The new vegan menu at the Bread Co. is delicious. The linguine is especially hearty and chock full of veggies. The carrot cake was delicious as well.
(4)
Bethany C.
The food at TBC is fine if you like moderately soggy vegetables and bland sandwiches. They have vegetarian options, that are okay, more diverse than many places, but the few times I've been there, the salads needed a little work. It is a-ok to tear the lettuce up a bit so people don't have to slobber it all over their faces. I really hate a clunky salad. The pear panini was satisfying and but the IKEA tables outside make me nostalgic for my own yard and my own cooking, thus reinforcing my tagline "Vegetarian with a touch of snobbery" I don't rate restaurants on their administrative prowess, but if I did I wouldn't give any to the TBC. The waitstaff and management made it nearly impossible to process a reimbursement through the University of Illinois. You would think, given their proximity to campus, that they would train people adequately with respect to how to handle the idiosyncrasies of receipt processing through the University. Instead, I am wasting my work and personal time chasing down the original receipt for a charge entered incorrectly by a waitress. And the day manager can't help me? Um... I just recommend not going here at all if there is a chance you will need to then make your lifework sleuthing receipts. Oh how fulfilling. I've heard other people say that it is always a nightmare to expense TBC meals. The U of I-area restaurants need to take a page from the book of vendors in other college towns and get their act together.
(2)
Michelle K.
It had been a couple years since I last went to The Bread Company, and since today was a beautiful day to sit outside and eat a sandwich, my boyfriend and I decided to give it a go. I got a half portobello sandwich, half strawberry salad - a delightful combination, and everything tasted fresh. (I'm gonna have to figure out how to make that sandwich on my own!) My boyfriend's salmon burger was pretty good, but served on bread and not a bun, which was kind of odd. I also had the English Orange iced tea, which was refreshing and a little sweet without being cloying. Our waitress had a major stick up her ass, though, which is why I'm downgrading them a star. Bread Co., why must you hire rude people? More often than not, the people working here are gruff and disdainful of the customers. I get it, you're too cool to smile. I'm not asking for a hug at the end of the meal, all I'm looking for is service without a scowl.
(3)
N. K.
This is by far the best pizza place in CU approved by my Italian spouse. They have the nice crust and pretty good quality authetic topics (cheeses and so on). If horrific deep dish American pizza is your thing, don't bother going here.
(4)
Shelly A.
Three star food with two star prices - not to be confused with the two dollar sign symbols on yelp :p So yes, I mean it's extremely overpriced Decent for an "special occasion" and students tend to be impressed with this place just because it's actually a nice sit-down restaurant and not on Green Street, but it needs to get over itself a little if it wants to thrive in Chambana. Fondue is really the only reason to check this place out since I don't know of anything else nearby that has this for dessert, but food is just average. Oh and their sangria is on point, too. But really, what college kid is drinking sangria? If they are, they are probably used to their wine out of a box
(2)
kate c.
My review was filtered and I guess this one will be, too. This place has terrible, some of the worst - in a town filled with bad service, I've ever had. And the food is not good. Look at all the filtered reviews before eating here.
(1)
Hahaha H.
The bread co is owned by a Swiss family, their children own Cafe Luna in Champaign, also worth a visit. I love coming here to relax and talk with my mom when we make lunch dates. I celebrated special occasions here as well growing up. They sure knew how to accommodate a large group of 14 year old girls on my birthday years ago! Recommendations -Roast beef sandwich -Portabella, brie, and raspberry jam sandwich -Züpfe bread, it's comparable to challah bread. -Cheese fondue - beautiful beautiful gruyere fondue. As good as Switzerland -Meat fondue - the broth is lovely, it's served with three different sauces and fresh baguette. -Chocolate fondue - Melted swiss chocolate, fresh fruit in season, cookies, pound cake. I love this place. It is one of my favorites.
(5)
Greg S.
Food is very solid. Although many other reviews have had a problem with service. I have been there dozens of times for lunch and dinner and never been disappointed. It's a family type place so don't expect the service to be like that in a chain restaurant. If you want solid food with a continental flair can't go wrong here
(5)
Alecia M.
Bread Company has a selection of great ingredients that results in good food, but the service is terribly inconsistent. I have a bunch of stories about this, but here's the two that contrast most significantly: (1) When I came for afternoon drinks with my writing group, it was quiet and we received great, not-too-hands-on service: a nice mixture of noticing when we might want more drinks and letting us alone. (2) A few weeks ago, my husband and I went with a party of 6 for dinner 1 1/2 hours before a show, told them our schedule, and were assured that we should have plenty of time. Cool -- except that the whole thing turned out to be kind of a disaster. We all ordered at the same time, and there seemed to be plenty of servers for a full room at dinner, but our meals arrived over the course of a half-hour (the pasta came after the steak, hmm). Fresh and tasty dinners, yes, but it was impossible to wait and eat together, and everyone was antsy due to the delays. In the end, we finished 20 minutes after our preferred time and our waitress did not seem particularly motivated to help the situation along or even really apologize. So: Good food, decent wine, but the service is a gamble. Try it, but go on a quiet weeknight -- definitely not for a Krannert opening or right before another occasion.
(3)
Roger F.
Top of my list.
(5)
Katherine C.
When our department has to entertain guest speakers or job candidates, The Bread Company always becomes the default dinner/lunch location. Embarrassingly, I've heard some job candidates comment that they were taken here for 3 different meals during their visit! My department is probably at fault for their lack of imagination when choosing restaurants, but The Bread Company offers some benefits that elevate it to a top pick for business-casual university diners: (1) Location. For people who have short lunch periods and need to be within walking distance of campus, this restaurant's location is unbeatable. (And since it's next door to an Espresso Royale, you can grab a coffee after your meal, if desired.) (2) Atmosphere. Most college restaurants resemble a McDonald's Playroom for adolescents: neon walls and heavy-duty plastic furniture, with underlying scents of urine and vomit. While The Bread Company does have a hint of grunge, it also invokes a strong sense of urban, artistic chic. There are real paintings on the wall (not poster prints). At night, they bring out white tablecloth and mood lighting. (3) Price. I think the prices are reasonable depending on who you ask. This place IS pricey when compared to most campus restaurants, where students are always trying to squeeze their dollars. Lunch generally runs around $7 to $10, which is not unreasonable when entertaining guests. (And still comparable/cheaper than what you can get at Timpone's, the other "nice" restaurant in the area.) All of the food is fairly conservative, with obvious combinations of flavors (brie + portobello, turkey + pesto, etc.). I think this is also a reason that it ranks highly among options for guests; you will find nothing offensive here in terms of food (but also nothing exciting). The presentation tends to be elegant and you can tell that most of the ingredients are of good quality. For lunch, I always go with the egg salad, which is creamy, well-seasoned, and always satiates my craving for egg goodness. In the early evening, sometimes I stop by for a beer and appetizer with friends. The cheese selection is quite good (you'll find Stilton, Gouda, Manchego, etc.), and the beers are all microbrews (if you're into that kind of thing). Dinner selections include fondue, pastas, pizzas, and some specialties, but the prices are on par with more interesting restaurants in downtown Champaign/Urbana. In terms of baked goods, I am quite fond of ordering my sandwiches here with sourdough or rye bread. Yum! At most places with a baking reputation, I always find myself enticed by the sweet buns and cookies, but I almost never find myself tempted by the ones at The Bread Company. Their treats always look colorless and hardened, as if they were made by an angry grandma. Overall, I'd recommend this to people who like simple, light food. If you are cheap and don't care about indie street cred, you could probably get the same food at Panera.
(3)
Mike B.
I've been here a couple of times with a group of people at an off time. The experiences I've had were fine. The service was good, food is decent, a little bit more than what I would like to spend for the amount that I get, but is a solid change to add in your repertoire of restaurants for lunch.
(3)
Tricia D.
I popped in here once for lunch last summer, on the recommendation of my nutrition professor. Our chat on carbs and training for races and triathlons led to "you HAVE to go to the Bread Company!" Though this overly subtle carb stop doesn't have a sign (anymore?) on its exterior, it can be identified by the variety of wine bottles lining the window sills. There's a variety of sandwiches for the lunch hour, but I hit the Bread Company tonight, and my, do they swank it up for dinner. Dim lights, plentiful menu of pasta-pizza-sandwich options, and extensive specials list, including tapas. Who knew? I had the roast beef sandwich, served atop roasted potatoes and a light salad. I think all of the sammies are served up open faced, so open your mouth, and get ready for a carbolicious meal.
(3)
Sarah H.
I've been to the Bread Company at least 6 times over the past three years all separated by months. The only reason I continue to go back has got to be because I forget about how sub-standard their food is. And today I decided to finally put my disappointment on the internet. This review was spurred by a visit today to get coffee and a pastry. I ordered an americano that was obviously made with poor quality espresso, and perhaps by someone with little knowledge of what an americano should be. It was too watery, but maybe that is my taste. I also had what they dared to call a chocolate croissant. It could have been made days ago. Instead of being light and fluffy, it was dense and doughy and filled with chocolate chips that were never fully melted so they maintained their chip structure. I was less than impressed. But this seems to be the way things go at the Bread Company. As I mentioned earlier, I have been going to the Bread Company for quite a few years (having been at the U of I as a student since 2008), and their menu has yet to change. At all. This sort of stagnancy is worrisome and really speaks to the lack of effort that the chef and/or owner put into this business. On a recent dinner visit I got the chocolate fondue which came with possibly pre-made cinnamon bread slices, strawberries, and a plethora of apples and pears. I suppose the apples and pears were in season (it was November when I went), but I don't see how apples work with chocolate. I've had their pizza many times, and I cannot deny that they do a good crust...but I just don't get the pizza that comes with a mountain of salad on top. It is just too much and overwhelms the pizza that really should be the star of the dish. Overall the Bread Company is uninspired and very tired. This is reflected in their dusty, unchanging interior, their menus, and the often impolite, lackluster performances of the staff.
(1)
Sara A.
It has been probably a decade since I have been to the bread company, and today I found out why and have vowed I don't have to go back....ever. A coworker and I went and the service was horrible (nothing new here - read the other comments - it must be their 'thing'!), price was absolutely atrocious for lunch and I ended up being sick all afternoon. I ordered the ham sandwich and my friend ordered their special salad of the day. Price was over $15. She got a diet coke, I was offered a shot glass of water with no ice. We get to the cashier and she refuses to listen to me as I try to tell her what our order was. I asked the gentleman who took our order to put it on one ticket as it was my turn to pay, and he didn't. So, she proceeds to ring me up, and then not give us the drink. So, I tell her, we need the diet coke. She flips back through the register tape and says, "Oh, I overcharged you a little. Oh well. I'll go get the drink." NEVER offered me a refund or to make it correct. Then, gives me a picture to put on our table so she can bring us our items, but then said, "Oh, nevermind, they are both ready." So, I'm standing there with a drink, my wallet and looking at two plates. I said, "I can't carry all this." she says, "You can take a tray" and points to the cafeteria trays on the counter. I opted to deliver my friends salad to her (as she had secured us a table) and drink, and then came back for my sandwich. I ordered a ham sandwich. I got a turkey sandwich. And then, I got sick......I will NEVER return. I don't need to pay over fifteen dollars for a salad and drink and sandwich and be treated like shit only to then be sick all afternoon.
(1)
Tim B.
Good food. Nice atmosphere and good for a date night. Ordered the pepperoni pizza and it was tasty with lovely cheese and herbs on it. My gf ordered a cheese fondue and she liked it. Not too pricey for the up class atmosphere right next to camous
(4)
Tom K.
Food good, expensive for portions. Tuna good but small potion - thought it was the salad. Lemonade fair at $5 a glass. Fairly small thin pizza $13. Don't think I'll be back soon.
(2)
John S.
I ate dinner at The Bread Company for the first time last night prior to attending a play at the Krannert Center. I had read many reviews of the restaurant and entered with some trepidation. My party had a reservation for ten people at 6:00pm and I was in the last group to arrive - a little late. The other guests were already enjoying a drink while waiting. The service and food were both outstanding. Our server, Nick, was prompt, polite, and knowledgeable. Everyone's food looked so good. I ordered a vegan pasta dish with vegetables, which was excellent. My wife had one of the unique pizzas and enjoyed it thoroughly. I noticed that at the end of dinner all in our party had left nothing on their plates. We were all full happy campers! Only one member ordered dessert - chocolate mousse. He said it was great. We were finished with a leisurely dinner and had our bill paid with more than enough time to stroll down the block to see our play. The only negatives were bread that was a bit burnt due to what appeared to be a hot spot in the oven and the meals which were delivered to the table one or two at a time, which seemed a bit odd. However, the overall experience was enjoyed by everyone, making for an excellent prelude to the play. I will definitely come here again.
(5)
Jade R.
Something has got to be done about the abominable service at The Bread Company.. It's such a shame because their food is not bad, but the service is so badly below standard, I decided I am simply never coming back here. There is one particular worker with tattoos on his arm who is very insolent towards customers, raising his voice at them for asking questions. For months, I've ordered a grilled sandwich to pick up for lunch time, and the result is totally random. If the owner (tall bald guy) is there when you call, chances are you'll get a good sandwich with the potatoes and salad on the side, but if he's not there, watch out: there's no telling what you'll get. Sometimes they include potatoes and salad with the sandwich, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they slice the sandwich, sometimes they don't. Sometimes the sandwich is available since the grill is on, and other times it's not even available since they turn off the grill in the middle of the day to save money randomly. Today for example, I went to pick up my grilled sandwich to-go, and was surprised to see that on this occasion there were no potatoes and salad included, even though two weeks ago I ordered around the same time and they were included. So I asked the short-haired lady in front of me behind the register, "are there potatoes and salad?" (pointing at the sandwich) and she stared directly at my eyes without answering! So I repeated the question and she stood there completely quiet, staring at me without answering, when the tattooed arm punk butted in our conversation, cocked his head at me and yelled, "didn't we go over this already?!" Don't bother coming here. Unless the owner fires some of the incompetent and insolent flunkies buzzing behind the counter soon, this place needs to go out of business ASAP.
(1)
Rachel S.
I'm amazed that they stay in business. The owner and manager are rude and have terrible customer service. The only one who is nice is the owner's husband. The food is ok, but the place is very unclean and not well maintained. I've seen flies buzzing around the place a lot. I haven't gone here fore years and do not recommend it at all.
