My friends and I were feeling hungry (as always), and so we decided to visit one of the most popular haunts for teenage girls such as ourselves... Panera! Upon entering the Newport establishment, I was immediately reminded of the Panera restaurant that I frequent back home in Massachusetts... I guess they all have the same feel. And of course, we were greeted by a similar problem to what I have faced at home, too--A lack of seating, because the place is just so darn popular. But we scouted like hawks and beat out another group for a booth, so we were pretty happy. Standing in line to order, I was confronted by another common Panera dilemma--whether or not to order my usual bowl of delicious broccoli cheddar soup (never a bad choice), or to try something new... For once, my adventurous side won out. I decided to take a leap of faith, and try the chicken and wild rice soup. And since I was already throwing myself at the mercy of fate, I decided to skip my usual cup of complimentary water, and order a frozen mocha drink for the first time. I guess I just really needed my caffeine boost and my chocolate fix for the day... Why not kill two birds with one stone. After forking over the better portion of ten dollars (the most painful part of the Panera experience, but in my mind, totally justifiable), I received my drink and food and joined my friends at our table. The frozen mocha, I must say, was beautifully made. I actually made a joke to the girl preparing it that I was going to Instagram a picture of it... But of course I had already sucked down a quarter of it before I even made it back to my seat, so that plan was ruined. Despite the brain freeze that ensued, I thoroughly enjoyed my drink, and would definitely get it again. As for the soup, I was very pleased with that as well. I don't think anything will ever top the broccoli cheddar, but I think I may have just begun a new soup affair... Don't tell anyone. Well, now I'm wicked hungry, and really want to go back. I'm sure I will soon!
(5)
D'Arcy L.
Panera bread is the new yardstick in terms of benchmark for quality sandwiches from what I consider the quick and casual category. After a day at the beach and not wanting fried clam strips or chicken fingers I decided to make the drive into Newport at lunch and grab some good sandwiches. So for myself I had to go with a New England classic the lobster roll. Having eaten a lobstah roll at Panera in New Hampshire last year I was pleasantly surprised actually how good they do it. Plump juicy huge chunks of lobster for a sandwich that's $16.99. It's probably one of the best lobster sandys I've had (consistently). For the family I got a grilled turkey and bacon sand and a ham, red onion lettuce and tomato sandwich. It's great you have a choice of a side of chips, apple or bread. So much better than beach canteen food. The bread is always fresh at Panera and they do awesome sandwiches! Service was well organized and efficient. Family was happy as a bunch of clams after we finished them!
(4)
Ahmed M.
The employees seemed helpful but they do not seem used to large crowds. The Panera is in the middle of a busy section of Newport, Rhode Island. They need to get it together. What I did like however was how I can get a 99 cent pastry with a meal+ drink. In NYC, the Pastries are full priced regardless which sucks. I like the 99 cent pastry with my purchase. Kudos for that. Word of advice, try to find a way to be more organized.
(3)
Wendy G.
Had grilled chicken salad and tried a few bites of their lobster roll. Their salad have really fresh ingredients, which I appreciate. I like this particular chain store.
(3)
Brian S.
Although panera is a chain, it doesn't feel like it in this case. The service is fast and friendly, and the food seemed to be fresh and tasted good. I had a delicious bowl of soup with some fresh bread on the side. I wanted a bread bowl but they were out- next time. Good value and nice food in the heart of Newport.
(5)
Kate W.
Great location and the manager was so accommodating for a group meeting I planned for colleagues today. They reserved a perfect table in as quiet and area as possible, and even labeled it for our group. The food is always good at any Panera and the location (right in downtown Newport) paired with accommodating staff make this a great stop.
(4)
Julie G.
