12 replies to this topic

[Demetrius]

Atlanta Bread Company. Not sure if anyone has eaten at this open deli, but wanted to let everyone know that anyone running errands out in the Dulles area should stop by for lunch.

[JLK]

Details such as exact location/address would help. Lots of us complain about lack of eats around Dulles.

[DanielK]

I ate at one down in Atlanta, and another out in Colorado.

Completely indistinguishable from Panera, Zi Pani, etc. Corporate deli chain, a step above Subway and Quiznos, a step down from anything local.

[Demetrius]

I agree that the deli is a step up from Subway, Panera, etc... but think that the food, atmosphere, etc... is quite a bit better. At the location in Dulles, there is a sitting area with a fireplace, sofa and chairs, etc... and also different because it is almost cafe style in that you don't order from a waiter/waitress.

Attached is a weblink to the company where everyone can see the menu, and see where they have locations.

http://www.atlantabread.com/index.php

[Hannah]

It's in the shopping center pod across from Dulles Town Center (the one with Scan Furniture, Nordstrom Rack, Best Buy, etc.) off Nokes Blvd.

The soups are nice, they make an acceptable Cuban-style pork sandwich, and the pastries are reasonably good. And there really aren't any non-chain options close by the mall or 28 corridor (closest would be Big Mango or O'Faolain's, which aren't very convenient to the AOL/MCI/UUnet pod.) If you're at the mall and need sustenance, you could do a whole lot worse than Atlanta Bread.

And please, just once, would it be possible for someone to mention a chain restaurant without someone else trotting out the "ewww, it's a chain and chains are evil and we should only ever patronize locally owned artisanal businesses" autoreply? Seriously. It's perfectly okay to go to chains when they actually happen to be good, or they happen to have what you want at the time, or gee, when you just want something to eat and don't need it to be a Morally Enriching Dining Experience.

[DonRocks]

ewww, it's a chain and chains are evil

Click here to see a photo of Hannah inside a chain.

[Heather]

And please, just once, would it be possible for someone to mention a chain restaurant without someone else trotting out the "ewww, it's a chain and chains are evil and we should only ever patronize locally owned artisanal businesses" autoreply?  Seriously.  It's perfectly okay to go to chains when they actually happen to be good, or they happen to have what you want at the time, or gee, when you just want something to eat and don't need it to be a Morally Enriching Dining Experience.

Hear hear.

I've been to the location in Charlotte and remember the bread being pretty good.

[DanielK]

And please, just once, would it be possible for someone to mention a chain restaurant without someone else trotting out the "ewww, it's a chain and chains are evil and we should only ever patronize locally owned artisanal businesses" autoreply?  Seriously.  It's perfectly okay to go to chains when they actually happen to be good, or they happen to have what you want at the time, or gee, when you just want something to eat and don't need it to be a Morally Enriching Dining Experience.

To be fair, I never said that it was evil or terrible. I mentioned that it was a chain, that I had eaten there twice, and compared it to other similar chains for a point of reference. I work in the wasteland that is Catonsville, and eat at Subway or Zi Pani probably once a week due to necessity.

The initial post did not mention that it was a chain, and implied that it was a destination worth seeking out if you were in the Dulles area. I was simply providing context.

[bilrus]

But to say that it is better than Subway and a step down from anything local is certainly damning with faint praise..

This is in my neighborhood and it is better than a lot of the "local" places in every strip mall in the region that use low-quality, food-service grade ingredients and menus all over the map (literally - Italy, Greece, South America, Middle East, all in one place). Try finding a decent sandwich at ony of those places.

If Breadline was located in Sterling, I'm sure I'd be there on a regular basis. But it's not.

That said, I still prefer Panera which started life as the St. Louis Bread Company. What either Atlanta or St. Louis have to do with good bread, I'm not sure.

Edited by bilrus, 31 October 2005 - 02:49 PM.

[DanielK]

But to say that it is better than Subway and a step down from anything local is certainly damning with faint praise.. 

That said, I still prefer Panera which started life as the St. Louis Bread Company.

OK, that's a legitimate gripe - perhaps not being an expert on Chantilly, I could have given a bit more allowance for the region, though my friends who live out there say there are some edible places.

And I also agree that Panera is better. But at either place, I still hate spending $10 for sandwich chips and soda.

[bookluvingbabe]

But to say that it is better than Subway and a step down from anything local is certainly damning with faint praise.. 

This is in my neighborhood and it is better than a lot of the "local" places in every strip mall in the region that use low-quality, food-service grade ingredients and menus all over the map (literally - Italy, Greece, South America, Middle East, all in one place).  Try finding a decent sandwich at ony of those places.

If Breadline was located in Sterling, I'm sure I'd be there on a regular basis.  But it's not.

That said, I still prefer Panera which started life as the St. Louis Bread Company.  What either Atlanta or St. Louis have to do with good bread, I'm not sure.

If Panera would just serve the gooey butter danish, available only in St. Louis, life would be complete.

[Demetrius]

It is apparant that some of the comments are from folks that haven't eaten here. While I certainly haven't been to Breadline, I agree that it probably sets the standard for sandwiches in the area. However, Atlanta Bread Company is certainly more than a step above places like: Potbelly, Quiznos, etc...

My wife and I ate at ABC yesterday, and know that chips are not a normal side with their sandwiches. Both of us ordered a half sandwich and soup/chili and the total bill was twelve dollars and change.

[synaesthesia]

Was at the one in Greenbelt on Saturday. Ordered half a Cuban. Umm... or what I thought was a Cuban. Basically the only thing that made it remotely like a Cuban was that it had pork loin, cheese, mustard and that it was pressed. Where are the ham and pickles? Jerks! Aside from the fact that no it's not really a Cuban, it wasn't bad. Could have really used the sourness from the pickle and I dolloped some more mustard on it.