(1)
Lisa G.
This was our first time eating together at The Bread Company. The service was good and they seated us immediately even though we did not have a reservation. The bread was good and the fried goat cheese appetizer was tasty. Our server was friendly and we received all of our food in a timely manner. The food was fine; I ordered the lamb and he ordered the seared tuna. It was good but I wasn't blown away.
(3)
Lauren F.
When you are asked if you want mustard or mayo, and respond, "mustard please, no mayo," what do you think you'll get? Well, I got a large helping of mayo and no mustard to speak of. I think it would have been a good sandwich. It didn't even come with a napkin, so once I realized this error, I couldn't get a lot of the mayo off. Ick.
(2)
Mariam N.
Bread Company is across the street from my office on campus, and while I used to pick up a sandwich combo for lunch, I've since given up because the combo is so uneven. And now with the combo prices hiked up higher than ever --$10 for a half sandwich and cup of Campbell's soup?-- I probably won't be back for lunch either. The grilled cheese sandwich is substantial and generally yummy (though hot sandwiches are served during a very small time frame), but the salads and soups are serviceable to dire. I'm never very excited to eat their salads, which consist of slightly wilting greens, but the soups taste like they came from an industrial-sized Campbell's soup can. Murky chicken noodle broth and sparse chicken and noodle? No thanks. At lunch with a friend, her very basic soup held vegetables suspiciously similar to that recognizably uniform shape and size of the bagged frozen sort. It definitely does not seem as if the soups are freshly made, at all. The lunch hasn't ever made me want to come to dinner for fear of similarly cut corners.
(2)
The P.
Bumping this up to a 3-star, since this is one of the places I hit up for lunch periodically when I'm on campus and I've found the sandwiches to be better than my first experience, although still not stellar.
(3)
Sarah E.
Went here for lunch during the week (while school was in-session). Busy, but not overly so. Seats were a little uncomfortable and not super baby-friendly (no room for strollers, not sure they had highchairs). Food was excellent and great portions. Everything's a la carte, so if you want something on the side, make sure to ask/buy it. Great alternative to other sandwich options around campus and not too expensive. Probably gets busiest around breaks in school day.
(4)
Christian S.
I don't understand why the lunch and dinner here are so different. Is there a different owner for each meal? Lunch is self-service, no-frills sandwiches and soups. In a word: plain. Dinner is table service and can be good. But they emphasize a gimmicky fondue service and the main dishes can be hit-and-miss. The pizzas are solid. Meat can be over or undercooked. Order seafood... watch out! Why is it called the "Bread Company"? They do appear to make their own bread, but it isn't that good. Seems misleading. Kind of like their "specials" list. (It doesn't change.)
(3)
Christine Y.
Come here regularly for lunch but never knew it was such a nice place for dinner! The original plan had been Timpone's, but apparently despite their website and store sign saying they open at 5 PM they somehow decided they wouldn't open till 5:30, and since I was too hungry to wait around for 30 minutes (the excruciatingly loud construction out front did not help either) I "settled" for Bread Company. They're usually a soup and sandwich place during lunch, but for dinner they completely switch up their menu: filet mignon, duck breast, tapas, and fondue??? On CAMPUS?? The food was absolutely delicious if slightly pricey ($15-20 for an modestly portioned entree), but if paying $20-some will get me amazing bread, salad, ahi tuna steak, bread pudding, and a mint iced tea, all without leaving campus, well then I'm sold =P
(4)
Shell P.
I just had a group event here, and the Bread Company was great! They were really flexible with the menu, and only charged $35 for the private room. Plus, the tip was not added on automatically (which is a pet-peeve of many people I know.) The pizzas were great, thin-crusts. Very unique topping combinations! I have never seen roasted carrots on a pizza before, but it was surprisingly tasty. The best pizza was one with spinach. Also, their salads were awesome! I am pretty fussy about eating salad at restaurants, but these were among the best. The servers were friendly and the manager (Chris?) was especially helpful with making arrangements for the group event. I would recommend this place if you need a private area for your group!
(4)
Stephanie F.
Look, I'm not fussy. I'm not mean. I'm not demanding. I just want a glass of wine and some food. I'm even willing to just order off the board when the waitress can't figure out that four people need more than one menu. I really wish I could discuss the food, but the service is so bad that I can't remember what I had to eat. In case the staff reads yelp in between listening to the Smiths all day and wondering why they aren't famous artists yet, here are some tips: 1. Bring menus for everyone 2. Do not walk away if only three people have ordered and there are four people at the table. 3. Do not roll your eyes, kid. 4. Do not pretend that you are a really good waitress who can remember everything. You have to write it down because when you don't write it down you will end up bringing me the wrong thing. 5. Do not forget to take empty plates off the rickety, unclean table because otherwise there is nowhere to put down the food. It's ok the first time you bring it because the order is wrong and you have to take it back. (See number 3) 6. Do not let our wine glasses get empty. We live in the midwest too. We hate it here too. We need more wine.
(2)
Jen F.
Food is ok, not a big fan but I know my friends like it a ton. Grilled cheese is pretty decent!
(3)
Teej T.
If it's raining, and you're on campus, Bread Co. is the best place ever o eat a pretentious sandwich while watching the precipitation assault the pavement from the safety of your cozy table. The sandwiches are top-notch, and filling. I've had the turkey pesto, and the portobello. Both are delicious. Double frosted brownies make you hate your lack of will power, but are suitably delicious as well. Service is a bit aloof, but reliable. Like all other elitist jerks out there, look for me savoring my expensive sandwich while reading a pretentious theorist. I've got street cred to maintain.
(4)
Jon C.
terrible service. the brunch fondue looked intriguing so we asked the waiter about the serving size. the menu claimed it'd accomodate 2 people but we wanted to make sure. the waiter said, 'you can add some vegetables and it should be ok.' so we agreed to that. he rarely came back out to help us the entire time. then when we got the bill, he charged us for *2* fondues. i went in and disputed the charge and he finally credited us for one of them. however, after keeping track of the credit card statement, it appears that he never refunded the fondues. this is still in dispute and i want to make sure you no one makes the mistake of going here. ps - panera's food is better than this and i don't even like panera.
(1)
N A.
An OK , but not great, place to grab a sandwich for lunch. Not surprisingly, they do have really good bread. Horrible destination for dinner. The lines are long and the sandwiches are pretty decent at lunch time, and it's certainly worth a try if you've never been here before. I've been in twice for dinner and was very disappointed both times. The first time I was here, the place was dead and there were maybe 2 other tables seated. The other time was for Valentine's Day (stupid, I know), and the place was packed and seriously overbooked since they apparently had given reservations to everyone who called and asked for them. Both times, the service was very slow and the staff was *extremely* rude, to include elbowing and pushing customers during the crowded V-Day fiasco, which I found inexcusable. The quality of the food was poor, the servings small, and the prices high. There were definitely some interesting looking recipes on the menu, but the quality of the ingredients was very substandard so nothing tasted very good at all. Produce is not fresh and all the fruits and vegetables I had on both occasions were over or under ripe and clearly prepackaged. The first time I was in there, about 3 different entrees were ordered before we picked something they weren't out of. I only went back the second time for V-Day because I wanted to try out the chocolate fondue. In addition to being waaaaaaaay overbooked, they were understaffed and had a limited V-Day menu that was basically just 6 or so items from the regular menu with the already high prices about doubled. Portions were so unbelievably small that even after spending $75+ on dinner, we had to go to LaBamba's afterward because my husband was still really hungry. Seriously, he was served a piece of lamb that was roughly the size of a sliver dollar and probably could've been eaten in one bite with a little effort. Total time in restaurant was in the 3 hour range due to the poor service and inability to seat in accordance with reservations. The chocolate fondue was served in a beat up saucepan that had something crusted all over the outside of it. Chocolate itself was actually pretty good, but the amount of stuff they gave us to dip in it was staggeringly small and the vast majority of it consisted of bananas and apples that were overripe to the point they couldn't be eaten. Although it was fondue for two, there was only one piece each of the more high quality dipping items (cookie, strawberry, etc.) I will certianly not be back for dinner and probably not for lunch either since there are a variety of other lunch places in town that are just as good or better that are easier to get to, Paradiso in particular.
(2)
Sarah P.
I like it enough to come back. The grilled Hawaiian sandwich is good, but crispy borderline burnt tasting today. Their tuna salad is really yummy. They are pretty skimpy on salad dressings and a few times I've had some wilty, yuckiness in my field greens salad. Nice ambience though, and good outdoor seating.
(3)
Sophie E.
Another time I may have given this restaurant 4 stars, because in the past we haven't had the best service. However, my husband and I went here last night for our anniversary, and everything was perfect. Even though we have had some issues with the service in the past, my family (pre-husband) has been coming here for as long as I can remember, probably over 10 years. The food is so good, there is really nothing the servers could do to keep us from coming back. My favorite meal in the world is the cheese fondue (sometimes with the tomato puree), one of the yummy pizzas (preferably with brie), followed by their chocolate fondue. (I think I have strayed from that formula once, I can't remember what I ordered) I didn't think it was possible, but last night, all three of those items were better than ever. We had the cheese fondue with the tomato puree this time, as well as the pesto, portobello mushrooms, artichoke hearts and brie pizza - it was amazing. The chocolate fondue came with more fruits than I remember in the past, red and green apples, pears, strawberries and some yummy little cake pieces. The best meal I had all year. The service was excellent.
(5)
amee d.
Every time I've been here, the food has been fine. But I don't come here often. It's not that I'm not on campus, or don't like the food (see the first sentence.) Spouse and I tend to avoid The Bread Company because it's almost always dirty and the service is wildly inconsistent. Tables aren't bussed, there is dust on the paintings, trays of dirty glasses sit out, the walls aren't cleaned. Heck, the pizza/empanada place around the corner is often cleaner than The Bread Company. Sometimes the wait staff is really nice. Sometimes they are brats. Devil or angel, they rarely know what they are doing. Want more coffee? The nice waiter will forget; the brat glare at you. Either way, you don't get the coffee. For a long time, The Bread Company was one of a handful of restaurants that served decent food in C-U. Even after C-U got more restaurants, there still was a long period of time when there was no other decent restaurant in the area. The result seems to be that the Bread Company has gotten used to figuring it has a captive audience and so does not have to work for customers. That attitude seems to permeate everything it does. The trouble is that the food isn't worth the attitude, at least not to spouse and I. I wish The Bread Company was a more pleasant, better run restaurant.
(2)
Andrea T.
If all of the profs on campus hide out in a certain place, you know it has to be good. I always hear mixed reviews about this place from my friends, but I'm going to go ahead and give it a 4. This is my new favorite lunch place on campus (for when you have time). The sandwiches may be $1-2 more but are killer compared to other on-campus options. The grilled sandwiches may be a little buttery on the crust for some, but it's perfect for me. Last time that I went I got the grilled turkey sandwich which comes with caramelized onions and cheese. Dinner options include fondue and pretty good pizza. They also have some good bottles of wine on the list, I've ordered a bottle twice and been happy with what I got. You might have to talk to one of the chefs if you want wine opinions since our server didn't seem to know much. Really good atmosphere and decor, it's casual/fancy enough for pretty much anything, and it's right next to Krannert if you need an after-show dinner.
(4)
R. S.
Our family dined here after my sister's graduation. It was nice of them to move our reservation up on such short notice but after eating here, I understood why this wasn't a problem. If you're called "The Bread Company" you probably shouldn't serve burnt bread. The crust of our Italian bread was burnt. Though the bread was good otherwise, leaving a charred taste in your patrons' mouths is not the best way to start a meal. When my sister made the reservation they did not inform her that there wouldn't be a full menu that day. So though we looked at the menu online beforehand, we were only able to order from their limited graduation-day menu. There were seven of us and we ordered vegetarian dishes. Three of us had the grilled portobello sandwich with raspberry aioli and brie ($10), which was served with a side of salad greens and roasted potatoes. The presentation and portion-size were perfect. The mushrooms were fresh and juicy and the raspberry aioli went well with the brie. Those who ordered this plate seemed satsified. The other four of us split two pizzas: the roasted garlic with san marzano tomato sauce and Parmesan ($12), and the pesto with portabella, artichoke hearts and brie ($15). The reason we split them? Our waitress said they were 10 inch pizzas. They were actually smaller, about 6-7 inches in diameter. Now I usually love a cracker-thin crust, but ours was burnt in places. The roasted garlic pizza was at best a decent cheese pizza and the pesto with portabella and artichoke hearts did not benefit from the addition of brie; though it added texture, the brie did little to compliment the flavors of the other ingredients on the pizza. Overall the ingredients seemed fresh, but I've had much better thin crust pizza for less money, and more of it too. Though the restaurant seemed full, the same people were dining the whole time we were there. Only one party arrived while we were dining. It's a small place and there only seemed to be a server or two but seeing as it wasn't really busy, you'd think service would be more attentive. Our waitress was not. She was pleasant. She refilled our waters once and brought another basket of (still burnt) bread upon request. We were not asked if we wanted drinks or dessert. And we waited for our check for about twenty minutes. Turns out she went on lunch and took our check with her. We didn't gyp her on the tip at all--seeing as it's a college-town and they were probably short-staffed on graduation weekend, and we weren't running late for anything--but we certainly won't be dining here again. Side note: they do not accept Discover. Taking everything into consideration, I'd give this place a C+. I'm sure there are better white-cloth restaurants in Champaign-Urbana and you'd be better off eating there.
(2)
Debra W.
The food is excellent and the bread is the best in Urbana. Dinner is delightful with excellent gourmet pizzas, fondu, tapas, etc. On Sunday, they have an excellent and low priced brunch. The dinner prices are reasonable for the quality of the food. Their sangria is also the best I've ever tasted. The only thing keeping me from giving them 5 stars is the service which at times is very slow.
(4)
Deborah S.
