Since the early 1970s, people have come to the market at Soergel Orchards in Franklin Park to get produce grown on the family farm’s 450 acres.

While shopping at the market, many customers have discovered the little nook where they can order deli and bakery items, and eat them right there — Soergel Orchards Cafe — which seats 20 to 25 over six tables.

Many customers, including nearby business people, are hooked on the daily lunch specials at the cafe — offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, for $7.99 — says Marcus Hambrick, manager of the deli and catering.

“We have a crowd that comes in just for that lunch special,” he says. Others will be shopping in the store, and “they get hungry seeing all the produce and food, and they come over to get some fresh sandwiches.”

Daily specials include popular items such as paninis, flatbread pizzas and chicken wraps. But if you miss the special hours, no worries: The cafe will make sandwiches and other items for you anytime it is open, Hambrick says.

Favorite items include the Soergel’s Signature Sandwich ($5.99), made of roasted turkey and the orchard’s own apples when they are in season, usually Gala or Empire apples. You won’t find processed lunch meat in this sandwich. “Basically, it’s like your Thanksgiving turkey sliced up for sandwiches,” Hambrick says.

Soergel’s also offers a Pittsburgh-style steak salad ($7.99) and many from-scratch soups ($2.99 and $4.99) including tomato basil, turkey noodle, broccoli cheddar and wedding. The cafe offers a soup of the week and a soup of the day. They also are available frozen to take home.

If you don’t want to wait for a hot item, you can grab a simple salad or sandwich from a chilled to-go case. And don’t forget the bakery, where you can get sweet desserts ranging from seasonal items such as apple-cider doughnuts (75 cents each), along with other treats such as apple pies, miniature pies, cream pies, eclairs and sugar cookies. Many people come in the morning with their newspaper, grab a doughnut and coffee for breakfast, and read and eat in the cafe, Hambrick says.

The ingredients used at the Soergel Orchards Cafe are as local as it gets, he says.

“It’s kind of like a farm-to-table thing — pretty much anything that you can go out into our produce area and take home, you can try it here in our deli. If I ever run out of something, I just run over to the market, and we’re good to go,” Hambrick says.

Soergel Orchards Cafe, 2573 Brandt School Road, Franklin Park, is open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Details: 724-935-1743 or soergels.com

Kellie B. Gormly is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.

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