Vagabond Sandwich Shop in Bel Air, MD August 2019

Ben Meyer has some vagabond in his past. Because his restaurant is right across the street from the Courthouse of Harland County, it felt right for Ben to acknowledge his arrest as a 15-year-old on “Rogue and Vagabond” charges.
His grandmother, Nancy used to provide food to transients in the 1930’s and 40’s in San Bernadino, CA, and Ben honors her tradition by displaying the signs and symbols that hobos used to leave for one another that pointed to danger or to opportunities for food and shelter.
The food is fresh, locally sourced and delicious. I’m looking forward to my next stop there when I pass through Bel Air.

I waited until 2022 to return, thanks to COVID.  Rather than finding another restaurant struggling to keep going after COVID, I found one that was thriving and looking better than ever.  How??  I think Ben is a genius.  He bought a food truck, and took food to people, instead of having people come to him.  He always had a thriving take-out business, and he found ways to make it work even better with online ordering and touchless pickup.  Having an empty restaurant wasn’t a curse!  He used the downtime to redecorate the store, create a new logo, support local artists and businesses, and hang a new awning out front.  Kudos!  Oh, and by the way, the food is still delish, creatively presented and plentiful.