This is a modest looking gem of a restaurant that keeps getting better and better. The cheese and chocolate fondues are incredibly good. The sandwiches and pizzas are all interesting combinations of foods that are delicious. My personal favorite item is the fried goat cheese appetizer with wild honey and strawberries served with french bread drizzled with honey. It melts in your mouth! Tonight my husband and I shared a thin crust pizza made with pears, prosciutto, walnuts, blue stilton, gruyere and mozzarella cheese--a wonderful combination of tastes. For dessert we had chocolate mousse with a hint of brandy that was very chocolatey but also light as a feather. It was served with strawberries and some kind of biscotti like chocolate cookie. The service is always friendly and efficient and the management is very responsive to customer suggestions. Rumor has it that they will soon have wi-fi as well. This is a great place for brunch, lunch, dinner, a snack, and/or dessert and coffee. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable, and it is just an all around great place for a light meal or a full dinner. Try it out in the summer when many university folks are out of town so there is rarely a wait for a table. You will find yourself going back again and again! Stay tuned for more delicious changes to come!
(5)
GiGi G.
Excellent food, nice atmosphere. They seem to have upped their menu in the last year, which is fine although makes for a higher bill at the end. I'm usually happy to bring the kids along... the place has a very euro-bistro feeling. A minor gripe, however, is that the last few times we've gone the service has been less than stellar. It seems they like to hire hip girls who aren't so interested in helping a family have a nice meal.
(4)
Kwoky L.
This is probably the best restaurant in Urbana. First of all, they bake their own bread and fresh pastries are available for breakfast everyday. My favorite is the cheese (gruyere) croissant because it is so flaky. It literally melts in my mouth. My coworker called it high class junk food but I call this good stuff. Sometimes, when I felt lazy to go to lunch, I would just buy a loaf of bread and eat that with a cup of coffee. The zufte or zoft, which is a Swiss specialty bread is amazing. It is fresh and out of the oven by 11am during school days. I have not seen other places in the area that sell zufte but the bread is really worth trying. Oh, if you have cravings for day old bread, they sell them at half price. They also have a wonderful selection for dinner. Daily specials change quite often but they have their regular dinner menu. I usually go with the daily special. This place also has fondue, both cheese and chocolate. I had both and I have to say that they are pretty stingy with their cheese and chocolate. I had barely enough to cover the fruit or bread. Do expect $12-$17 for entrees and about $10 for fondue. By the way, they sell cheeses too in the day. They have pretty good service but the people do not seem to smile a lot during the day, especially the owner. They should be happy because of the wonderful smell of fresh bread. The decor is a little European and has a fireplace at the corner which makes the place extra cozy in the evening. Anyhows, this place is highly recommended. I am sure you'll love it.
(5)
S D.
I LOVE this place. My boyfriend and I used to go there on dates when we went to school there, and we'd order the cheese fondue and a bottle of wine. It's a great date place, and the ambiance is better than many places in the Champaign-Urbana area. Plus, the prices are very reasonable! I'll be going back whenever we're down there!
(5)
Sarah H.
I had (and still have) high hopes for the bread company. I loooooooooove bakeries. Love. Bread = happy. I lived in Germany for a while, so european style bakeries are even more happy. The first time I came to TBC, it was around 11am on a Tuesday and I wanted a quiet place to study. I wanted to get a small zupfe roll because they were fresh out of the oven and a cup of coffee, but that didn't cost $5 and I didn't have any cash (there is a $5 card minimum). I wound up getting an americano, a whole zupfe loaf, and a cookie. The zupfe was delicious. Hot from the oven, braided, yeasty, and slightly sweet. I pulled it apart and ate 1/3 of it right there. The cookie was pretty greasy. The americano was fine. The second time I came it was after a big exam and I wanted a glass of wine. At 11:30am. TBC was happy to oblige. My two friends ordered the portabella sandwich, which I had a bite of and I have to say it was delicious! Marinated chopped portabella mushrooms, melted cheese, some kind of sweet fruit spread. I wish I'd ordered it! I had a glass of riesling (which was fairly expensive for the quality) and a bowl of chicken noodle soup. I was hoping for a nice homemade soup with fat noodles and pieces of chicken, but what I got was a crock of bright yellow soup that I know came from a Mrs. Grass box. I will continue to come and try more of TBC's offerings, but definitely not the soups...
(3)
Lauren L.
I love this place. I've gone to U of I for four years now and regularly frequent this place. The sandwiches are always made fresh with great ingredients. I highly recommend it. As for dinner, it's a little overpriced, but the bakery/lunch menu is the best you can find in the city.
(5)
Sunshine M.
Everyone says the Bread Company sucks, but I don't agree. The food is great, it's just their prices that suck. I paid $9 for lunch there the other day. I'd much rather have a $5 potbelly sandwich. Dinner is good here, but overpriced IMO.
(4)
Melissa M.
The Bread Company is a restaurant with many different faces. By day they have a varieties of soups and sandwiches, as well as baked goods. Sandwiches are on luscious slices of thick bread and the soups come with crunchy salads. I especially like the grilled sandwiches, which are laced with creamy butter and lightly browned meat. Portions are quite large and one sandwich could probably be shared easily among two adults. Sometimes I forget this and end up making two meals out of one sandwich. During lunch hours this place is quite crowded, but by late afternoon it becomes serene. Soft green light floods in from the skylight and during the winter you can sit the fire with a baguette and a glass of wine. As regards to the review that mentioned rudeness about adding protein to things, I've heard that happen many times during lunch and now they let you have your meat, but charge a lot for it. They have this bizarre policy because they "don't want people making their own sandwiches with the bread that comes with the entree." Nice one. At night it becomes more formal, with candlelight, fondue, and more upscale entrees. The balsamic potatoes that come with the entrees are perfect. I like the fondue, but it's a little too much for me...even the small pot can be shared by two. Last time I was there I tried the tapas and the yellowfin tuna and the lamb were delicious, but I was less than enthusiastic about the duck mousse, which had a bland sickly sweet flavor. The greens that came with the tapas were also pretty inexcusable. When I go to a good restaurant I expect more than just some shredded romaine, especially when field greens are still in season. The new small desserts are also not so great. The chocolate mousse was good, but the bread pudding was just some bread soaked in eggs and sugar.
(3)
Andrew H.
Fondue dinner at the Bread Company is probably the top restaurant experience I miss from Urbana, IL (caveat: this review is a bit out of date). At the time you could get a very decent swiss cheese fondue with good bread, some roasted garlic for an appetizer, and two glasses of house red for just over $30--a princely sum for a starving college student, but compared with the trendy $100 fondue restaurants in the SF Bay Area, a steal. The dinnertime atmosphere was also great: quiet, romantic, dimly but warmly lit. They also had fantastic checkerboard shortbread cookies. I've been hard pressed to find better anywhere else. Lunch sandwiches and other baked goods were both decent, but the five stars are for the fondue date memories.
(5)
Karl S.
I've eaten here twice for dinner over the last five years and was very pleased on both occasions. We had pizzas both times. They are wonderful! They very much resemble the style we've had in Rome: very thin, crisp crust, light on the creative toppings. The portobello, artichoke, roasted peppers and fontina one was especially memorable. Service was very good - prompt, friendly and quick. Our waitresses were very pleasant. The prices may seem a little high, so if you want a cheap thick crust gloppy stuffed pizza, go elsewhere.
(4)
A W.
The food is decent with an excellent wine selection, but it doesn't blow me away, especially given the prices. The service isn't too great, either. I do like the atmosphere, though, and the wine keeps me coming back every now and again.
(3)
Amanda W.
My husband and I, along with two other couples, decided to celebrate the end of the semester tonight by going out. After *much* debate, we ended up at The Bread Company. As a former music major, this was one of my usual haunts, but the rest of them hadn' t been there quite as frequently. (Lunch, by the way, is excellent; they have excellent sandwiches and salads). The specialty, of course, is the fondue, which is magnifique. My only gripe is that portion sizes tend to vary widely from time to time, as does the selection of vegetables that comes with your meal. The combination of cheeses, though, is great, and the bread and potatoes are wonderful. Tonight, though, I had one of their specials, which was good, but was actually my *third* choice of menu items. They were out of the fettucine with salmon AND out of the chicken pizza. Now, I don't pretend to understand the inner workings of the restaurant business, but it really irritates me when they run out of something. To me, that just smacks of poor planning. Do they not have a kitchen? Can they not make more? If not, then can they not provide accurate estimates of how much of each food item to make, so they won't run out? I don't know, but it just seems like when you go someplace, you should be able to look at the menu with confidence. Anyway, the beef fondue I had was very good, and one of my dinner companions adored her trout. She said it was the most moist fish she had eaten in quite some time, and she is a fish lover. Her husband, a reasonably picky eater, devoured his pancetta pizza with no complaints, as did another friend with his salmon. I thought the portion sizes of some of the meals were pretty small, especially given the price. Still, it's good food, and worth the money, especially when you consider it's not that expensive. Service was pretty good, although a little slow, particularly since they weren't that busy tonight. My guess is she just had a hard day. We love the Bread Company and will continue to visit, but probably just for the fondue. We know they'll have it, and we know it's good. Thanks for a fun evening!
(4)
David S.
Wow. I wouldn't be surprised if this became one of my favorite lunch spots on campus. I went today and really liked it. I got one of their grilled sandwiches: turkey pesto, and it came with gruyere cheese and grilled red onions... delicious. It's not extremely cheap: I paid around $7.50 (but the cold sandwiches go for $5.50 or so), so there definitely are cheaper options to eat around there, but the food is good so it's worth it in my opinion. On top of that, I like the place and the atmosphere. They also sell bread (as you might guess!), and have wine by the glass. I can't wait to check it out for dinner.
(5)
Katie K.
The Bread Company is one of my favorite restaurants, and is one of the things I miss most about U of I. I ate here frequently as a student and as an alumna I make sure to stop in every time I return to campus. The atmosphere of the restaurant makes me feel like I'm taken away from the stress of every day life. They have a fireplace in the corner and white lights strung up to make it feel romantic, but it is modernized with the art that they have on the walls. My husband and I usually share an order of cheese fondue and a gourmet pizza. The Bread Company offers a nice selection of wine and beer, including wine by the carafe. I can't forget to mention their selection of fresh baked cookies. The sables and chocolate macaroons are delicious. Great atmosphere, delicious food, and reasonable prices - I love this place!
(5)
Daniel F.
This is a real gem. Probably the most consistently good food in CU. Lunch brings nice grilled or deli-type sandwiches, and there are veg options. Dinner is much more interesting with pastas, nice fish and meat entree specials, and wonderful thin crust pizzas, baked in hot ovens. Desserts are also very good. I am less into fondue (exceot for chocolate dessert fondue), but this is the place to go for that. The ambiance is eclectic and European. Families will feel welcome. Service can be a little ragged, sometimes a student group of 15 or large party will materialize, and that can have a rather deleterious effect on service when there are only 2 servers on the floor, which is often the case at night. Even so, I have never had a meal here that was less than very good, and many that were excellent.
(5)
Mary W.
The Bread Company is one of the best restaurants in C-U! If you think that the reason why they are selling out of different entrees at dinner is because of poor planning, it is obvious that you have never worked in the restaurant industry. Dishes sell out at the Bread Company because they are popular...duh! There is no way to predict what will sell what night, and if you are upset that dishes are out of stock, you should be showing up earlier to insure that they still have their full night's supply. As for the service being poor, it's true: the servers are mostly college kids that could give two shakes about their job, but the food is so incredible, it just doesn't matter to me. The head chef, Daniel is honest to God a pure genius when it comes to creating new dishes and I never order off of anything but the specials menu. Trust me when I say trust Dan with your dinner. If he has a hand in creating it it's bound to be amazing.
(5)
William S.
This is one of the best restaurants in town for an informal - but high quality meal. I prefer dinner to lunch though.
(5)
Jamie L.
They have a nice selection of hot and iced teas to choose from. Sandwiches come with a small side salad that is superb. Out of everything I've tried, the paninis are the way to go. I've yet to be disappointed.
(4)
Michelle N.
At first i thought this place was a little pricey but when my food came out, it was totally worth it. The pizza i got was delicious and the whole restaurant is so cute and comfortable! It has a great vibe to it and the employees were very nice. I ordered a margarita pizza, i was expected a cheese pizza with tomatoes and basil but it was just a cheese pizza........lol but it was still really good!
(4)
Jen T.
One of my earliest experiences in Cham-bana, the very second night I spent with my boyfriend, now husband, he actually walked across the street from his dorm and brought me a ham and swiss on rye. Now, I wasn't a huge fan of ham, and I truly hated swiss, and about all he knew was that I liked mustard (so he included it), but... being that we were so new together, I ate that sandwich like it was a long lost favorite. And shocking... instead of having to choke it down... I loved the thing! Later in life, when I explained to him how much I hated ham and swiss sandwiches, I told him how amazed I was at how much I loved the one he'd been getting me from The Bread Company!! Their ingredients, I mean! Talk about fresh (I hate to sound like a commercial, but! When it's true, it's true!!) The sprouts were genius, and the swiss was like none I'd ever had. Ever! Emmentaler. I mean, this place was no joke SMART about how it crafted food! And there was no denying that rye! The crown jewel of the whole thing! Crunchy exterior, soft in all the right places, with a kick-yer-butt mustard... just out of this world spectacular. The whole thing became our ritual. I'd come into town from Bloomy and we'd head over to Bread Company. He'd get a loaf, hot out of the oven, of Challa, and I'd get my ham and cheese sandwich and we'd head back to his dorm. Such bitter sweet memories. And all over a sandwich! Trust me, this place makes some of the best fresh bread (I mean... HOT FROM THE OVEN GOOD), and some of the greatest food on campus. They do more than sandwiches... OMG, go one night for the fondu! It's an amazing experience!! Whatever it is, find something you love and make it a memory to share.
(5)
Pawel S.
The Bread Company is a MUST whenever I visit Chambana. I discovered this place by accident while attending classes at UIUC and I've been in love with it ever since. For five bucks you get yourself a delicious breakfast sandwich along with a cup of coffee (free refills). Their zopf rolls are also amazing and under a $1. Speaking of the interior, no two chairs are the same, some are comfortable, others not so much, yet that's exactly what I like about this place...It's got character. The fire place is a nice addition in the winter.
(5)
Brian S.
