Panera Sticks a Toe into Pizza Making

The raves were pretty dramatic.

“It’s not just pizza, it’s a masterpiece,” stated one of the ads that popped up on my Facebook feed. The following day another ad appeared—this one touting the pizzas as “cheesy, saucy works of art.”

With my curiosity piqued, I called the nearest Panera Bread to ensure it carried the pizzas, which were introduced nationally to the menu just last month.

“Yes, and they are dee-licious,” the girl who answered exclaimed.

Sold.

I immediately placed an order for the Margherita pizza, which is topped with a tantalizing mix of tomato and red pepper sauce, fresh mozzarella, a blend of shredded mozzarella and Fontina, cherry tomatoes, and ribbons of fresh basil. The cost is $9.99.

For the same price you can also get chipotle chicken and bacon with garlic-cream sauce. Or for $4 less, plain cheese.

When handed the boxed pizza in a large brown bag, I was struck by its super-light weight, as though it contained only a few slices of bread.

But a full rectangular-shaped pizza was revealed. It was neither “a work of art” or ugly—just your typical flatbread that calls itself a pizza.

Did it send me over the moon? Not quite, although the buttery essence of the cheeses and the smoothness of the red sauce were pleasant enough to lift me into the upper atmosphere for a brief moment, even though the pizza had significantly cooled down in my short ride home.

As expected from a company specializing in breads and boasting more than 2,100 locations in the country, the crust escaped the cardboard-like quality that plagues too many flatbreads in fast-casual eateries. This had some fluff with the right amount of chew and flavor.

A store manager said the pizzas at Panera Bread will be sticking around for the long-run. Which prompts me to cast a vote for adding pepperoni to the small lineup.

(Lead photo by Ashley T., inside photo by The Hash Star)