This Under-the-Radar Indiana Store Serves Huge Made-to-Order Sandwiches for Around $7

Food & Drink Travel
By Amelia Brooks

Somewhere along a quiet county road outside Kokomo, Indiana, there is a small market that a lot of people drive right past without a second glance. That is their loss.

This market has been quietly building a loyal following by doing things the old-fashioned way: locally sourced meats, fresh-baked bread, and made-to-order sandwiches so large that finishing one in a single sitting is a genuine challenge. The price tag hovers around $7, which in today’s world feels almost too good to be true.

This is not a chain, not a franchise, and not a place you will find advertised on a billboard. It is the kind of spot that spreads by word of mouth, one satisfied customer at a time.

Keep reading, because this little country market deserves a lot more attention than it currently gets.

The Story Behind the Market

© Plevna Country Market

Plevna Country Market is a family-run operation, and that fact shows in almost every corner of the store. The Lorenz family has built something that goes beyond a simple grocery stop.

It is a place rooted in community, local farming traditions, and a genuine belief that people deserve to know where their food comes from.

The market draws heavily from Amish and Mennonite suppliers in the region, which gives its inventory a character that no big-box store can replicate. These are producers who take quality seriously, and that commitment carries through to everything on the shelves.

Running a small country market in the modern era is not easy, but the Lorenz family has managed to build something that keeps people coming back. The consistent quality, the personal touch, and the deep ties to local agriculture have turned this roadside stop into a destination that regulars genuinely care about.

The Sandwich That Started the Buzz

© Plevna Country Market

The sandwiches at Plevna Country Market are the reason most first-time visitors come back a second time. Built on fresh-baked bread and loaded with freshly sliced meats and cheeses, they are the kind of sandwiches that make a person rethink every other sandwich they have ever ordered.

The portions are generous to a notable degree. More than one person has reported not being able to finish the whole thing in one sitting, which is saying something when you consider that the price sits at around $7.

For a made-to-order sandwich of that size and quality, that number is hard to argue with.

One of the signature options is called the Big Bully, and the name is fitting. It is a substantial build that showcases what the market does best: quality ingredients, honest portions, and no shortcuts.

The sandwich menu alone makes the drive out to County Road 700 East worth every minute.

Fresh-Baked Bread Every Single Day

© Plevna Country Market

The bread at Plevna Country Market is not an afterthought. It is baked fresh every day, and that makes a real difference in the quality of everything built on top of it.

There is a noticeable gap between a sandwich made on day-old store bread and one made on a loaf that came out of the oven that morning.

Beyond the sandwich bread, the market carries a selection of baked goods that has earned its own following. The pecan pie has been called out specifically by more than a few regulars, and the general baked goods selection draws people in even on days when they were not planning to stop.

Fresh-baked goods are one of those things that are hard to fake and even harder to find consistently. Plevna Country Market has made it a daily commitment, and the result is a bakery section that holds its own against anything you might find at a dedicated bakery in a larger town.

Locally Sourced Meats Worth Knowing About

© Plevna Country Market

One of the strongest selling points of Plevna Country Market is its commitment to locally sourced meat. The selection includes options that are organic and fresh, tied to local farms rather than distant distribution centers.

For anyone who has started paying closer attention to where their food originates, this is a meaningful distinction.

The roast beef has developed a loyal fan base on its own. Freshly sliced and available both for sandwiches and for purchase by the pound, it represents the kind of product that keeps people driving out to a rural county road instead of just grabbing something at the nearest grocery chain.

Beyond roast beef, the market carries steaks and sausages that have drawn interest from customers who initially came in just for a sandwich. The meat counter is one of those sections of the store that rewards a slower look, because there is more variety and quality there than the modest storefront might suggest.

Cheeses That Deserve a Closer Look

© Plevna Country Market

The cheese selection at Plevna Country Market is another area where the market quietly outperforms expectations. Colby cheese has been a standout for regulars, and it pairs naturally with the freshly sliced roast beef for a combination that has become something of a house specialty in sandwich form.

Fresh-sliced cheese, cut to order rather than pre-packaged in plastic, has a different texture and flavor profile than what most people are used to from standard grocery shopping. The market leans into that difference, offering cheese that feels like it belongs in the same conversation as the other quality ingredients surrounding it.

For customers who enjoy building their own meals at home, the cheese counter offers a good reason to browse beyond the sandwich menu. Picking up a wedge of something interesting to go alongside fresh bread and locally sourced meat is exactly the kind of simple, satisfying shopping experience that Plevna Country Market has quietly perfected over the years.

Jellies, Jams, and Pantry Finds

© Plevna Country Market

The shelves at Plevna Country Market extend well beyond the deli counter and the refrigerated cases. Jellies and jams line the shelves in a variety of flavors, many of them made locally or sourced from small-batch producers connected to the Amish and Mennonite community in the region.

These are not mass-produced preserves. They are the real thing.

Baking goods, maple syrup, and an assortment of pantry staples fill out the selection in a way that makes the market a useful stop for home cooks. The maple syrup in particular has attracted repeat buyers who appreciate having a local-adjacent option instead of the generic grocery store variety.

