All too often, we don’t go somewhere new or different because we don’t know what to expect. That is where this new feature, “Let’s Do Lunch,” comes in. Each week, we will highlight a different spot for lunch that you can try. We will tell you about prices, atmosphere and anything else you need to know before showing up and chowing down.

And if you have a place we should go, don’t hesitate to drop a line. It’s always lunchtime around here.

Uptown Lounge, 301 N. McDuffie St., Anderson; 864.225.9552

Hours: Kitchen is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday

More than just a bar, the Uptown Lounge at the corner of McDuffie and Orr streets in Anderson has long been known as a hot spot for lunchers.

Whether you work at the hospital, downtown or even here at the Independent-Mail, the Uptown Lounge is conveniently located just a block up from downtown and right across from the Anderson County Library.

Low-ceilinged and dark, the Lounge is perfect for business, quiet conversation or some mid-day revelry with friends, and especially as an escape from the heat of a late-summer sun.

But if dark isn’t your style, don’t fret. The Uptown Lounge offers several tables outdoors for al fresco dining.

Back indoors, several flat-screen TVs let you catch up with your ESPN, and even make toddlers welcome with one television, at the far end by the pool tables, tuned to “Dora the Explorer.”

The service is friendly, but not in your face, leaving you lots of time to visit or talk business without interruption.

If the atmosphere isn’t enough to get you in the door, let’s get to what lunch is really all about —the food.

The Uptown lounge features a pretty traditional menu, a simple, two-sided sheet of paper slipped into a plastic sleeve. Choices range from famous burgers to fish and chips served with the requisite malt vinegar, and some surprises like giant salads heaped with your choice of chicken or shrimp. And you can add bacon to just about everything for a few quarters, always an asset in my book. Prices range from $5 to $7 and many dishes include fries or other side item.

If you’re looking for a quiet place with lots of character that won’t break the bank, this could become a new favorite.