It has been seven years since Stroud’s opened, seven years since my first sandwich there. Another review of this sidewalk espresso cafe on the corner of 12th and Broad streets seemed to be in order.

I must admit not being overly impressed with the first meal I had in 2001, but this time I had one of the best sandwiches ever. Judging by the crowd that slowly filled this charming coffeehouse at lunchtime on the day of my visit, I’d say Stroud’s has found its niche among cafes in the downtown area.

THE MENU

Sandwiches, soups and salads fill the menu, along with several specialty coffee choices and easy breakfast items, such as yogurts, scones, Danish and fruit cups.

The ticket (for two): Chipotle Chicken Panini and chips; cranberry-brie turkey sandwich with mayo and chips.

For starters, I like any meat-and-cheese sandwich grilled, thus my choice of paninis. And this one was done to perfection. Boar’s Head sliced chicken, creamy smoked Gouda and Dijon with a little kick of chipotle made each bite burst with flavor.

On the other hand, the turkey sandwich looked good, but I thought it needed grilling. My lunch partner, however, said it was one of the best she’s had. I did order one to take back to the office for a co-worker and asked that it be grilled. No problem, I was told. They don’t mind grilling any of the sandwiches as long as there’s not a line of people waiting for orders, which would cause too much of a backup.

If you want a grilled turkey with cranberry mayo and brie, don’t go to Stroud’s at the height of the lunch hour. My co-worker pronounced the grilled version as “excellent.”

Order the lunch special meal deal — any sandwich, chips and a drink ($7.75) — and you’ll save about a buck.

One salad looked especially tempting. The Harvest Salad ($6.95), with romaine lettuce, sliced apples, grilled chicken, tomatoes, candied pecans and crumbled blue cheese sounded outstanding. I’ll try that next time.

THE SERVICE

We arrived early, around 11 a.m. Breakfast business was past and the lunch rush was yet to come, so we had the place mostly to ourselves for the first little bit. That meant we had the servers mostly to ourselves, which was great. We had time to chat with them and find out about the menu without feeling rushed.

This is a very casual restaurant where orders are placed at the counter, paid for and picked up. While this kind of service can leave you feeling a little cold, the staff at Stroud’s was warm and friendly.

THE SPACE

Small, clean, sleek and comfortable, Stroud’s is the kind of place that reminds me of sidewalk restaurants in larger cities. With just one small table inside, along with a narrow counter where you can pull up a stool and read the paper while eating or sipping coffee, there’s not a lot of room inside.

Outside, there are several tables, however, with umbrellas and trees providing an adequate amount of shade during the heat of summer. Floor-to-ceiling windows bring the outside in and make the eatery a great place for people-watching, too.

THE VERDICT

I like the feel, the food and the friendliness of Stroud’s. Those three “F’s” together — who’d ever think an “F” was good — are the magical markers that make a good restaurant. Stroud’s is worth the visit.