This is your average Panera Bread location. In the summer the place is packed with tourists for lunch, so if you are looking for a quick bite you might want to get in before noon. The staff is always nice and works quickly. Usually the only thing to back up service is slow ordering by the patrons. A couple times they have forgotten something simple like my side, or the bacon on my sandwich.. but generally everything comes out as expected. Safe choice for a chain restaurant in the area. They validate parking in the Long Wharf lot that has an entrance off of Marlborough St.
(3)
M S.
Visited this location today and it wasn't bad, just wasn't all that great either. We went in after the lunch crowd, but most of the tables still needed to be wiped down. Service was pretty quick though, my friends order was wrong, but he liked it so ate it anyway.. my Panini was perfect and nice and hot.. the girl who was taking the orders was friendly and helpful, as was the person who I asked for a to-go box for the other half of my panini. By the time we left, the restaurant was clean and no one minded us lingering over our drinks long after we'd finished our lunches. The bathrooms were clean as well, and all the employees that we came across were friendly and helpful.
(4)
Sarah R.
I don't know. Panera always seemed like a chain to me, but then I ate there, again and again. Get a member card (free). I get free things almost biweekly. Free pastry when you sign up, few weeks later, free drink, then half off a salad. And those are the best. Have you tried the salads? I was hooked on the Cobb salad and now the Fuji Apple is my go to. They are so fresh and so delicious. Well worth the outrageous prices. I mean, $10, really? But they are huge and so good. Mouth-watering actually. The bread is awesome too. I just changed my rating from 4 to 5 stars because the Chai Latte is the best I've had. Local coffee shops and Starbucks don't make them perfectly like Panera does. The staff is always friendly too. You know what, I like this Panera. A lot. It's a go-to staple.
(5)
Robyn F.
Typical Chain place. Only reason I'll go in here is if I can't think of what to get for lunch. Last time I went, they seemed to think it was amusing to give me a collapsed sandwich, which looked like it had been sucked into a black hole, and spat out again . I do like how they have "all you can drink" ice drinks, especially the ice tea without the sugar. I do enjoy their butter croissants when I'm in the mood for flaky goodness.
(3)
Pam M.
Their coffee is usually too hot drink. You have to let it cool down. Otherwise an okay place for breakfast
(3)
Sharon L.
My husband and I are big fans of Panera so while visiting Newport recently we decided to stop in for lunch. The food was fairly good but the service was subpar and the restaurant itself was extremely dirty! The light switches, the doors, behind the counters, the bathrooms, etc. It appeared no one had cleaned in ages. We frequent Panera Bread restaurants in NH quite often but they are always clean. As an example, the manager went outside to remove a hanging sign that had been tied onto the railings of the entry way. As he cut the strings for the sign he watched them fall to the ground, never picking them up, then rolled the sign up into a jumble and walked back inside. He looked back at the strings on the ground but just kept going, never returning to pick them up or being concerned that there were patrons sitting there watching him. His actions spoke volumes as to his view on cleanliness and respect for the environment around him, as well as why the restaurant looks like it does. Next time we visit Newport we definitely will not be frequenting the Panera Bread.
(1)
Mark P.
The location was the key here. While at my business meeting the lunch they served at the Marriott for our group was bad (at least for me). I had noticed Panera across from our hotel so I ran over there to eat instead. They have some great panini's, but right now I am hooked on the Cuban. It is a little small and was hard to find a table but that tells you it is a well placed restaurant.
(4)
Jeff C.
Ate here because we couldn't decide on what small restaurant to decide on. Nothing special for me. I usually eat at my local one back home so I pretty much know what to order. However, I tried this lobster roll sandwich that I notice was different. The sandwich was just ok.
(4)
Mike D.
