Panera: So Much More Than Bread

Panera

Overview: There is no doubt that the in the is a local lunch hotspot. At noontime, you’ll find Panera packed with hungry locals enjoying Panera’s sandwiches, soups, salads and pastries. This bakery and café chain has acquired many fans over the years and they are now rewarding loyal customers with their MyPanera reward program. It’s also a safe haven for students and freelancers who connect to Panera’s free WiFi and sip on a drink or munch on a pastry while working. So if you are looking for a spot to grab a quick bite or to meet up with other Woburnites, check out Panera!

Decor: The walls of any Panera are usually adorned with bread-themed artwork. You’ll find Panera’s signature logo and themed colors all over the place. You may have to fight for a seat because this location gets very crowded. Luckily there is a separate open dining area in the Woburn Mall.

Beverages: At the soda fountain, you’ll find your standard display of beverages. They also have serve-yourself iced tea and coffee. There is a separate hot drink bar where you can pour yourself one of their various types of coffees or build yourself a cup of tea. Behind the counter, they make fruit smoothies, chai lattes, hot and cold coffee drinks and also serve up iced green tea and fresh lemonade.

Pastries: It's a good thing there is a glass partition separating customers from the astounding array of pastries in the bakery. One might be tempted just to dig right in! Panera has a wide assortment of cookies and pastries. We recommend the various fruit flavored scones including Orange and Strawberry and Cream (great with tea!) as well as the soft and chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie. The word “panera” means “bread basket” in Spanish and the folks at Panera are expert breadmakers. We particularly love the Pink Ribbon Bagel (vanilla-cherry) which comes out once a year and their loaves of sourdough bread.

Entrees: Soups, sandwiches and salads are the trifecta upon which Panera builds it’s foundation. There are classic and signature sandwiches everything from your basic tuna salad sandwich to a turkey-artichoke Panini. Salads also come in both styles and there are mainstays like the garden salad and seasonal offerings like the Fall’s Orchard Harvest salad and Summer’s Strawberry Poppyseed and Chicken salad. Panera rotates their selection of soups every day. We highly recommend their fantastic broccoli and cheddar soup with a chunk of bread on the side for dipping. The You Pick Two option allows you to make a meal with your choice of two of the following: a cup of soup, a 1/2 salad or a 1/2 sandwich.

Service: Customers order at the counter for take out or dine in. You bus your own table. You can call ahead for large bakery orders or for catering.

296 Mishawum Road, Woburn

http://www.panerabread.com/