My wife and I ate dinner here while passing through after deciding to skip a local BBQ joint that smelled great but was very crowded. We were not disappointed by ending up here instead. The place is small, fairly intimate, and quiet enough we could enjoy the music playing in the background and converse without having to shout. We had the caramelized onion and cheese fondue for an appetizer, shared a delicious entree of skewered lamb served on a bed of naan bread and tzatziki sauce, and finished off with a tasty but not too sweet dark chocolate dessert fondue. The house-made mint iced tea and mulled wine were also very good. The food was interesting and delicious, and our waitress Joanna was awesome. She was friendly, answered all of our questions, and checked in just often enough to make sure we had what we needed without being overbearing. Best service I've had at a restaurant in a long time! If we ever pass through again, we will definitely stop in at The Bread Company.
(5)
Nelson M.
Restaurant review After 1 year of living in Champaign, I finally had a chance to come to this restaurant recommended my a previous coworker. The reviews on Yelp are quite mix and it appears that lunch is good, but dinner is so so. Since I have not found another restaurant that has chocolate fondue here in Central IL, we decided to come here for dinner. I will say that I really wanted to like this restaurant, but overall value is a 2 star, the option for fondue brings it up to a 2.5. It is located right on campus and I never even knew about this restaurant when I lived nearby. The ambiance is very eclectic, lots of wall decorations and a European cafe feel. The multiple non-matching chairs throughout the dining room maybe a "modern" design, but I felt it was very "chintzy". I thought about going with the filet or fish entree, but the other reviews made me a little concern so I went with a safe dish (Shrimp fettuccine) with a light tomato basil cream sauce. It took a bit of time for the dish to come out. Meanwhile, we were given complimentary french bread. Given the name of the restaurant I was a bit disappointed that the bread was not a soft piping hot bread from the oven. Well I digress, back to the entree, it really wasn't anything special. My wife's quote on her salmon salad and the pasta was, "It taste like food you can make at home". The portions sizes were also smaller than expected when you order pasta at a restaurant. I was hoping that the chocolate fondue would be the redeeming value of the meal. Unfortunately this was not the case. Typically you would expect strawberries and maybe even a rice crispy treat to dip in the chocolate. Don't get me wrong the dark chocolate was amazing, but they gave a plate of pears, green and red apples, and some sort of cake that crumbled when you poked at it too hard with the fondue fork. Service is hit or miss, our server came by a few times and made sure our cups of water were filled. This maybe a great place for date night on campus or maybe for sandwiches at lunch, but my dinner experience was so so. Pros: Cheese and chocolate fondue, I have yet to find another place that has this option. Great for date night with wine, cheese, bread etc. Cons: Expensive based on what you get, small portion size, no hot fresh bread from the bread company for dinner, where are the strawberries, marshmallow, or rice krispy treats with the chocolate fondue? I think if they tried they could make this a stellar restaurant here in CU. Hidden deals: Daily drink and food specials on the chalk board Health code rating: A. champaign.il.gegov.com/c…
(2)
George W.
I've been to The Bread Company several times now; both with my visiting family for dinner and for sandwiches for lunch, and my experiences have been positive. First of all, the atmosphere is incredible. I've spent a lot of my life in Europe, and the way this place looks reminds me of little mom-and-pap restaurants one would find in the Mediterranean. This feeling is especially strong in the terrace in the back; stepping into that room feels like stepping into Spain. It's a bizarre, nostalgic experience for me, and one that hasn't happened quite as strongly anywhere else in the United States. The lunch is incredible. I like to think of myself as a bit of a sandwich connoisseur (hold your laughter), and the grilled sandwiches here are amazing. The dinner, unfortunately, isn't up to par with their lunch service. The only dish fresh enough in my memory to comment on is the shrimp linguine, which was a little bland. I haven't been able to try the fondue yet, which seems to be the go-to dish here, so I'll be trying that next time I go. Service is lovely, and their handmade drinks are very good too. Strongly recommended.
(4)
Daniella B.
We were here a couple of months ago with a large group of friends. The server took really good care of us and even did a good job of splitting up the bill. I think this is a great place to check out if you want something a little higher quality than the in and out places on campus. I feel like the food is very reasonably priced for the quality and it's nice to have this as an option on campus. It's a great place to go before a fancy event at Krannert for example.
(4)
Allen W.
If you love real bread and unique food at great prices this is your place. Try the prosciutto sandwich - amazing! Best I've had outside of Italy. Grab a loaf of bread to go before you head home!
(5)
Chris R.
Bread Company has been around for 15+ years, it is the kind of local place that visitors to town are likely to miss, but it's worth checking out especially for those who like to avoid chain restaurants. I recently stopped by for Sunday brunch--something I almost skipped because their website didn't list a brunch menu (I thought I knew most of the brunches in town and didn't know Bread Company was an option until today). The service was friendly, but like a lot of local restaurants, the timing was not-so-great and generally felt inexperienced. The waiter offered slow-drip pour-over coffee, but called the coffee "blends" when they were actually single varietals (sorry, coffee nerd here). The Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, though, was aromatic and worth the extra charge (though it's reasonable to expect that the menu had listed the price or the waiter had known it after I asked: no luck on either). I waited much too long to place my order after sitting (and it was not busy). But the prosciutto and gruyere omelet (which I added spinach to with no problem) that arrived vastly exceeded expectations: it was flavorful, chock full of good ingredients and not overcooked. The pan-fried potatoes were spiced but not overly salty (though I sent them back when they arrived with a huge dollop of unmentioned sour-cream--ew). The baked bread was sourdough and crusty and a perfect accompaniment. Nice job, Bread Company. Great food. Lacking final star only because my waiter could have used some some further training on the menu and service timing.
(4)
Sam W.
Awful, awful, awful. Haven't been in there for a couple of years, when I had an overprices, literally burned awful pizza. Their prices keep going up, the service down below. Not a glass of water even. Lunch this time. (The last try.) Ordered their special - a "Southwestern burger". A 45 minutes wait without as much as an apology. Then the "masterpiece" comes - frozen Walmart-quality mini-patty on a tasteless small bun. Everything way too salty. Barely edible. Ten bucks without tip for this sub-MacDonald concoction. Overworked, insufficient in numbers student workers who do little in terms of service but hope for a tip nevertheless. Obviously the owners worry more about as big a markup as possible than about their customers. The Bread Company does make big profit - the place caters to food-uneducated, wealthier young undergrads, who mistake this garbage for gourmet food, just because they have to pay four times what it's worth. Awful.
(1)
Jess H.
Stumbled upon this gem for a bite for brunch. It's a quaint Swiss bistro with some pretty spectacular food! Tried the "Quiche of the Day"-ham and gruyere quiche- it was DELISH!
(5)
Kathryn D.
Can't get your burger rare...they weren't sure about the meat today. Staff was so quick to clean our table they took food we weren't finished with twice! Couldn't get the waitresses attention to pay our bill. Salmon salad was great..shrimp pasta fab..why no grated cheese or ground pepper?
(3)
Patrick H.
My girlfriend and I were walking around campus looking for a sandwich/cafe type place to get lunch and chose The Bread Company. Walking in the door we were charmed by the atmosphere: mismatched chairs, chalkboard menus, and the wonderful smell of fresh bread! After a quick run through the menu I hastily chose the tuna salad on multigrain and my girlfriend had the mixed salad (pears, walnuts, blue cheese, raspberry vinaigrette). After ordering (and not yet paying), we were told to stand in an alternate line where we were to pay for our lunch. This is the only part of the restaurant that I didn't enjoy. We ended up standing in line for 10 minutes (with only one person in front of us!) waiting for the cashier to take our money. It's not that he was busy working, which would be completely understandable, he was walking around seemingly looking for people to talk to instead of working the register. Besides the payment debacle, we enjoyed the food immensely and will definitely be returning to try out dinner and brunch - hopefully by then the payment process will be a bit more streamlined ;) UPDATE: I've been to dinner here twice and LOVED it both times. The bread company is now part of my regular restaurant rotation.
(5)
Ana R.
The sandwiches are great. The soup is ok, too salty sometimes. Nice atmosphere. I've been there three times or more during the 5 months I spend in Champaign-Urbana. Most part of the time they were playing Brazilian songs, which made me fall for this place immediately.
(4)
Madhu R.
The Bread Company was awesome ! Incredible owner, Lindsay, incredible service - we dined there 2x during a short graduation weekend, loved the hospitality, service and food! Ambience is intimate and neatly done, probably one of the best in Urbana, which boasts of a lot of places!! Keep it up! Surely a place to visit for all students and families....
(5)
Zachary H.
For lunch, I really like this place. Fresh salads, sandwiches are tasty, and the bread is great. I haven't been here for dinner but this is a great place to go if you want to have a nice lunch on campus.
(4)
Erin H.
One of my favorite places to go in town, especially when I'm not in a hurry! Everything is delicious - the bread is wonderful, paninis and french onion soup are superb. I always start with the lemon garlic green salad. Pizza beats nearby restaurants' offerings by a long shot! Try the savory or sweet fondue. Excellent brunch spot as well (the quiche is a standout). The atmosphere is calm, praceful and inviting. Waitstaff tends to move on the slower side, but are genuinely interested in helping you create a meal you'll enjoy.
(5)
Mackenzee K.
SO and I came here for our anniversary: The Good: -We arrived 5 minutes before our reservation and were welcomed and seated promptly. -Atmosphere was nice but not stuffy, eclectic collection of chairs gave it a more casual feel -Waitress was extremely friendly and treated us well, happily accommodated us -The Fried Goat Cheese with honey and strawberries was dreamy, so delicious. -Basil Tomato Fondue was delicious, "it tastes like pizza". -Chocolate fondue uses dark chocolate, which makes it rich and not too sweet -Portions were generous, especially with the goat cheese appetizer, there was so much goat cheese that we ran out of bread! Our waitress happily accommodated us and brought more warm bread. The Bad: -Nothing! Overall: Fantastic! Food and atmosphere was great! Would love to come again.
(5)
Kelsey K.
Food was pretty good. Nice ambiance for dinners. I got the hot turkey sandwich that came with some tasty potatoes in the side and a salad. Was a little bit on the pricey side for a sandwich, but I think that if you go during lunch you'll get a better value for money. My friend ended up getting a pasta dish which was pretty decent however like I mentioned it was pretty expensive. Would be nice for a special occasion.
(3)
J K.
Lovely experience here tonight! Service was wonderful and was complimented by getting to meet the owner, Lindsey. She and her husband took it over from his family recently (not exactly sure when) to continue the family tradition. Food was tasty - I had pesto pasta and husband had garlic pizza plus a French onion soup and bruschetta. Atmosphere was quite nice on the patio and we enjoyed a delicious bottle of wine that was reasonably priced. We had the privilege of talking with Lindsay further and learning about their takeover after getting a summary from the menus which include an overview on key individuals in the history of Bread company, including Lindsay and the original owner, her mother in law.
(5)
Tony B.
Super romantic spot on a cold winter night. The fondue is excellent. Staff is intelligent and attentive. The crowd is the highly educated, super liberal type. Refreshing sometimes.
(4)
Grace S.
Came to this place completely by accident. We meant to go somewhere else and saw this place and decided it was too neat looking so we had to give it a try. The 4 star rating is heavily based on the food. The actual condition of the restaurant is more like 3 stars. It has nice ambiance but if you start looking too closely, you'll notice it is very deteriorated. Perhaps, why they dimmed the lights so much! :p The food was delicious. All except for the bread, weirdly enough. It wasn't warm or fresh and was served with butter packets, not oil. Oh well. We ordered the goat cheese bruschetta and one of their pizzas. Can't remember which, but it was pesto based, not sauce. I loved it. The dough was doughy, not crispy. For dessert, we had a mildly spicy carrot cake (which also had goat cheese! Yum!) My husband and I split all 3 items and it was enough for dinner and leftovers to bring home.
(4)
Lil L.
Pretty much my favorite spot in C-U. Relaxed atmosphere and very nice food. Love the salads, pizza and pasta.
(4)
Pudding P.
Went here once, in 2007, on a first date with a hot chick I met while in college. Almost six years later...she's my wife. Yea, guess I'd say that's enough for 5 stars. Thanks Bread Company *brofist* Do I remember much about the food?...No. The only thing I remember was feeling underwhelmed by the bread. I mean, if the place is called "Bread Company" I expect the bread to be something special, you know what I mean? Whatever, I guess by now I'm over it. Bottom line: took my crush here on a first date, ended up getting a second date...a third...and yea, eventually I even got laid. Thumbs up, would recommend.
(5)
Idan S.
I've been to The Bread Company several times now, and left disappointed most of those times. Their food isn't horrible or anything (except for their gazpacho, which is by far the worst I've had), but it's definitely overpriced and bland. The only item on their menu that's worth mention is the grilled roast beef sandwich ($9.50 after tax) -- fried roast beef cold cuts, sauteed onions, and gruyere cheese. Just about anything else I've had there, including their soups, was just bland and cost waaaaay more than it should. Also, their pesto tastes nothing like basil, more like parsley puree - I definitely don't recommend getting anything that has it. Finally, you'd think that a restaurant named the Bread Company would have good bread on their sandwiches...
(2)
Connie C.
When I went to school at U of I, I came here all the time during lunch to grab a roast beef or ham sandwich on their freshly baked swiss bread. Sometimes I went for the half soup/half sandwich, or half salad/half sandwich to get more variety in my diet. The food here is like comfort food for me, since I grew up in Urbana and my mother used to buy these sandwiches and their large loaves of freshly baked Züpfe for my brothers and me. The service at The Bread Company has always been fast and efficient, and the employees were always very cool and made no mistakes taking my order and making me a really good sandwich. I've been here a few times for dinner with my friends. The atmosphere totally changes in the evening for dinner, as they lay out white tablecloths, dim the lights and allow the romantic glow of candles set the mood. Their pizza is delicious and filling, and their tapas come in pretty big portions. This is a cute and cozy place for anyone on a date or double date, or out to celebrate a special occasion. I've ordered take out from them a few times when I've had last minute dinner party pot lucks to attend and didn't have time to cook. One time, I picked up a strawberry walnut mixed green salad, which was perfect, and also a french baguette with a side of baked garlic bulbs drizzled with olive oil. It was worth every dollar. I love this place!
(5)
Evan J.
Had a nice dinner with my wife for our anniversary. Wanted to go someplace off beat and quiet and we were very satisfied with The Brad Company. Our waitress was very well versed on the menu, and was happy to let us sample the wines so we can make a better choice. Serving portions are large and well priced for what you get. A pizza and appetizer is probably enough for two if you're wanting something light. The setting was nice and cafe-like, and the crowd small. There was no waiting at all, although they accepted a reservation for our occasion. I will definitely go back.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Zom S.
