes and cucumbers listed in the same description (it also comes with Greek olives, which I omitted). As a big cucumber-with-feta fan, that was a bit of a disappointment. Of course, the feta wasn't the best I've ever had - no tang, no saltiness - so I guess we'll call that part of the mix a wash.

In their stead though, I got grilled asparagus, roasted sweet potatoes (very nice) and squash, a few random bell pepper slices, and what I suspect was broccoli rabe (or some other bitter green), which seems a bit risky to just casually throw into what's supposed to be a Greek salad, since the characteristic bitterness of the heartier greens is not for everyone (most definitely not me).

Disappointments aside, this bountiful salad had plenty else to recommend it, including the great Greek dressing (more balsamic-heavy than most and loaded with herbs), the generous portion of delicious, thinly sliced chicken and the amazingly flavorful grilled asparagus.

And it's possible my hodgepodge salad could have been the result of Rosie's policy of using local, seasonal produce wherever possible, which, of course, I appreciate.

As for those goodies in the fridge case, on a recent visit, having missed the deli deadline, I grabbed a batch of fresh gazpacho ($4.50) for dinner. While the soup was beautifully bright and veggie-loaded (squash and peppers, amid the tomato base), it was unfortunately and amazingly bland. It was just dying for more garlic and onions and some hot peppers, in my humble opinion.

Good thing I grabbed some salted caramel ice cream ($4.25 for a small cup or cone) for dessert - and it was divine. Super creamy with perfectly balanced sweet and salty notes, I highly recommend this flavor even if you've had a filling, satisfying dinner. Ditto for the strawberry, a dark-pink swirled mixture that's mostly creamy-sweet with occasional tangy bursts of strawberry flavor.

Rosie's/Old Lyme Ice Cream Shoppe is hereby on my list of go-to places for great eats; homemade ice cream and responsibly assembled sandwiches are only two reasons to stop by. Add in the lovely setting and the charming storefront, and it's possible this foodie destination will make your best-of list too.

Rosie's Kitchen at Old Lyme Ice Cream Shoppe

34 Lyme St., Old Lyme

(860) 434-6942

oldlymeicecreamshoppe.com; also on Facebook

Summer hours: Monday-Saturday 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday noon-9 p.m. Rosie's deli fare is only available until 3 p.m., seven days a week.

Cuisine: Sandwiches and salads and some pre-made items, plus a dozen or so flavors of ice cream daily. Coffee and some baked nibbles available

Atmosphere: Charming beyond belief, particularly thanks to the handful of tables out on a little patio in front of the shop. Very dimly lit and warm inside.

Service: No-frills courteous.

Prices: Comparable to similar lunch menus and a good deal considering the quality of the ingredients, many of which are locally sourced. The priciest items are two of the salads that run for $8.50.

Handicap access: Street-level entrance, fairly spacious inside

Credit cards: All majors