Candy and specialty snacks round out the shelves, giving the market a general store character that makes browsing genuinely enjoyable. There is always something new to find, and the overall curation of products reflects a store that pays attention to what its customers actually want to bring home.

Natural Products and Vitamins

© Plevna Country Market

Not every country market doubles as a natural health stop, but Plevna Country Market has carved out a section for vitamins and natural toiletries that adds another layer of usefulness to the store. Some of the products in this section are Amish-made, which gives them a provenance that sets them apart from the standard drugstore shelf.

For customers who prefer products made without synthetic additives or industrial processing, this section provides options that are otherwise hard to find in a rural grocery setting. It is a thoughtful addition that reflects the market’s broader commitment to offering alternatives to the big-box experience.

The selection is not enormous, but it is curated with the same attention to quality that defines the rest of the store. Whether a customer comes in for a sandwich and leaves with a jar of Amish-made salve, or stops specifically for supplements and ends up buying a loaf of fresh bread, the variety in this market consistently rewards the detour.

Thursday Fry Pie Day

© Plevna Country Market

Thursday has a special status at Plevna Country Market, and it comes down to one thing: fry pies. These are hand-held, stuffed fried pastries that arrive in dozens of varieties and have developed a devoted following among regulars who plan their weekly shopping around the availability of a fresh batch.

The concept is simple but the execution is what counts. A fry pie is a small, portable pastry filled with fruit or other sweet fillings, fried to a golden finish, and substantial enough to qualify as a real treat rather than just a snack.

The variety of flavors available on any given Thursday keeps things interesting for repeat visitors.

For anyone building a first visit to the market, Thursday is the day to aim for. The combination of fresh-baked bread, the full sandwich menu, locally sourced meats, and a fresh batch of fry pies in multiple varieties makes it one of the more rewarding food stops available in the Kokomo area on any given week.

What the Regulars Keep Coming Back For

© Plevna Country Market

Repeat business is the most honest measure of a food destination’s quality, and Plevna Country Market has built a strong base of customers who return consistently. The reasons vary from person to person, but the themes are consistent: the sandwiches, the fresh baked goods, the locally sourced products, and the overall character of the place.

Some regulars come specifically for the roast beef. Others make the trip for the Amish butter or the fresh eggs.

A number of people have mentioned discovering the market by accident, spotting a sandwich sign from the road, and then becoming steady customers after that first visit.

The market’s ability to serve multiple needs in one stop is part of what keeps people loyal. It functions as a deli, a bakery, a local grocery, and a specialty goods shop all under one modest roof.

That combination is not easy to replicate, and it is a big part of why the drive out to County Road 700 East keeps feeling worthwhile.

Planning Your Visit

© Plevna Country Market

Getting the most out of a trip to Plevna Country Market starts with knowing the hours. Monday through Friday, the market is open from 8 AM to 5 PM.

Saturday hours run from 8 AM to 1 PM, so arriving early on a weekend is important. The market is closed on Sundays, which is worth noting before making a special trip.

The location on County Road North 700 E outside Kokomo is rural, and GPS navigation is the most reliable way to find it for first-time visitors. The drive is short from Kokomo proper, but the road does not have the kind of landmarks that make it easy to find without directions.

For groups or anyone who wants to guarantee their order is ready on arrival, the online ordering option through plevnacountrymarket.com is worth using. Walk-in orders are absolutely welcome, but pre-ordering takes the guesswork out of a lunch run and ensures that a Thursday fry pie day visit goes exactly as planned.

Why This Market Deserves More Attention

© Plevna Country Market

Small, independent markets like Plevna Country Market are genuinely rare, and the combination of qualities this one brings together is not something that can be manufactured. Locally sourced products, daily fresh-baked goods, made-to-order sandwiches at a price that undercuts almost every comparable option, and a family operation with real roots in the community add up to something worth supporting.

The market sits at a 4.8-star rating across hundreds of documented visits, which is a strong signal that the quality is not a fluke or a one-time experience. Consistent excellence at a modest price point, maintained over years of operation, is the kind of track record that speaks for itself.

Indiana has no shortage of places to grab a quick lunch, but very few of them can offer what Plevna Country Market delivers on any given weekday morning. The drive out to the countryside is a small investment, and the return on that investment, measured in sandwich size alone, makes it one of the better food decisions available in the Kokomo area.

Where to Find This Hidden Gem

© Plevna Country Market

Not every great food destination comes with a flashy address or a busy strip-mall location. Plevna Country Market sits at 3720 County Rd North 700 E, Kokomo, IN 46901, tucked into the countryside in a way that makes the drive feel like a small adventure all on its own.

The market is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM and on Saturday from 8 AM to 1 PM. Sunday hours are not available, so planning ahead is a good idea before making the trip out.

The surrounding area is rural and peaceful, with farmland stretching out on either side of the road. That setting is not accidental.

It reflects exactly what the market is about: a connection to local land, local producers, and a slower, more intentional way of doing business. Once you know it is there, the drive becomes part of the experience.