The new vegan menu at the Bread Co. is delicious. The linguine is especially hearty and chock full of veggies. The carrot cake was delicious as well.
(4)Bethany C.
The food at TBC is fine if you like moderately soggy vegetables and bland sandwiches. They have vegetarian options, that are okay, more diverse than many places, but the few times I've been there, the salads needed a little work. It is a-ok to tear the lettuce up a bit so people don't have to slobber it all over their faces. I really hate a clunky salad. The pear panini was satisfying and but the IKEA tables outside make me nostalgic for my own yard and my own cooking, thus reinforcing my tagline "Vegetarian with a touch of snobbery" I don't rate restaurants on their administrative prowess, but if I did I wouldn't give any to the TBC. The waitstaff and management made it nearly impossible to process a reimbursement through the University of Illinois. You would think, given their proximity to campus, that they would train people adequately with respect to how to handle the idiosyncrasies of receipt processing through the University. Instead, I am wasting my work and personal time chasing down the original receipt for a charge entered incorrectly by a waitress. And the day manager can't help me? Um... I just recommend not going here at all if there is a chance you will need to then make your lifework sleuthing receipts. Oh how fulfilling. I've heard other people say that it is always a nightmare to expense TBC meals. The U of I-area restaurants need to take a page from the book of vendors in other college towns and get their act together.
(2)Michelle K.
It had been a couple years since I last went to The Bread Company, and since today was a beautiful day to sit outside and eat a sandwich, my boyfriend and I decided to give it a go. I got a half portobello sandwich, half strawberry salad - a delightful combination, and everything tasted fresh. (I'm gonna have to figure out how to make that sandwich on my own!) My boyfriend's salmon burger was pretty good, but served on bread and not a bun, which was kind of odd. I also had the English Orange iced tea, which was refreshing and a little sweet without being cloying. Our waitress had a major stick up her ass, though, which is why I'm downgrading them a star. Bread Co., why must you hire rude people? More often than not, the people working here are gruff and disdainful of the customers. I get it, you're too cool to smile. I'm not asking for a hug at the end of the meal, all I'm looking for is service without a scowl.
(3)N. K.
This is by far the best pizza place in CU approved by my Italian spouse. They have the nice crust and pretty good quality authetic topics (cheeses and so on). If horrific deep dish American pizza is your thing, don't bother going here.
(4)Shelly A.
Three star food with two star prices - not to be confused with the two dollar sign symbols on yelp :p So yes, I mean it's extremely overpriced Decent for an "special occasion" and students tend to be impressed with this place just because it's actually a nice sit-down restaurant and not on Green Street, but it needs to get over itself a little if it wants to thrive in Chambana. Fondue is really the only reason to check this place out since I don't know of anything else nearby that has this for dessert, but food is just average. Oh and their sangria is on point, too. But really, what college kid is drinking sangria? If they are, they are probably used to their wine out of a box
(2)kate c.
My review was filtered and I guess this one will be, too. This place has terrible, some of the worst - in a town filled with bad service, I've ever had. And the food is not good. Look at all the filtered reviews before eating here.
(1)Hahaha H.
The bread co is owned by a Swiss family, their children own Cafe Luna in Champaign, also worth a visit. I love coming here to relax and talk with my mom when we make lunch dates. I celebrated special occasions here as well growing up. They sure knew how to accommodate a large group of 14 year old girls on my birthday years ago! Recommendations -Roast beef sandwich -Portabella, brie, and raspberry jam sandwich -Züpfe bread, it's comparable to challah bread. -Cheese fondue - beautiful beautiful gruyere fondue. As good as Switzerland -Meat fondue - the broth is lovely, it's served with three different sauces and fresh baguette. -Chocolate fondue - Melted swiss chocolate, fresh fruit in season, cookies, pound cake. I love this place. It is one of my favorites.
(5)Greg S.
Food is very solid. Although many other reviews have had a problem with service. I have been there dozens of times for lunch and dinner and never been disappointed. It's a family type place so don't expect the service to be like that in a chain restaurant. If you want solid food with a continental flair can't go wrong here
(5)Alecia M.
Bread Company has a selection of great ingredients that results in good food, but the service is terribly inconsistent. I have a bunch of stories about this, but here's the two that contrast most significantly: (1) When I came for afternoon drinks with my writing group, it was quiet and we received great, not-too-hands-on service: a nice mixture of noticing when we might want more drinks and letting us alone. (2) A few weeks ago, my husband and I went with a party of 6 for dinner 1 1/2 hours before a show, told them our schedule, and were assured that we should have plenty of time. Cool -- except that the whole thing turned out to be kind of a disaster. We all ordered at the same time, and there seemed to be plenty of servers for a full room at dinner, but our meals arrived over the course of a half-hour (the pasta came after the steak, hmm). Fresh and tasty dinners, yes, but it was impossible to wait and eat together, and everyone was antsy due to the delays. In the end, we finished 20 minutes after our preferred time and our waitress did not seem particularly motivated to help the situation along or even really apologize. So: Good food, decent wine, but the service is a gamble. Try it, but go on a quiet weeknight -- definitely not for a Krannert opening or right before another occasion.
(3)Roger F.
Top of my list.
(5)Katherine C.
When our department has to entertain guest speakers or job candidates, The Bread Company always becomes the default dinner/lunch location. Embarrassingly, I've heard some job candidates comment that they were taken here for 3 different meals during their visit! My department is probably at fault for their lack of imagination when choosing restaurants, but The Bread Company offers some benefits that elevate it to a top pick for business-casual university diners: (1) Location. For people who have short lunch periods and need to be within walking distance of campus, this restaurant's location is unbeatable. (And since it's next door to an Espresso Royale, you can grab a coffee after your meal, if desired.) (2) Atmosphere. Most college restaurants resemble a McDonald's Playroom for adolescents: neon walls and heavy-duty plastic furniture, with underlying scents of urine and vomit. While The Bread Company does have a hint of grunge, it also invokes a strong sense of urban, artistic chic. There are real paintings on the wall (not poster prints). At night, they bring out white tablecloth and mood lighting. (3) Price. I think the prices are reasonable depending on who you ask. This place IS pricey when compared to most campus restaurants, where students are always trying to squeeze their dollars. Lunch generally runs around $7 to $10, which is not unreasonable when entertaining guests. (And still comparable/cheaper than what you can get at Timpone's, the other "nice" restaurant in the area.) All of the food is fairly conservative, with obvious combinations of flavors (brie + portobello, turkey + pesto, etc.). I think this is also a reason that it ranks highly among options for guests; you will find nothing offensive here in terms of food (but also nothing exciting). The presentation tends to be elegant and you can tell that most of the ingredients are of good quality. For lunch, I always go with the egg salad, which is creamy, well-seasoned, and always satiates my craving for egg goodness. In the early evening, sometimes I stop by for a beer and appetizer with friends. The cheese selection is quite good (you'll find Stilton, Gouda, Manchego, etc.), and the beers are all microbrews (if you're into that kind of thing). Dinner selections include fondue, pastas, pizzas, and some specialties, but the prices are on par with more interesting restaurants in downtown Champaign/Urbana. In terms of baked goods, I am quite fond of ordering my sandwiches here with sourdough or rye bread. Yum! At most places with a baking reputation, I always find myself enticed by the sweet buns and cookies, but I almost never find myself tempted by the ones at The Bread Company. Their treats always look colorless and hardened, as if they were made by an angry grandma. Overall, I'd recommend this to people who like simple, light food. If you are cheap and don't care about indie street cred, you could probably get the same food at Panera.
(3)Mike B.
I've been here a couple of times with a group of people at an off time. The experiences I've had were fine. The service was good, food is decent, a little bit more than what I would like to spend for the amount that I get, but is a solid change to add in your repertoire of restaurants for lunch.
(3)Tricia D.
I popped in here once for lunch last summer, on the recommendation of my nutrition professor. Our chat on carbs and training for races and triathlons led to "you HAVE to go to the Bread Company!" Though this overly subtle carb stop doesn't have a sign (anymore?) on its exterior, it can be identified by the variety of wine bottles lining the window sills. There's a variety of sandwiches for the lunch hour, but I hit the Bread Company tonight, and my, do they swank it up for dinner. Dim lights, plentiful menu of pasta-pizza-sandwich options, and extensive specials list, including tapas. Who knew? I had the roast beef sandwich, served atop roasted potatoes and a light salad. I think all of the sammies are served up open faced, so open your mouth, and get ready for a carbolicious meal.
(3)Sarah H.
I've been to the Bread Company at least 6 times over the past three years all separated by months. The only reason I continue to go back has got to be because I forget about how sub-standard their food is. And today I decided to finally put my disappointment on the internet. This review was spurred by a visit today to get coffee and a pastry. I ordered an americano that was obviously made with poor quality espresso, and perhaps by someone with little knowledge of what an americano should be. It was too watery, but maybe that is my taste. I also had what they dared to call a chocolate croissant. It could have been made days ago. Instead of being light and fluffy, it was dense and doughy and filled with chocolate chips that were never fully melted so they maintained their chip structure. I was less than impressed. But this seems to be the way things go at the Bread Company. As I mentioned earlier, I have been going to the Bread Company for quite a few years (having been at the U of I as a student since 2008), and their menu has yet to change. At all. This sort of stagnancy is worrisome and really speaks to the lack of effort that the chef and/or owner put into this business. On a recent dinner visit I got the chocolate fondue which came with possibly pre-made cinnamon bread slices, strawberries, and a plethora of apples and pears. I suppose the apples and pears were in season (it was November when I went), but I don't see how apples work with chocolate. I've had their pizza many times, and I cannot deny that they do a good crust...but I just don't get the pizza that comes with a mountain of salad on top. It is just too much and overwhelms the pizza that really should be the star of the dish. Overall the Bread Company is uninspired and very tired. This is reflected in their dusty, unchanging interior, their menus, and the often impolite, lackluster performances of the staff.
(1)Sara A.
It has been probably a decade since I have been to the bread company, and today I found out why and have vowed I don't have to go back....ever. A coworker and I went and the service was horrible (nothing new here - read the other comments - it must be their 'thing'!), price was absolutely atrocious for lunch and I ended up being sick all afternoon. I ordered the ham sandwich and my friend ordered their special salad of the day. Price was over $15. She got a diet coke, I was offered a shot glass of water with no ice. We get to the cashier and she refuses to listen to me as I try to tell her what our order was. I asked the gentleman who took our order to put it on one ticket as it was my turn to pay, and he didn't. So, she proceeds to ring me up, and then not give us the drink. So, I tell her, we need the diet coke. She flips back through the register tape and says, "Oh, I overcharged you a little. Oh well. I'll go get the drink." NEVER offered me a refund or to make it correct. Then, gives me a picture to put on our table so she can bring us our items, but then said, "Oh, nevermind, they are both ready." So, I'm standing there with a drink, my wallet and looking at two plates. I said, "I can't carry all this." she says, "You can take a tray" and points to the cafeteria trays on the counter. I opted to deliver my friends salad to her (as she had secured us a table) and drink, and then came back for my sandwich. I ordered a ham sandwich. I got a turkey sandwich. And then, I got sick......I will NEVER return. I don't need to pay over fifteen dollars for a salad and drink and sandwich and be treated like shit only to then be sick all afternoon.
(1)Tim B.
Good food. Nice atmosphere and good for a date night. Ordered the pepperoni pizza and it was tasty with lovely cheese and herbs on it. My gf ordered a cheese fondue and she liked it. Not too pricey for the up class atmosphere right next to camous
(4)Tom K.
Food good, expensive for portions. Tuna good but small potion - thought it was the salad. Lemonade fair at $5 a glass. Fairly small thin pizza $13. Don't think I'll be back soon.
(2)John S.
I ate dinner at The Bread Company for the first time last night prior to attending a play at the Krannert Center. I had read many reviews of the restaurant and entered with some trepidation. My party had a reservation for ten people at 6:00pm and I was in the last group to arrive - a little late. The other guests were already enjoying a drink while waiting. The service and food were both outstanding. Our server, Nick, was prompt, polite, and knowledgeable. Everyone's food looked so good. I ordered a vegan pasta dish with vegetables, which was excellent. My wife had one of the unique pizzas and enjoyed it thoroughly. I noticed that at the end of dinner all in our party had left nothing on their plates. We were all full happy campers! Only one member ordered dessert - chocolate mousse. He said it was great. We were finished with a leisurely dinner and had our bill paid with more than enough time to stroll down the block to see our play. The only negatives were bread that was a bit burnt due to what appeared to be a hot spot in the oven and the meals which were delivered to the table one or two at a time, which seemed a bit odd. However, the overall experience was enjoyed by everyone, making for an excellent prelude to the play. I will definitely come here again.
(5)Jade R.
Something has got to be done about the abominable service at The Bread Company.. It's such a shame because their food is not bad, but the service is so badly below standard, I decided I am simply never coming back here. There is one particular worker with tattoos on his arm who is very insolent towards customers, raising his voice at them for asking questions. For months, I've ordered a grilled sandwich to pick up for lunch time, and the result is totally random. If the owner (tall bald guy) is there when you call, chances are you'll get a good sandwich with the potatoes and salad on the side, but if he's not there, watch out: there's no telling what you'll get. Sometimes they include potatoes and salad with the sandwich, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they slice the sandwich, sometimes they don't. Sometimes the sandwich is available since the grill is on, and other times it's not even available since they turn off the grill in the middle of the day to save money randomly. Today for example, I went to pick up my grilled sandwich to-go, and was surprised to see that on this occasion there were no potatoes and salad included, even though two weeks ago I ordered around the same time and they were included. So I asked the short-haired lady in front of me behind the register, "are there potatoes and salad?" (pointing at the sandwich) and she stared directly at my eyes without answering! So I repeated the question and she stood there completely quiet, staring at me without answering, when the tattooed arm punk butted in our conversation, cocked his head at me and yelled, "didn't we go over this already?!" Don't bother coming here. Unless the owner fires some of the incompetent and insolent flunkies buzzing behind the counter soon, this place needs to go out of business ASAP.
(1)Rachel S.