Breakfast here on Monday morning may have been the most ineffeiciently served meal of my life. Sure it was a holiday, and sure the Providence ferry traffic was just coming in with our group, but I spotted at least 6 or 8 people working behind the counter, yet: (1) the time I brought my coffee cup over to the coffee urn to find it empty until the time standing there a new urn was brought out was approximately five minutes; (2) after filling my cup, I went over to the cream bottles, but they were snatched away from right in front of me and not returned for another five minutes; (3) during my wait for the cream, my Panera-issued pager went off (I thought) to inform me that my sandwich was ready (loss of a star for use of pagers--esp. in a place like this--alone), but was told instead: 'we ran out of sausage: do you want the same order or to wait [you guessed it] about five minutes while more is being heated up?' When the sandwich came out it wasn't bad, and once I choked half the coffee down (choked because they don't seem to clean their urns very well there--essence of hazlenut or some other gross flavored junk in my plain dark roasted coffee) I was reasonably calm, but still utterly befuddled at how a place with so many employees could be run so poorly.
(1)
Sushi X.
This place is alright. I like their cheese bagels in the mornings and hot chocolate. I only get breakfast items because lunch/dinner items are not so satisfying to me. I guess it's because the sandwiches are completely average tasting. Neither good nor bud; just acceptable when you can't find anything else to eat. Virtually no vegetarian sandwich except the typical tomato and mozzarella and the "Mediterranean veggie". The Mediterranean veggie is one of the nasty items on the menu. There is something 'off' about their feta cheese and the cilantro hummus is liquid in consistency. Turkey sandwich = average taste Roast beef = average taste
(2)
Sarah S.
Love Panera. The "You Pick Two" deal is amazing. The last time I went, I found chicken in my half-portion of caesar salad, and I'm a vegetarian. When I pointed out the mistake, I was made a fresh FULL caesar salad, and told that I could give my unwanted chicken infested salad to a friend, if I wanted. Which I did. Friendly service, solid food for the price.
(4)
Lifan Y.
Delicious fresh foods. Strawberry poppyseed and chicken salad is awsome! We enjoyed a few sandwitches and paninis - all great!
(5)
Giovanna A.
This location looks bigger than it really is. Service is really slow. My grilled cheese was room temperature, when it should've been warm & melted. Unfortunately, it was our only option for something "quick" and to-go. Needs a lot of improvement.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Shauna S.
My friends and I were feeling hungry (as always), and so we decided to visit one of the most popular haunts for teenage girls such as ourselves... Panera! Upon entering the Newport establishment, I was immediately reminded of the Panera restaurant that I frequent back home in Massachusetts... I guess they all have the same feel. And of course, we were greeted by a similar problem to what I have faced at home, too--A lack of seating, because the place is just so darn popular. But we scouted like hawks and beat out another group for a booth, so we were pretty happy. Standing in line to order, I was confronted by another common Panera dilemma--whether or not to order my usual bowl of delicious broccoli cheddar soup (never a bad choice), or to try something new... For once, my adventurous side won out. I decided to take a leap of faith, and try the chicken and wild rice soup. And since I was already throwing myself at the mercy of fate, I decided to skip my usual cup of complimentary water, and order a frozen mocha drink for the first time. I guess I just really needed my caffeine boost and my chocolate fix for the day... Why not kill two birds with one stone. After forking over the better portion of ten dollars (the most painful part of the Panera experience, but in my mind, totally justifiable), I received my drink and food and joined my friends at our table. The frozen mocha, I must say, was beautifully made. I actually made a joke to the girl preparing it that I was going to Instagram a picture of it... But of course I had already sucked down a quarter of it before I even made it back to my seat, so that plan was ruined. Despite the brain freeze that ensued, I thoroughly enjoyed my drink, and would definitely get it again. As for the soup, I was very pleased with that as well. I don't think anything will ever top the broccoli cheddar, but I think I may have just begun a new soup affair... Don't tell anyone. Well, now I'm wicked hungry, and really want to go back. I'm sure I will soon!
(5)D'Arcy L.
