Restaurant Review: Panera

It’s been a while since I’ve written. Life has gotten in the way but the journey for soy free living continues. Of the few restaurants I can eat at in Gainesville Panera is the one I eat at the most. There are a few reasons:

1   1)   A large soy free selection

2   2)   Amazing service at the Gainesville location

3   3)   Great prices for what you get

Panera’s large selection of soy free items comes mostly from inhouse baked breads. There are quite a few that I cannot eat (I will provide a large list) and a lot of their desserts are off limits due to the presence of soy lecithin.  But I can routinely sit down and order a sandwich, soup or salad combo and be able to eat everything that comes on my plate—a rarity indeed.

            What’s more the service at the Gainesville location is excellent even during the crowded lunchtime hour. It’s even better that the staff at the Gainesville location now know me, my normal order and are incredibly prompt with service and a smile. My order has never been wrong, they make sure I get what I need and, at times, have even checked their enormous ingredient book to see what desserts I could actually consume. Just delightful.

            I can easily get half a sandwich, a bowl of soup, a drink and a dessert for under $12 bucks. The bread is quality and edible, the soup is hot and delightful and the oatmeal cookies are the best. I also like the fact that I can eat the cheap-ish meal (for eating out anyway) and not feel guilty about the caloric intake. The restaurant has the calories listed on the menu up front so I know how much I’m spending and how many calories it will cost me.

            All in all I make Panera a stop on my lunch schedule at least once a week. Their service and food make it will worth the $12 I shell out to eat it.

Soy Free Bread:

Sesame Semolina

Stone Milled Rye

French Bread

Country Miche & Loaf

Three Cheese Loaf

Asiago Cheese

French Crossant

French Baguette

Sour Dough

White Whole Grain

Tomato Basil

All Natural White

Soy Bread:

Focaccia

Ciabatta

Cinnamon Raisen Bread

Honey Wheat

Whole Grain

Soy Free Desserts:

Wild Berry Scone

Raisin Oatmeal Cookie

Shortbread

All other desserts (sadly) are soy sullied.

Happy (soy free) eating!