This newly opened bakery-café is a delight to visit. You will enjoy the large open space with various seating arrangements from cozy booths to banquettes to well arranged tables with comfortable chairs. The fireplace will be welcome for a cozy visit on a winter day. This Wi-Fi hot spot is a great place to check your email while having a cup of coffee and a snack.
Fresh from the kitchen products are on display to tempt you to serve yourself as you enter. Behind the glass front display cases and open counters are menu boards with prices of all products. Products displayed vary during the day.
We arrived for breakfast and saw goodies such as wonderful pecan-topped “sticky buns” ($2.29) and the October special - large “pink ribbon” bagels studded with sun-dried cranberries. These were actually items for a fundraiser for cancer research with 25 cents of each sale going to the Susan G. Komen foundation for the cure.
Our host was General Manager Neilia Bissessar and our guide was Nancy Nelson. Nelson suggested we try one of the popular morning items: Baked Egg Soufflé, which comes in four varieties ($3.49 each). We selected one each of the Four Cheese and the Spinach with Bacon souffl/s. The cooked-to-order eggs were cooked to perfection and served piping hot in their nice pastry cups.
Several coffee blends were available at the serve-yourself coffee bar ($1.69 for a tall). Premium coffees are also available at lower prices (and just as good) compared to another famous premium coffee vendor.
If you stop by for lunch, check out the “You Pick 2” bargain special where you pick two items from any soup, any half sandwich or any half salad ($6.99).
An unusual lunch item is a soup in a sourdough bread bowl ($4.99).
Signature Sandwiches on the menu range from $5.29 to $6.79. Each is served with a pickle spear and your choice of a side. The Mediterranean Veggie on tomato basil bread is a great choice at $5.29. Café Sandwiches on the menu (four choices including Smoked Ham and Cheese) are all $5.69.
Panera is especially proud of their Artisan Breads made daily without preservatives. Our knowledgeable guide, Nancy, was happy to let us try some of these nine popular breads, the French Baguette and a Stone-Milled Rye. We also tried a couple of the seven Specialty Breads, the Tomato-Basil and the Cinnamon-Raisin. All are also sold by the loaf. As bread is the “staff of life,” Panera Bread is the place to find your “staff.”
Hot Panini sandwiches are available in four choices at $6.99 each made with fresh, hearty bread. As for pizza, Panera offers their popular thin-crust “Crispani” after 4 p.m. - two kinds at $6.99 and five others at $8.99 each.
For those whose appetite still isn’t satisfied, there are rich chocolate as well as fruit-filled cakes as tempting offerings.
The appearance of this pristine eatery is modern and it also offers catering and delivery service (via bicycle) in the Long Island City neighborhood.
We welcome this latest of 17 Panera outlets on Long Island.
Panera Bread and Café
38-01 35th Avenue
Long Island City, NY 11101
718-937-4740
Fax 718-937-4929
WEB SITE: www.panerabread.com
WHAT: Modern specialty bakery, caterer and caf/.
HOURS: Open 7 days: Monday to Thursday 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
Friday 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
and Sunday open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
DELIVERY, CATERING & TAKE OUT: Yes, local delivery.
HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE: Yes, no stairs, wide aisles.
PARKING: Metered curbside.
PANERA CARD: Plastic card with reloadable balance for Panera purchases nationwide.