Panera bread is the new yardstick in terms of benchmark for quality sandwiches from what I consider the quick and casual category. After a day at the beach and not wanting fried clam strips or chicken fingers I decided to make the drive into Newport at lunch and grab some good sandwiches. So for myself I had to go with a New England classic the lobster roll. Having eaten a lobstah roll at Panera in New Hampshire last year I was pleasantly surprised actually how good they do it. Plump juicy huge chunks of lobster for a sandwich that's $16.99. It's probably one of the best lobster sandys I've had (consistently). For the family I got a grilled turkey and bacon sand and a ham, red onion lettuce and tomato sandwich. It's great you have a choice of a side of chips, apple or bread. So much better than beach canteen food. The bread is always fresh at Panera and they do awesome sandwiches! Service was well organized and efficient. Family was happy as a bunch of clams after we finished them!
(4)Ahmed M.
The employees seemed helpful but they do not seem used to large crowds. The Panera is in the middle of a busy section of Newport, Rhode Island. They need to get it together. What I did like however was how I can get a 99 cent pastry with a meal+ drink. In NYC, the Pastries are full priced regardless which sucks. I like the 99 cent pastry with my purchase. Kudos for that. Word of advice, try to find a way to be more organized.
(3)Wendy G.
Had grilled chicken salad and tried a few bites of their lobster roll. Their salad have really fresh ingredients, which I appreciate. I like this particular chain store.
(3)Brian S.
Although panera is a chain, it doesn't feel like it in this case. The service is fast and friendly, and the food seemed to be fresh and tasted good. I had a delicious bowl of soup with some fresh bread on the side. I wanted a bread bowl but they were out- next time. Good value and nice food in the heart of Newport.
(5)Kate W.
Great location and the manager was so accommodating for a group meeting I planned for colleagues today. They reserved a perfect table in as quiet and area as possible, and even labeled it for our group. The food is always good at any Panera and the location (right in downtown Newport) paired with accommodating staff make this a great stop.
(4)Julie G.
This is your average Panera Bread location. In the summer the place is packed with tourists for lunch, so if you are looking for a quick bite you might want to get in before noon. The staff is always nice and works quickly. Usually the only thing to back up service is slow ordering by the patrons. A couple times they have forgotten something simple like my side, or the bacon on my sandwich.. but generally everything comes out as expected. Safe choice for a chain restaurant in the area. They validate parking in the Long Wharf lot that has an entrance off of Marlborough St.
(3)M S.
Visited this location today and it wasn't bad, just wasn't all that great either. We went in after the lunch crowd, but most of the tables still needed to be wiped down. Service was pretty quick though, my friends order was wrong, but he liked it so ate it anyway.. my Panini was perfect and nice and hot.. the girl who was taking the orders was friendly and helpful, as was the person who I asked for a to-go box for the other half of my panini. By the time we left, the restaurant was clean and no one minded us lingering over our drinks long after we'd finished our lunches. The bathrooms were clean as well, and all the employees that we came across were friendly and helpful.
(4)Sarah R.
I don't know. Panera always seemed like a chain to me, but then I ate there, again and again. Get a member card (free). I get free things almost biweekly. Free pastry when you sign up, few weeks later, free drink, then half off a salad. And those are the best. Have you tried the salads? I was hooked on the Cobb salad and now the Fuji Apple is my go to. They are so fresh and so delicious. Well worth the outrageous prices. I mean, $10, really? But they are huge and so good. Mouth-watering actually. The bread is awesome too. I just changed my rating from 4 to 5 stars because the Chai Latte is the best I've had. Local coffee shops and Starbucks don't make them perfectly like Panera does. The staff is always friendly too. You know what, I like this Panera. A lot. It's a go-to staple.
(5)Robyn F.
Typical Chain place. Only reason I'll go in here is if I can't think of what to get for lunch. Last time I went, they seemed to think it was amusing to give me a collapsed sandwich, which looked like it had been sucked into a black hole, and spat out again . I do like how they have "all you can drink" ice drinks, especially the ice tea without the sugar. I do enjoy their butter croissants when I'm in the mood for flaky goodness.
(3)Pam M.
