Out on a School Night: Enjoy pasta and homemade cookies at Panes Bread Café
4/5 Martinis
If you're in the mood for comfort food, look no further than Panes Bread Café on 3002 N. Sheffield Ave. (between Nelson and Wellington). The menu ranges from lunch meals, like salads and sandwiches, to yummier dinner items, like various pastas and homemade pizzas.
The café is a small place, and it's easy to pass by if you're in a hurry. Random art pieces cover every wall, along with some certificates awarded to the café for its food. There is a warm, mellow atmosphere inside that not only comes from the decorations, but also the welcoming staff.
Appetizers include stuffed mushrooms, humus con pan (served with garlic, parsley and toasted bread) and chicken quesadillas. For the vegetarians, you can choose from the fresh salads menu, which includes the tortilla salad (mixed greens with crispy tortilla strips), portabella, potato salad and spinach salad. But if you enjoy some meat in your salad, like I do, healthy options include the grilled feta chicken or turkey salad.
The sandwiches are also made fresh daily, but make no mistake—these are no flimsy Subway ones. The only problem here, however, is choosing from over a dozen delicious options. Ranging from $5-$6, the sandwich menu contains items like the Veggie Cabra, Todo Italiano, Sloppy Pollo, Spicy Philly and Oaxacan Pork.
For evening dining, Panes offers pasta that comes in big bowls for those who stay to eat. My choice was the Smoky Penne, a decision I did not regret due to the sensational combination of chicken, mushrooms and smoked cream sauce in my bowl. But it wasn't an easy decision to make; other options that I dwelled upon included the Baked Macaroni, Greek Pasta and the Fusilli (whose tempting description of cork screw pasta with grilled vegetables, olive oil and mozzarella cheese will have me going back).
But make sure to save room for dessert. Their popular Monster Cookie is truly a unique treat; the cookie's dough is purposefully baked to come out with a crazy texture and contains bits of chocolate. Other homemade pastries and cookies are also available to customers with a sweet tooth.
If Italian restaurants are too cliché for that special date, venture out to Panes. The café looks especially nice at night, when the lights are dimmed and the food looks extra tastier. But if you're looking for a romantic night in, it also offers take-out.
Panes is open Monday-Saturday from 10am-10pm, and Sunday from 9am-9pm.
Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly
Recent neiuindependent News Articles
Discuss This Article
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST NEIUINDEPENDENT NEWS
RECENT NEIUINDEPENDENT CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- Hispanics and African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye...
- African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye Disease
- Infinity Kings: Final Book In A Favorite Fantasy Series
- What You Need To Know About Keratoconus and the iLink...
- Your Child’s Tomorrow Begins Today
- Choose Beer Grown Here: Anheuser-Busch is First to Adopt...
- Helping Alleviate Children’s Anxiety
- Vitamins and Minerals: Fortifying Against Poor Oral Health
- Do you PHIT? Why A Career in Public Health Informatics...
- Do you PHIT? Why A Career in Public Health Informatics...
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- Ash Carter Exchange Showcases Innovation and National...
- AI Expo for National Competitiveness Announces Key Sponsor
- 2102: PRETENSE, THE PLAY: New Literary Novel Overlays...
- Why It's Important to Talk About Inheriting Wealth
- 100% of Latino Grads Start Trades Careers With Centro...
- Sound Solutions: How Generative AI is Enhancing Business...
- Wow Your Easter Guests With A Very Easy Spring Surprise...
- Tips to savor springtime and reflect on li...
- BookTrib’s Bites: Four Captivating Reads
- Wow Your Easter Guests With Easy Spring Surprise Cake
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- Charles River Associates Opens Second Scholarship Cycle, Expands to the UK
- BLUMHOUSE AND AMC THEATRES LAUNCH FIRST-EVER HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN FILM FESTIVAL
- THE GEN Z IMPERATIVE: LISTEN TO FEELINGS AND GIVE GEN Z A VOICE
- Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show
- State Department Announces 2023-2024 Fulbright Top Producing Institutions