Warming up with Panera Bread Soups

Every time my husband and I drive back toward Ohio we hope that we'll find a Panera Bread along the drive to stop in and visit!  Panera Bread is this amazing Cafeteria-Bakery that offers an assortment of gourmet baked goods, yumtastic sandwiches and salads - and delicious homestyle soups!

For the past couple of visits we didn't know where to look for Panera Bread close to the trip route - but this time around we actually planned our stops around where Panera Bread was located.  And even more exciting was the discovery that Panera has several locations now in NYC...and I didn't even know it!!  But even more exciting is the fact that Panera even has locations in Washington state, where I'm headed this week!!  You could say I have an infatuation with Panera Bread!

I'm a sucker for a good soup and sandwich, and Panera Bread definitely knows how to do it right.  I've been there three times in the last month sampling a variety of different soups and sandwiches and I'm going to share a bit about my latest experience and what menu items I recommend you try!

Sierra Turkey Sandwich & French Onion Soup

I most recently visited a Panera Bread in Norwalk, CT this week and chose the French Onion soup and Sierra Turkey Sandwich.  The French Onion soup comes topped with savory croutons and asiago-parmesan cheese shavings.  It is rich in sweet onion flavor with just the right amount of herbs and seasonings to appeal to both the sweet and savory crowd!  I loved it.

Panera Bread French Onion Soup

I paired the soup with the Sierra Turkey sandwich which comes on fresh-baked asiago cheese focaccia!    I love the flavors of the red onion, smoked turkey and chipotle mayo as they come together on this bread.

Panera Bread Sierra Turkey Sandwich

Like I said, this was my third trip to Panera Bread this month!  During my previous visits I tried the Baked Potato Soup and the Cheddar Broccoli soup - both very satisfying on a cold Fall day!  Funny enough, I still haven't visited a Panera in NYC!  But I'm delighted that I will be able to any time I want to now!  And I was just searching to find out where the closest cafe is for my month hiatus home to Seattle...and there is one just a couple of miles from where I'll be staying!  I am sitting here practically drooling as I think about sampling their New England Clam Chowder (next on my list!)

While I was visiting the website to see what day they make their Clam Chowder...I found out they have a great partnership with Feeding America.  While you are dining at one of their lovely cafe's you can give back to the community by dropping a donation in one of the Panera Cares Community Breadboxes which will go toward ending hunger in America!

Have you been to Panera Bread?  What is your favorite soup??  Or which one of these delicious soups do you want to try!?

I received compensation for my food and time for this review through DailyBuzz Food, however; the opinions and views expressed are unsolicited and authentically mine.