Panera Bread

Nice breads but only in the early morning it seems. Last few times we go, around 10 am on Saturdays, out of bagels and out of bread. Not wasting the trip anymore but very good if you get there very early.

Panera bread was an interesting place to eat. There was a good amount of seating in a fairly open format, with a feel of eating in a bistro in Italy. Not that I've been.

The service is similar to many newer restaurants, where you order your food, go sit, and your location buzzer prompts you to get your food when it's ready. This is an interesting choice, considering the price. There is an option to choose two menu items, and my girlfriend and I got two half sandwiches, a small soup, a side of Mac and cheese, and two non-alcoholic drinks, and it came to $35. McDonald's will bring food to your table for half the price.

The food itself was good. The sides were the big stars, with the sandwiches being good but nothing special. She tells me the avocado on her sandwich was underripe, and she would know, being a filthy Millennial. But the squash soup was fantastic, and I would go back for the bbq chicken mac and cheese alone.

If you're feeling a little fancy for lunch or a light dinner, I'd recommend it. The food was fresh, the atmosphere was inviting, and the staff was friendly. 7/9 stars.

The food is very good. They do try to provide premium ingredients and recipes. Seating area is appropriate. If they recycle or renew their menu, may be this can improve the business. Coffee is fresh and tasty. Good also if you have a family.

Moved from the U.S. and was happy to see a Panera Bread in Ottawa... that is until I went there. My sandwich was completely burnt. Almost broke my tooth just biting into it. I also asked for bread on the side of my soup and they gave me chips. $16 and just a bad experience. I got my food to go so I wasn’t able to turn around and go back. What a disappointment!

Updated my review after my initial 1 star. The general manager reached out to me to remedy the situation. I will give any company 5 stars that cares about their customers and fixes mistakes when they happen.