Their coffee is usually too hot drink. You have to let it cool down. Otherwise an okay place for breakfast
(3)Sharon L.
My husband and I are big fans of Panera so while visiting Newport recently we decided to stop in for lunch. The food was fairly good but the service was subpar and the restaurant itself was extremely dirty! The light switches, the doors, behind the counters, the bathrooms, etc. It appeared no one had cleaned in ages. We frequent Panera Bread restaurants in NH quite often but they are always clean. As an example, the manager went outside to remove a hanging sign that had been tied onto the railings of the entry way. As he cut the strings for the sign he watched them fall to the ground, never picking them up, then rolled the sign up into a jumble and walked back inside. He looked back at the strings on the ground but just kept going, never returning to pick them up or being concerned that there were patrons sitting there watching him. His actions spoke volumes as to his view on cleanliness and respect for the environment around him, as well as why the restaurant looks like it does. Next time we visit Newport we definitely will not be frequenting the Panera Bread.
(1)Mark P.
The location was the key here. While at my business meeting the lunch they served at the Marriott for our group was bad (at least for me). I had noticed Panera across from our hotel so I ran over there to eat instead. They have some great panini's, but right now I am hooked on the Cuban. It is a little small and was hard to find a table but that tells you it is a well placed restaurant.
(4)Jeff C.
Ate here because we couldn't decide on what small restaurant to decide on. Nothing special for me. I usually eat at my local one back home so I pretty much know what to order. However, I tried this lobster roll sandwich that I notice was different. The sandwich was just ok.
(4)Mike D.
Breakfast here on Monday morning may have been the most ineffeiciently served meal of my life. Sure it was a holiday, and sure the Providence ferry traffic was just coming in with our group, but I spotted at least 6 or 8 people working behind the counter, yet: (1) the time I brought my coffee cup over to the coffee urn to find it empty until the time standing there a new urn was brought out was approximately five minutes; (2) after filling my cup, I went over to the cream bottles, but they were snatched away from right in front of me and not returned for another five minutes; (3) during my wait for the cream, my Panera-issued pager went off (I thought) to inform me that my sandwich was ready (loss of a star for use of pagers--esp. in a place like this--alone), but was told instead: 'we ran out of sausage: do you want the same order or to wait [you guessed it] about five minutes while more is being heated up?' When the sandwich came out it wasn't bad, and once I choked half the coffee down (choked because they don't seem to clean their urns very well there--essence of hazlenut or some other gross flavored junk in my plain dark roasted coffee) I was reasonably calm, but still utterly befuddled at how a place with so many employees could be run so poorly.
(1)Sushi X.
This place is alright. I like their cheese bagels in the mornings and hot chocolate. I only get breakfast items because lunch/dinner items are not so satisfying to me. I guess it's because the sandwiches are completely average tasting. Neither good nor bud; just acceptable when you can't find anything else to eat. Virtually no vegetarian sandwich except the typical tomato and mozzarella and the "Mediterranean veggie". The Mediterranean veggie is one of the nasty items on the menu. There is something 'off' about their feta cheese and the cilantro hummus is liquid in consistency. Turkey sandwich = average taste Roast beef = average taste
(2)Sarah S.
Love Panera. The "You Pick Two" deal is amazing. The last time I went, I found chicken in my half-portion of caesar salad, and I'm a vegetarian. When I pointed out the mistake, I was made a fresh FULL caesar salad, and told that I could give my unwanted chicken infested salad to a friend, if I wanted. Which I did. Friendly service, solid food for the price.
(4)Lifan Y.
Delicious fresh foods. Strawberry poppyseed and chicken salad is awsome! We enjoyed a few sandwitches and paninis - all great!
(5)Giovanna A.
This location looks bigger than it really is. Service is really slow. My grilled cheese was room temperature, when it should've been warm & melted. Unfortunately, it was our only option for something "quick" and to-go. Needs a lot of improvement.
(2)