Steilacoom's historic Bair Drug & Hardware, opened in 1895, is a museum showcasing the town's past, and a place to grab a bite. Bair first became a casual dining establishment about 30 years ago. Sarah Cannon, granddaughter of a Steilacoom resident, currently operates the restaurant inside the historic building. She's been at it for just over a year, and has enjoyed a warm response from residents and those who live outside the tiny waterfront town.

Open for breakfast and lunch, The Bair Bistro serves jazzed-up American fare at small-town prices (nothing more than $13). At Bair you'll find pastries, pies and old-school desserts like hard-to-find floats (the Boston: ginger ale and vanilla ice cream), as well as traditional favorites such as hand-dipped malt milkshakes with real fruit. Breakfast is served all day; the menu includes omelets, scrambles, Benedict, Florentine, pancakes, waffle, oatmeal and fresh fruit. Lunch is cooked-to-order and is heavy on burgers, hearty hot and cold sandwiches, big-as-your-head salads and house-made soups.

The Papa Bair sandwich is so good it earned a spot on my "Top Five Sandwiches" list. Roast beef and slightly toasted marbled rye were my meat and bread selections (the choice is yours), and lightly sautéed sweet red bell peppers, mushrooms, onions and a zip of heat from sliced pepperoncini met with the creaminess of Havarti cheese. Making things better: golden onion rings are a show stopper. Fat white onion is hand-dipped in fresh herb-spiked batter. House-made blue cheese and ranch are delicious, but these onion rings can stand alone.

[The Bair Bistro at Bair Drug & Hardware, 1617 Lafayette St., Steilacoom, 253.588.9668]