The only place you can find great bagels, breads, soups, salads, sandwiches, and free Wi-Fi close to campus is Panera Bread. Many Biola students are very familiar with Panera because of the good food, great study environment and Wi-Fi. Sometimes studying in the dorm or library can become monotonous.

But Panera Bread also offers students food they can afford.

I recently visited for myself just to see how good Panera really is. As the name states, Panera Bread is famous for its bread. Each sandwich comes on a different type, and I ordered the Italian combo, one of Panera’s signature sandwiches filled with roast beef, smoked turkey, ham, salami, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and their special sauce, all on a freshly-baked ciabatta roll. This sandwich is now one of my all-time favorites. It even comes with a pickle and a side item – either a baguette, apple or bag of potato chips – of your choice for under $7.

Additionally, soups and salads are very popular, and with the “You Pick Two” specialty, customers can decide between half a sandwich, half a salad and a cup of soup, again for under $7. If there is ever a time Biola students get tired of the Caf food, Panera offers a nice alternative.

I also ordered the French onion soup. Not only is the soup rich and creamy, but it can be served in a bread bowl, so once the soup is finished, more Panera bread can be enjoyed.

For those of you who may prefer meal-sized salads, Panera offers a wide selection including Grilled Chicken Ceasar, Orchid Harvest and the popular Fuji Apple Chicken.

For my money, the best part of a meal at Panera is their signature bread. The ciabatta bread is an excellent choice. The French bread is also a great choice because it is thick, fresh and, most of the time, straight out of the oven. Perhaps the best part about their breads is that they are all made fresh daily. The most popular bread Panera offers, however, is the cinnamon crunch bagel.

“For some reason, students really love that one,” said manager Tul Minakha. “We bake over 100 each morning and they’re usually gone by closing,”

Panera is more than just a great place for students to study; it’s a place where they can enjoy high quality food for a low price. While Panera Bread has five different locations in just a 10-mile radius from Biola, the closest one is located on the corner of Rosecrans Avenue and La Mirada Boulevard and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. For all it has to offer, I highly recommend Panera Bread and give it four out of four stars.