As the 2022 Best of CU winner for vegetarian food, The Bread Company’s reputation precedes it. The restaurant’s lunch menu features several vegetarian sandwiches — as well as options that can be made vegan.

Among these options are the portobello sandwich with brie and raspberry aioli; the pear sandwich with gruyere, walnuts and caramelized onions; the gruyere sandwich with tomato or olive tapenade; and the aptly named “veggie,” which pairs roasted bell peppers with pesto, goat cheese, mixed greens, red onion and tomato.

The veggie sandwich is served on crusty white bread toasted in butter, which — though nutritionally inefficient — is a recipe for good taste. The veggie sandwich was a texturally satisfying and warm meal that came out quickly and fulfilled a craving for something hearty.

The creamy, tangy goat cheese mingled with the healthy slathering of herbal pesto to envelop the vegetables — both fresh and grilled — in a plush blanket of rich flavor.

Roasted bell peppers — which can be mushy and flavorless if left to bake for too long — were a welcome addition to this sandwich, maintaining their shape and natural juiciness through their short bout in the oven. Counteracted by the fresh bite of mixed greens and coarsely cut red onions, the smokiness of the peppers’ charred skin was a welcome note of complexity.

As part of The Bread Company’s half-and-half special, any sandwich can be accompanied by a cup of soup-du-jour or a reduced version of a salad. This option allows for greater exploration of the menu, more balanced meals and a more well-rounded restaurant experience.

As a vegetarian, I found this sandwich to be tasty and filling. Despite the glaring lack of plant based protein on the menu at The Bread Company, there is reason to come to this restaurant for well made dishes made from high-quality whole foods.

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