I'm amazed that they stay in business. The owner and manager are rude and have terrible customer service. The only one who is nice is the owner's husband. The food is ok, but the place is very unclean and not well maintained. I've seen flies buzzing around the place a lot. I haven't gone here fore years and do not recommend it at all.
(1)Lisa G.
This was our first time eating together at The Bread Company. The service was good and they seated us immediately even though we did not have a reservation. The bread was good and the fried goat cheese appetizer was tasty. Our server was friendly and we received all of our food in a timely manner. The food was fine; I ordered the lamb and he ordered the seared tuna. It was good but I wasn't blown away.
(3)Lauren F.
When you are asked if you want mustard or mayo, and respond, "mustard please, no mayo," what do you think you'll get? Well, I got a large helping of mayo and no mustard to speak of. I think it would have been a good sandwich. It didn't even come with a napkin, so once I realized this error, I couldn't get a lot of the mayo off. Ick.
(2)Mariam N.
Bread Company is across the street from my office on campus, and while I used to pick up a sandwich combo for lunch, I've since given up because the combo is so uneven. And now with the combo prices hiked up higher than ever --$10 for a half sandwich and cup of Campbell's soup?-- I probably won't be back for lunch either. The grilled cheese sandwich is substantial and generally yummy (though hot sandwiches are served during a very small time frame), but the salads and soups are serviceable to dire. I'm never very excited to eat their salads, which consist of slightly wilting greens, but the soups taste like they came from an industrial-sized Campbell's soup can. Murky chicken noodle broth and sparse chicken and noodle? No thanks. At lunch with a friend, her very basic soup held vegetables suspiciously similar to that recognizably uniform shape and size of the bagged frozen sort. It definitely does not seem as if the soups are freshly made, at all. The lunch hasn't ever made me want to come to dinner for fear of similarly cut corners.
(2)The P.
Bumping this up to a 3-star, since this is one of the places I hit up for lunch periodically when I'm on campus and I've found the sandwiches to be better than my first experience, although still not stellar.
(3)Sarah E.
Went here for lunch during the week (while school was in-session). Busy, but not overly so. Seats were a little uncomfortable and not super baby-friendly (no room for strollers, not sure they had highchairs). Food was excellent and great portions. Everything's a la carte, so if you want something on the side, make sure to ask/buy it. Great alternative to other sandwich options around campus and not too expensive. Probably gets busiest around breaks in school day.
(4)Christian S.
I don't understand why the lunch and dinner here are so different. Is there a different owner for each meal? Lunch is self-service, no-frills sandwiches and soups. In a word: plain. Dinner is table service and can be good. But they emphasize a gimmicky fondue service and the main dishes can be hit-and-miss. The pizzas are solid. Meat can be over or undercooked. Order seafood... watch out! Why is it called the "Bread Company"? They do appear to make their own bread, but it isn't that good. Seems misleading. Kind of like their "specials" list. (It doesn't change.)
(3)Christine Y.
Come here regularly for lunch but never knew it was such a nice place for dinner! The original plan had been Timpone's, but apparently despite their website and store sign saying they open at 5 PM they somehow decided they wouldn't open till 5:30, and since I was too hungry to wait around for 30 minutes (the excruciatingly loud construction out front did not help either) I "settled" for Bread Company. They're usually a soup and sandwich place during lunch, but for dinner they completely switch up their menu: filet mignon, duck breast, tapas, and fondue??? On CAMPUS?? The food was absolutely delicious if slightly pricey ($15-20 for an modestly portioned entree), but if paying $20-some will get me amazing bread, salad, ahi tuna steak, bread pudding, and a mint iced tea, all without leaving campus, well then I'm sold =P
(4)Shell P.
I just had a group event here, and the Bread Company was great! They were really flexible with the menu, and only charged $35 for the private room. Plus, the tip was not added on automatically (which is a pet-peeve of many people I know.) The pizzas were great, thin-crusts. Very unique topping combinations! I have never seen roasted carrots on a pizza before, but it was surprisingly tasty. The best pizza was one with spinach. Also, their salads were awesome! I am pretty fussy about eating salad at restaurants, but these were among the best. The servers were friendly and the manager (Chris?) was especially helpful with making arrangements for the group event. I would recommend this place if you need a private area for your group!
(4)Stephanie F.
Look, I'm not fussy. I'm not mean. I'm not demanding. I just want a glass of wine and some food. I'm even willing to just order off the board when the waitress can't figure out that four people need more than one menu. I really wish I could discuss the food, but the service is so bad that I can't remember what I had to eat. In case the staff reads yelp in between listening to the Smiths all day and wondering why they aren't famous artists yet, here are some tips: 1. Bring menus for everyone 2. Do not walk away if only three people have ordered and there are four people at the table. 3. Do not roll your eyes, kid. 4. Do not pretend that you are a really good waitress who can remember everything. You have to write it down because when you don't write it down you will end up bringing me the wrong thing. 5. Do not forget to take empty plates off the rickety, unclean table because otherwise there is nowhere to put down the food. It's ok the first time you bring it because the order is wrong and you have to take it back. (See number 3) 6. Do not let our wine glasses get empty. We live in the midwest too. We hate it here too. We need more wine.
(2)Jen F.
Food is ok, not a big fan but I know my friends like it a ton. Grilled cheese is pretty decent!
(3)Teej T.
If it's raining, and you're on campus, Bread Co. is the best place ever o eat a pretentious sandwich while watching the precipitation assault the pavement from the safety of your cozy table. The sandwiches are top-notch, and filling. I've had the turkey pesto, and the portobello. Both are delicious. Double frosted brownies make you hate your lack of will power, but are suitably delicious as well. Service is a bit aloof, but reliable. Like all other elitist jerks out there, look for me savoring my expensive sandwich while reading a pretentious theorist. I've got street cred to maintain.
(4)Jon C.
terrible service. the brunch fondue looked intriguing so we asked the waiter about the serving size. the menu claimed it'd accomodate 2 people but we wanted to make sure. the waiter said, 'you can add some vegetables and it should be ok.' so we agreed to that. he rarely came back out to help us the entire time. then when we got the bill, he charged us for *2* fondues. i went in and disputed the charge and he finally credited us for one of them. however, after keeping track of the credit card statement, it appears that he never refunded the fondues. this is still in dispute and i want to make sure you no one makes the mistake of going here. ps - panera's food is better than this and i don't even like panera.
(1)N A.
An OK , but not great, place to grab a sandwich for lunch. Not surprisingly, they do have really good bread. Horrible destination for dinner. The lines are long and the sandwiches are pretty decent at lunch time, and it's certainly worth a try if you've never been here before. I've been in twice for dinner and was very disappointed both times. The first time I was here, the place was dead and there were maybe 2 other tables seated. The other time was for Valentine's Day (stupid, I know), and the place was packed and seriously overbooked since they apparently had given reservations to everyone who called and asked for them. Both times, the service was very slow and the staff was *extremely* rude, to include elbowing and pushing customers during the crowded V-Day fiasco, which I found inexcusable. The quality of the food was poor, the servings small, and the prices high. There were definitely some interesting looking recipes on the menu, but the quality of the ingredients was very substandard so nothing tasted very good at all. Produce is not fresh and all the fruits and vegetables I had on both occasions were over or under ripe and clearly prepackaged. The first time I was in there, about 3 different entrees were ordered before we picked something they weren't out of. I only went back the second time for V-Day because I wanted to try out the chocolate fondue. In addition to being waaaaaaaay overbooked, they were understaffed and had a limited V-Day menu that was basically just 6 or so items from the regular menu with the already high prices about doubled. Portions were so unbelievably small that even after spending $75+ on dinner, we had to go to LaBamba's afterward because my husband was still really hungry. Seriously, he was served a piece of lamb that was roughly the size of a sliver dollar and probably could've been eaten in one bite with a little effort. Total time in restaurant was in the 3 hour range due to the poor service and inability to seat in accordance with reservations. The chocolate fondue was served in a beat up saucepan that had something crusted all over the outside of it. Chocolate itself was actually pretty good, but the amount of stuff they gave us to dip in it was staggeringly small and the vast majority of it consisted of bananas and apples that were overripe to the point they couldn't be eaten. Although it was fondue for two, there was only one piece each of the more high quality dipping items (cookie, strawberry, etc.) I will certianly not be back for dinner and probably not for lunch either since there are a variety of other lunch places in town that are just as good or better that are easier to get to, Paradiso in particular.
(2)Sarah P.
I like it enough to come back. The grilled Hawaiian sandwich is good, but crispy borderline burnt tasting today. Their tuna salad is really yummy. They are pretty skimpy on salad dressings and a few times I've had some wilty, yuckiness in my field greens salad. Nice ambience though, and good outdoor seating.
(3)Sophie E.
Another time I may have given this restaurant 4 stars, because in the past we haven't had the best service. However, my husband and I went here last night for our anniversary, and everything was perfect. Even though we have had some issues with the service in the past, my family (pre-husband) has been coming here for as long as I can remember, probably over 10 years. The food is so good, there is really nothing the servers could do to keep us from coming back. My favorite meal in the world is the cheese fondue (sometimes with the tomato puree), one of the yummy pizzas (preferably with brie), followed by their chocolate fondue. (I think I have strayed from that formula once, I can't remember what I ordered) I didn't think it was possible, but last night, all three of those items were better than ever. We had the cheese fondue with the tomato puree this time, as well as the pesto, portobello mushrooms, artichoke hearts and brie pizza - it was amazing. The chocolate fondue came with more fruits than I remember in the past, red and green apples, pears, strawberries and some yummy little cake pieces. The best meal I had all year. The service was excellent.
(5)amee d.
Every time I've been here, the food has been fine. But I don't come here often. It's not that I'm not on campus, or don't like the food (see the first sentence.) Spouse and I tend to avoid The Bread Company because it's almost always dirty and the service is wildly inconsistent. Tables aren't bussed, there is dust on the paintings, trays of dirty glasses sit out, the walls aren't cleaned. Heck, the pizza/empanada place around the corner is often cleaner than The Bread Company. Sometimes the wait staff is really nice. Sometimes they are brats. Devil or angel, they rarely know what they are doing. Want more coffee? The nice waiter will forget; the brat glare at you. Either way, you don't get the coffee. For a long time, The Bread Company was one of a handful of restaurants that served decent food in C-U. Even after C-U got more restaurants, there still was a long period of time when there was no other decent restaurant in the area. The result seems to be that the Bread Company has gotten used to figuring it has a captive audience and so does not have to work for customers. That attitude seems to permeate everything it does. The trouble is that the food isn't worth the attitude, at least not to spouse and I. I wish The Bread Company was a more pleasant, better run restaurant.
(2)Andrea T.
If all of the profs on campus hide out in a certain place, you know it has to be good. I always hear mixed reviews about this place from my friends, but I'm going to go ahead and give it a 4. This is my new favorite lunch place on campus (for when you have time). The sandwiches may be $1-2 more but are killer compared to other on-campus options. The grilled sandwiches may be a little buttery on the crust for some, but it's perfect for me. Last time that I went I got the grilled turkey sandwich which comes with caramelized onions and cheese. Dinner options include fondue and pretty good pizza. They also have some good bottles of wine on the list, I've ordered a bottle twice and been happy with what I got. You might have to talk to one of the chefs if you want wine opinions since our server didn't seem to know much. Really good atmosphere and decor, it's casual/fancy enough for pretty much anything, and it's right next to Krannert if you need an after-show dinner.
(4)R. S.
Our family dined here after my sister's graduation. It was nice of them to move our reservation up on such short notice but after eating here, I understood why this wasn't a problem. If you're called "The Bread Company" you probably shouldn't serve burnt bread. The crust of our Italian bread was burnt. Though the bread was good otherwise, leaving a charred taste in your patrons' mouths is not the best way to start a meal. When my sister made the reservation they did not inform her that there wouldn't be a full menu that day. So though we looked at the menu online beforehand, we were only able to order from their limited graduation-day menu. There were seven of us and we ordered vegetarian dishes. Three of us had the grilled portobello sandwich with raspberry aioli and brie ($10), which was served with a side of salad greens and roasted potatoes. The presentation and portion-size were perfect. The mushrooms were fresh and juicy and the raspberry aioli went well with the brie. Those who ordered this plate seemed satsified. The other four of us split two pizzas: the roasted garlic with san marzano tomato sauce and Parmesan ($12), and the pesto with portabella, artichoke hearts and brie ($15). The reason we split them? Our waitress said they were 10 inch pizzas. They were actually smaller, about 6-7 inches in diameter. Now I usually love a cracker-thin crust, but ours was burnt in places. The roasted garlic pizza was at best a decent cheese pizza and the pesto with portabella and artichoke hearts did not benefit from the addition of brie; though it added texture, the brie did little to compliment the flavors of the other ingredients on the pizza. Overall the ingredients seemed fresh, but I've had much better thin crust pizza for less money, and more of it too. Though the restaurant seemed full, the same people were dining the whole time we were there. Only one party arrived while we were dining. It's a small place and there only seemed to be a server or two but seeing as it wasn't really busy, you'd think service would be more attentive. Our waitress was not. She was pleasant. She refilled our waters once and brought another basket of (still burnt) bread upon request. We were not asked if we wanted drinks or dessert. And we waited for our check for about twenty minutes. Turns out she went on lunch and took our check with her. We didn't gyp her on the tip at all--seeing as it's a college-town and they were probably short-staffed on graduation weekend, and we weren't running late for anything--but we certainly won't be dining here again. Side note: they do not accept Discover. Taking everything into consideration, I'd give this place a C+. I'm sure there are better white-cloth restaurants in Champaign-Urbana and you'd be better off eating there.
(2)Debra W.
The food is excellent and the bread is the best in Urbana. Dinner is delightful with excellent gourmet pizzas, fondu, tapas, etc. On Sunday, they have an excellent and low priced brunch. The dinner prices are reasonable for the quality of the food. Their sangria is also the best I've ever tasted. The only thing keeping me from giving them 5 stars is the service which at times is very slow.
(4)Deborah S.
This is a modest looking gem of a restaurant that keeps getting better and better. The cheese and chocolate fondues are incredibly good. The sandwiches and pizzas are all interesting combinations of foods that are delicious. My personal favorite item is the fried goat cheese appetizer with wild honey and strawberries served with french bread drizzled with honey. It melts in your mouth! Tonight my husband and I shared a thin crust pizza made with pears, prosciutto, walnuts, blue stilton, gruyere and mozzarella cheese--a wonderful combination of tastes. For dessert we had chocolate mousse with a hint of brandy that was very chocolatey but also light as a feather. It was served with strawberries and some kind of biscotti like chocolate cookie. The service is always friendly and efficient and the management is very responsive to customer suggestions. Rumor has it that they will soon have wi-fi as well. This is a great place for brunch, lunch, dinner, a snack, and/or dessert and coffee. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable, and it is just an all around great place for a light meal or a full dinner. Try it out in the summer when many university folks are out of town so there is rarely a wait for a table. You will find yourself going back again and again! Stay tuned for more delicious changes to come!
(5)GiGi G.
Excellent food, nice atmosphere. They seem to have upped their menu in the last year, which is fine although makes for a higher bill at the end. I'm usually happy to bring the kids along... the place has a very euro-bistro feeling. A minor gripe, however, is that the last few times we've gone the service has been less than stellar. It seems they like to hire hip girls who aren't so interested in helping a family have a nice meal.
(4)Kwoky L.
This is probably the best restaurant in Urbana. First of all, they bake their own bread and fresh pastries are available for breakfast everyday. My favorite is the cheese (gruyere) croissant because it is so flaky. It literally melts in my mouth. My coworker called it high class junk food but I call this good stuff. Sometimes, when I felt lazy to go to lunch, I would just buy a loaf of bread and eat that with a cup of coffee. The zufte or zoft, which is a Swiss specialty bread is amazing. It is fresh and out of the oven by 11am during school days. I have not seen other places in the area that sell zufte but the bread is really worth trying. Oh, if you have cravings for day old bread, they sell them at half price. They also have a wonderful selection for dinner. Daily specials change quite often but they have their regular dinner menu. I usually go with the daily special. This place also has fondue, both cheese and chocolate. I had both and I have to say that they are pretty stingy with their cheese and chocolate. I had barely enough to cover the fruit or bread. Do expect $12-$17 for entrees and about $10 for fondue. By the way, they sell cheeses too in the day. They have pretty good service but the people do not seem to smile a lot during the day, especially the owner. They should be happy because of the wonderful smell of fresh bread. The decor is a little European and has a fireplace at the corner which makes the place extra cozy in the evening. Anyhows, this place is highly recommended. I am sure you'll love it.
(5)S D.
I LOVE this place. My boyfriend and I used to go there on dates when we went to school there, and we'd order the cheese fondue and a bottle of wine. It's a great date place, and the ambiance is better than many places in the Champaign-Urbana area. Plus, the prices are very reasonable! I'll be going back whenever we're down there!
(5)Sarah H.
I had (and still have) high hopes for the bread company. I loooooooooove bakeries. Love. Bread = happy. I lived in Germany for a while, so european style bakeries are even more happy. The first time I came to TBC, it was around 11am on a Tuesday and I wanted a quiet place to study. I wanted to get a small zupfe roll because they were fresh out of the oven and a cup of coffee, but that didn't cost $5 and I didn't have any cash (there is a $5 card minimum). I wound up getting an americano, a whole zupfe loaf, and a cookie. The zupfe was delicious. Hot from the oven, braided, yeasty, and slightly sweet. I pulled it apart and ate 1/3 of it right there. The cookie was pretty greasy. The americano was fine. The second time I came it was after a big exam and I wanted a glass of wine. At 11:30am. TBC was happy to oblige. My two friends ordered the portabella sandwich, which I had a bite of and I have to say it was delicious! Marinated chopped portabella mushrooms, melted cheese, some kind of sweet fruit spread. I wish I'd ordered it! I had a glass of riesling (which was fairly expensive for the quality) and a bowl of chicken noodle soup. I was hoping for a nice homemade soup with fat noodles and pieces of chicken, but what I got was a crock of bright yellow soup that I know came from a Mrs. Grass box. I will continue to come and try more of TBC's offerings, but definitely not the soups...
(3)Lauren L.
I love this place. I've gone to U of I for four years now and regularly frequent this place. The sandwiches are always made fresh with great ingredients. I highly recommend it. As for dinner, it's a little overpriced, but the bakery/lunch menu is the best you can find in the city.
(5)Sunshine M.
Everyone says the Bread Company sucks, but I don't agree. The food is great, it's just their prices that suck. I paid $9 for lunch there the other day. I'd much rather have a $5 potbelly sandwich. Dinner is good here, but overpriced IMO.
(4)Melissa M.
The Bread Company is a restaurant with many different faces. By day they have a varieties of soups and sandwiches, as well as baked goods. Sandwiches are on luscious slices of thick bread and the soups come with crunchy salads. I especially like the grilled sandwiches, which are laced with creamy butter and lightly browned meat. Portions are quite large and one sandwich could probably be shared easily among two adults. Sometimes I forget this and end up making two meals out of one sandwich. During lunch hours this place is quite crowded, but by late afternoon it becomes serene. Soft green light floods in from the skylight and during the winter you can sit the fire with a baguette and a glass of wine. As regards to the review that mentioned rudeness about adding protein to things, I've heard that happen many times during lunch and now they let you have your meat, but charge a lot for it. They have this bizarre policy because they "don't want people making their own sandwiches with the bread that comes with the entree." Nice one. At night it becomes more formal, with candlelight, fondue, and more upscale entrees. The balsamic potatoes that come with the entrees are perfect. I like the fondue, but it's a little too much for me...even the small pot can be shared by two. Last time I was there I tried the tapas and the yellowfin tuna and the lamb were delicious, but I was less than enthusiastic about the duck mousse, which had a bland sickly sweet flavor. The greens that came with the tapas were also pretty inexcusable. When I go to a good restaurant I expect more than just some shredded romaine, especially when field greens are still in season. The new small desserts are also not so great. The chocolate mousse was good, but the bread pudding was just some bread soaked in eggs and sugar.
(3)Andrew H.
Fondue dinner at the Bread Company is probably the top restaurant experience I miss from Urbana, IL (caveat: this review is a bit out of date). At the time you could get a very decent swiss cheese fondue with good bread, some roasted garlic for an appetizer, and two glasses of house red for just over $30--a princely sum for a starving college student, but compared with the trendy $100 fondue restaurants in the SF Bay Area, a steal. The dinnertime atmosphere was also great: quiet, romantic, dimly but warmly lit. They also had fantastic checkerboard shortbread cookies. I've been hard pressed to find better anywhere else. Lunch sandwiches and other baked goods were both decent, but the five stars are for the fondue date memories.
(5)Karl S.
I've eaten here twice for dinner over the last five years and was very pleased on both occasions. We had pizzas both times. They are wonderful! They very much resemble the style we've had in Rome: very thin, crisp crust, light on the creative toppings. The portobello, artichoke, roasted peppers and fontina one was especially memorable. Service was very good - prompt, friendly and quick. Our waitresses were very pleasant. The prices may seem a little high, so if you want a cheap thick crust gloppy stuffed pizza, go elsewhere.
(4)A W.
The food is decent with an excellent wine selection, but it doesn't blow me away, especially given the prices. The service isn't too great, either. I do like the atmosphere, though, and the wine keeps me coming back every now and again.
(3)Amanda W.
My husband and I, along with two other couples, decided to celebrate the end of the semester tonight by going out. After *much* debate, we ended up at The Bread Company. As a former music major, this was one of my usual haunts, but the rest of them hadn' t been there quite as frequently. (Lunch, by the way, is excellent; they have excellent sandwiches and salads). The specialty, of course, is the fondue, which is magnifique. My only gripe is that portion sizes tend to vary widely from time to time, as does the selection of vegetables that comes with your meal. The combination of cheeses, though, is great, and the bread and potatoes are wonderful. Tonight, though, I had one of their specials, which was good, but was actually my *third* choice of menu items. They were out of the fettucine with salmon AND out of the chicken pizza. Now, I don't pretend to understand the inner workings of the restaurant business, but it really irritates me when they run out of something. To me, that just smacks of poor planning. Do they not have a kitchen? Can they not make more? If not, then can they not provide accurate estimates of how much of each food item to make, so they won't run out? I don't know, but it just seems like when you go someplace, you should be able to look at the menu with confidence. Anyway, the beef fondue I had was very good, and one of my dinner companions adored her trout. She said it was the most moist fish she had eaten in quite some time, and she is a fish lover. Her husband, a reasonably picky eater, devoured his pancetta pizza with no complaints, as did another friend with his salmon. I thought the portion sizes of some of the meals were pretty small, especially given the price. Still, it's good food, and worth the money, especially when you consider it's not that expensive. Service was pretty good, although a little slow, particularly since they weren't that busy tonight. My guess is she just had a hard day. We love the Bread Company and will continue to visit, but probably just for the fondue. We know they'll have it, and we know it's good. Thanks for a fun evening!
(4)David S.
Wow. I wouldn't be surprised if this became one of my favorite lunch spots on campus. I went today and really liked it. I got one of their grilled sandwiches: turkey pesto, and it came with gruyere cheese and grilled red onions... delicious. It's not extremely cheap: I paid around $7.50 (but the cold sandwiches go for $5.50 or so), so there definitely are cheaper options to eat around there, but the food is good so it's worth it in my opinion. On top of that, I like the place and the atmosphere. They also sell bread (as you might guess!), and have wine by the glass. I can't wait to check it out for dinner.
(5)Katie K.
The Bread Company is one of my favorite restaurants, and is one of the things I miss most about U of I. I ate here frequently as a student and as an alumna I make sure to stop in every time I return to campus. The atmosphere of the restaurant makes me feel like I'm taken away from the stress of every day life. They have a fireplace in the corner and white lights strung up to make it feel romantic, but it is modernized with the art that they have on the walls. My husband and I usually share an order of cheese fondue and a gourmet pizza. The Bread Company offers a nice selection of wine and beer, including wine by the carafe. I can't forget to mention their selection of fresh baked cookies. The sables and chocolate macaroons are delicious. Great atmosphere, delicious food, and reasonable prices - I love this place!
(5)Daniel F.
This is a real gem. Probably the most consistently good food in CU. Lunch brings nice grilled or deli-type sandwiches, and there are veg options. Dinner is much more interesting with pastas, nice fish and meat entree specials, and wonderful thin crust pizzas, baked in hot ovens. Desserts are also very good. I am less into fondue (exceot for chocolate dessert fondue), but this is the place to go for that. The ambiance is eclectic and European. Families will feel welcome. Service can be a little ragged, sometimes a student group of 15 or large party will materialize, and that can have a rather deleterious effect on service when there are only 2 servers on the floor, which is often the case at night. Even so, I have never had a meal here that was less than very good, and many that were excellent.
(5)Mary W.
The Bread Company is one of the best restaurants in C-U! If you think that the reason why they are selling out of different entrees at dinner is because of poor planning, it is obvious that you have never worked in the restaurant industry. Dishes sell out at the Bread Company because they are popular...duh! There is no way to predict what will sell what night, and if you are upset that dishes are out of stock, you should be showing up earlier to insure that they still have their full night's supply. As for the service being poor, it's true: the servers are mostly college kids that could give two shakes about their job, but the food is so incredible, it just doesn't matter to me. The head chef, Daniel is honest to God a pure genius when it comes to creating new dishes and I never order off of anything but the specials menu. Trust me when I say trust Dan with your dinner. If he has a hand in creating it it's bound to be amazing.
(5)William S.
This is one of the best restaurants in town for an informal - but high quality meal. I prefer dinner to lunch though.
(5)Jamie L.
They have a nice selection of hot and iced teas to choose from. Sandwiches come with a small side salad that is superb. Out of everything I've tried, the paninis are the way to go. I've yet to be disappointed.
(4)Michelle N.
At first i thought this place was a little pricey but when my food came out, it was totally worth it. The pizza i got was delicious and the whole restaurant is so cute and comfortable! It has a great vibe to it and the employees were very nice. I ordered a margarita pizza, i was expected a cheese pizza with tomatoes and basil but it was just a cheese pizza........lol but it was still really good!
(4)Jen T.
One of my earliest experiences in Cham-bana, the very second night I spent with my boyfriend, now husband, he actually walked across the street from his dorm and brought me a ham and swiss on rye. Now, I wasn't a huge fan of ham, and I truly hated swiss, and about all he knew was that I liked mustard (so he included it), but... being that we were so new together, I ate that sandwich like it was a long lost favorite. And shocking... instead of having to choke it down... I loved the thing! Later in life, when I explained to him how much I hated ham and swiss sandwiches, I told him how amazed I was at how much I loved the one he'd been getting me from The Bread Company!! Their ingredients, I mean! Talk about fresh (I hate to sound like a commercial, but! When it's true, it's true!!) The sprouts were genius, and the swiss was like none I'd ever had. Ever! Emmentaler. I mean, this place was no joke SMART about how it crafted food! And there was no denying that rye! The crown jewel of the whole thing! Crunchy exterior, soft in all the right places, with a kick-yer-butt mustard... just out of this world spectacular. The whole thing became our ritual. I'd come into town from Bloomy and we'd head over to Bread Company. He'd get a loaf, hot out of the oven, of Challa, and I'd get my ham and cheese sandwich and we'd head back to his dorm. Such bitter sweet memories. And all over a sandwich! Trust me, this place makes some of the best fresh bread (I mean... HOT FROM THE OVEN GOOD), and some of the greatest food on campus. They do more than sandwiches... OMG, go one night for the fondu! It's an amazing experience!! Whatever it is, find something you love and make it a memory to share.
(5)Pawel S.
The Bread Company is a MUST whenever I visit Chambana. I discovered this place by accident while attending classes at UIUC and I've been in love with it ever since. For five bucks you get yourself a delicious breakfast sandwich along with a cup of coffee (free refills). Their zopf rolls are also amazing and under a $1. Speaking of the interior, no two chairs are the same, some are comfortable, others not so much, yet that's exactly what I like about this place...It's got character. The fire place is a nice addition in the winter.
(5)Brian S.
My wife and I ate dinner here while passing through after deciding to skip a local BBQ joint that smelled great but was very crowded. We were not disappointed by ending up here instead. The place is small, fairly intimate, and quiet enough we could enjoy the music playing in the background and converse without having to shout. We had the caramelized onion and cheese fondue for an appetizer, shared a delicious entree of skewered lamb served on a bed of naan bread and tzatziki sauce, and finished off with a tasty but not too sweet dark chocolate dessert fondue. The house-made mint iced tea and mulled wine were also very good. The food was interesting and delicious, and our waitress Joanna was awesome. She was friendly, answered all of our questions, and checked in just often enough to make sure we had what we needed without being overbearing. Best service I've had at a restaurant in a long time! If we ever pass through again, we will definitely stop in at The Bread Company.
(5)Nelson M.
Restaurant review After 1 year of living in Champaign, I finally had a chance to come to this restaurant recommended my a previous coworker. The reviews on Yelp are quite mix and it appears that lunch is good, but dinner is so so. Since I have not found another restaurant that has chocolate fondue here in Central IL, we decided to come here for dinner. I will say that I really wanted to like this restaurant, but overall value is a 2 star, the option for fondue brings it up to a 2.5. It is located right on campus and I never even knew about this restaurant when I lived nearby. The ambiance is very eclectic, lots of wall decorations and a European cafe feel. The multiple non-matching chairs throughout the dining room maybe a "modern" design, but I felt it was very "chintzy". I thought about going with the filet or fish entree, but the other reviews made me a little concern so I went with a safe dish (Shrimp fettuccine) with a light tomato basil cream sauce. It took a bit of time for the dish to come out. Meanwhile, we were given complimentary french bread. Given the name of the restaurant I was a bit disappointed that the bread was not a soft piping hot bread from the oven. Well I digress, back to the entree, it really wasn't anything special. My wife's quote on her salmon salad and the pasta was, "It taste like food you can make at home". The portions sizes were also smaller than expected when you order pasta at a restaurant. I was hoping that the chocolate fondue would be the redeeming value of the meal. Unfortunately this was not the case. Typically you would expect strawberries and maybe even a rice crispy treat to dip in the chocolate. Don't get me wrong the dark chocolate was amazing, but they gave a plate of pears, green and red apples, and some sort of cake that crumbled when you poked at it too hard with the fondue fork. Service is hit or miss, our server came by a few times and made sure our cups of water were filled. This maybe a great place for date night on campus or maybe for sandwiches at lunch, but my dinner experience was so so. Pros: Cheese and chocolate fondue, I have yet to find another place that has this option. Great for date night with wine, cheese, bread etc. Cons: Expensive based on what you get, small portion size, no hot fresh bread from the bread company for dinner, where are the strawberries, marshmallow, or rice krispy treats with the chocolate fondue? I think if they tried they could make this a stellar restaurant here in CU. Hidden deals: Daily drink and food specials on the chalk board Health code rating: A. champaign.il.gegov.com/c…
(2)George W.
I've been to The Bread Company several times now; both with my visiting family for dinner and for sandwiches for lunch, and my experiences have been positive. First of all, the atmosphere is incredible. I've spent a lot of my life in Europe, and the way this place looks reminds me of little mom-and-pap restaurants one would find in the Mediterranean. This feeling is especially strong in the terrace in the back; stepping into that room feels like stepping into Spain. It's a bizarre, nostalgic experience for me, and one that hasn't happened quite as strongly anywhere else in the United States. The lunch is incredible. I like to think of myself as a bit of a sandwich connoisseur (hold your laughter), and the grilled sandwiches here are amazing. The dinner, unfortunately, isn't up to par with their lunch service. The only dish fresh enough in my memory to comment on is the shrimp linguine, which was a little bland. I haven't been able to try the fondue yet, which seems to be the go-to dish here, so I'll be trying that next time I go. Service is lovely, and their handmade drinks are very good too. Strongly recommended.
(4)Daniella B.
We were here a couple of months ago with a large group of friends. The server took really good care of us and even did a good job of splitting up the bill. I think this is a great place to check out if you want something a little higher quality than the in and out places on campus. I feel like the food is very reasonably priced for the quality and it's nice to have this as an option on campus. It's a great place to go before a fancy event at Krannert for example.
(4)Allen W.
If you love real bread and unique food at great prices this is your place. Try the prosciutto sandwich - amazing! Best I've had outside of Italy. Grab a loaf of bread to go before you head home!
(5)Chris R.
Bread Company has been around for 15+ years, it is the kind of local place that visitors to town are likely to miss, but it's worth checking out especially for those who like to avoid chain restaurants. I recently stopped by for Sunday brunch--something I almost skipped because their website didn't list a brunch menu (I thought I knew most of the brunches in town and didn't know Bread Company was an option until today). The service was friendly, but like a lot of local restaurants, the timing was not-so-great and generally felt inexperienced. The waiter offered slow-drip pour-over coffee, but called the coffee "blends" when they were actually single varietals (sorry, coffee nerd here). The Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, though, was aromatic and worth the extra charge (though it's reasonable to expect that the menu had listed the price or the waiter had known it after I asked: no luck on either). I waited much too long to place my order after sitting (and it was not busy). But the prosciutto and gruyere omelet (which I added spinach to with no problem) that arrived vastly exceeded expectations: it was flavorful, chock full of good ingredients and not overcooked. The pan-fried potatoes were spiced but not overly salty (though I sent them back when they arrived with a huge dollop of unmentioned sour-cream--ew). The baked bread was sourdough and crusty and a perfect accompaniment. Nice job, Bread Company. Great food. Lacking final star only because my waiter could have used some some further training on the menu and service timing.
(4)Sam W.
Awful, awful, awful. Haven't been in there for a couple of years, when I had an overprices, literally burned awful pizza. Their prices keep going up, the service down below. Not a glass of water even. Lunch this time. (The last try.) Ordered their special - a "Southwestern burger". A 45 minutes wait without as much as an apology. Then the "masterpiece" comes - frozen Walmart-quality mini-patty on a tasteless small bun. Everything way too salty. Barely edible. Ten bucks without tip for this sub-MacDonald concoction. Overworked, insufficient in numbers student workers who do little in terms of service but hope for a tip nevertheless. Obviously the owners worry more about as big a markup as possible than about their customers. The Bread Company does make big profit - the place caters to food-uneducated, wealthier young undergrads, who mistake this garbage for gourmet food, just because they have to pay four times what it's worth. Awful.
(1)Jess H.
Stumbled upon this gem for a bite for brunch. It's a quaint Swiss bistro with some pretty spectacular food! Tried the "Quiche of the Day"-ham and gruyere quiche- it was DELISH!
(5)Kathryn D.
Can't get your burger rare...they weren't sure about the meat today. Staff was so quick to clean our table they took food we weren't finished with twice! Couldn't get the waitresses attention to pay our bill. Salmon salad was great..shrimp pasta fab..why no grated cheese or ground pepper?
(3)Patrick H.
My girlfriend and I were walking around campus looking for a sandwich/cafe type place to get lunch and chose The Bread Company. Walking in the door we were charmed by the atmosphere: mismatched chairs, chalkboard menus, and the wonderful smell of fresh bread! After a quick run through the menu I hastily chose the tuna salad on multigrain and my girlfriend had the mixed salad (pears, walnuts, blue cheese, raspberry vinaigrette). After ordering (and not yet paying), we were told to stand in an alternate line where we were to pay for our lunch. This is the only part of the restaurant that I didn't enjoy. We ended up standing in line for 10 minutes (with only one person in front of us!) waiting for the cashier to take our money. It's not that he was busy working, which would be completely understandable, he was walking around seemingly looking for people to talk to instead of working the register. Besides the payment debacle, we enjoyed the food immensely and will definitely be returning to try out dinner and brunch - hopefully by then the payment process will be a bit more streamlined ;) UPDATE: I've been to dinner here twice and LOVED it both times. The bread company is now part of my regular restaurant rotation.
(5)Ana R.
The sandwiches are great. The soup is ok, too salty sometimes. Nice atmosphere. I've been there three times or more during the 5 months I spend in Champaign-Urbana. Most part of the time they were playing Brazilian songs, which made me fall for this place immediately.
(4)Madhu R.
The Bread Company was awesome ! Incredible owner, Lindsay, incredible service - we dined there 2x during a short graduation weekend, loved the hospitality, service and food! Ambience is intimate and neatly done, probably one of the best in Urbana, which boasts of a lot of places!! Keep it up! Surely a place to visit for all students and families....
(5)Zachary H.
For lunch, I really like this place. Fresh salads, sandwiches are tasty, and the bread is great. I haven't been here for dinner but this is a great place to go if you want to have a nice lunch on campus.
(4)Erin H.
One of my favorite places to go in town, especially when I'm not in a hurry! Everything is delicious - the bread is wonderful, paninis and french onion soup are superb. I always start with the lemon garlic green salad. Pizza beats nearby restaurants' offerings by a long shot! Try the savory or sweet fondue. Excellent brunch spot as well (the quiche is a standout). The atmosphere is calm, praceful and inviting. Waitstaff tends to move on the slower side, but are genuinely interested in helping you create a meal you'll enjoy.
(5)Mackenzee K.
SO and I came here for our anniversary: The Good: -We arrived 5 minutes before our reservation and were welcomed and seated promptly. -Atmosphere was nice but not stuffy, eclectic collection of chairs gave it a more casual feel -Waitress was extremely friendly and treated us well, happily accommodated us -The Fried Goat Cheese with honey and strawberries was dreamy, so delicious. -Basil Tomato Fondue was delicious, "it tastes like pizza". -Chocolate fondue uses dark chocolate, which makes it rich and not too sweet -Portions were generous, especially with the goat cheese appetizer, there was so much goat cheese that we ran out of bread! Our waitress happily accommodated us and brought more warm bread. The Bad: -Nothing! Overall: Fantastic! Food and atmosphere was great! Would love to come again.
(5)Kelsey K.
Food was pretty good. Nice ambiance for dinners. I got the hot turkey sandwich that came with some tasty potatoes in the side and a salad. Was a little bit on the pricey side for a sandwich, but I think that if you go during lunch you'll get a better value for money. My friend ended up getting a pasta dish which was pretty decent however like I mentioned it was pretty expensive. Would be nice for a special occasion.
(3)J K.
Lovely experience here tonight! Service was wonderful and was complimented by getting to meet the owner, Lindsey. She and her husband took it over from his family recently (not exactly sure when) to continue the family tradition. Food was tasty - I had pesto pasta and husband had garlic pizza plus a French onion soup and bruschetta. Atmosphere was quite nice on the patio and we enjoyed a delicious bottle of wine that was reasonably priced. We had the privilege of talking with Lindsay further and learning about their takeover after getting a summary from the menus which include an overview on key individuals in the history of Bread company, including Lindsay and the original owner, her mother in law.
(5)Tony B.
Super romantic spot on a cold winter night. The fondue is excellent. Staff is intelligent and attentive. The crowd is the highly educated, super liberal type. Refreshing sometimes.
(4)Grace S.
Came to this place completely by accident. We meant to go somewhere else and saw this place and decided it was too neat looking so we had to give it a try. The 4 star rating is heavily based on the food. The actual condition of the restaurant is more like 3 stars. It has nice ambiance but if you start looking too closely, you'll notice it is very deteriorated. Perhaps, why they dimmed the lights so much! :p The food was delicious. All except for the bread, weirdly enough. It wasn't warm or fresh and was served with butter packets, not oil. Oh well. We ordered the goat cheese bruschetta and one of their pizzas. Can't remember which, but it was pesto based, not sauce. I loved it. The dough was doughy, not crispy. For dessert, we had a mildly spicy carrot cake (which also had goat cheese! Yum!) My husband and I split all 3 items and it was enough for dinner and leftovers to bring home.
(4)Lil L.
Pretty much my favorite spot in C-U. Relaxed atmosphere and very nice food. Love the salads, pizza and pasta.
(4)Pudding P.
Went here once, in 2007, on a first date with a hot chick I met while in college. Almost six years later...she's my wife. Yea, guess I'd say that's enough for 5 stars. Thanks Bread Company *brofist* Do I remember much about the food?...No. The only thing I remember was feeling underwhelmed by the bread. I mean, if the place is called "Bread Company" I expect the bread to be something special, you know what I mean? Whatever, I guess by now I'm over it. Bottom line: took my crush here on a first date, ended up getting a second date...a third...and yea, eventually I even got laid. Thumbs up, would recommend.
(5)Idan S.
I've been to The Bread Company several times now, and left disappointed most of those times. Their food isn't horrible or anything (except for their gazpacho, which is by far the worst I've had), but it's definitely overpriced and bland. The only item on their menu that's worth mention is the grilled roast beef sandwich ($9.50 after tax) -- fried roast beef cold cuts, sauteed onions, and gruyere cheese. Just about anything else I've had there, including their soups, was just bland and cost waaaaay more than it should. Also, their pesto tastes nothing like basil, more like parsley puree - I definitely don't recommend getting anything that has it. Finally, you'd think that a restaurant named the Bread Company would have good bread on their sandwiches...
(2)Connie C.
When I went to school at U of I, I came here all the time during lunch to grab a roast beef or ham sandwich on their freshly baked swiss bread. Sometimes I went for the half soup/half sandwich, or half salad/half sandwich to get more variety in my diet. The food here is like comfort food for me, since I grew up in Urbana and my mother used to buy these sandwiches and their large loaves of freshly baked Züpfe for my brothers and me. The service at The Bread Company has always been fast and efficient, and the employees were always very cool and made no mistakes taking my order and making me a really good sandwich. I've been here a few times for dinner with my friends. The atmosphere totally changes in the evening for dinner, as they lay out white tablecloths, dim the lights and allow the romantic glow of candles set the mood. Their pizza is delicious and filling, and their tapas come in pretty big portions. This is a cute and cozy place for anyone on a date or double date, or out to celebrate a special occasion. I've ordered take out from them a few times when I've had last minute dinner party pot lucks to attend and didn't have time to cook. One time, I picked up a strawberry walnut mixed green salad, which was perfect, and also a french baguette with a side of baked garlic bulbs drizzled with olive oil. It was worth every dollar. I love this place!
(5)Evan J.
Had a nice dinner with my wife for our anniversary. Wanted to go someplace off beat and quiet and we were very satisfied with The Brad Company. Our waitress was very well versed on the menu, and was happy to let us sample the wines so we can make a better choice. Serving portions are large and well priced for what you get. A pizza and appetizer is probably enough for two if you're wanting something light. The setting was nice and cafe-like, and the crowd small. There was no waiting at all, although they accepted a reservation for our occasion. I will definitely go back.
(4)