I love their white chocolate macadamia cookies and english toffee and red velvet cupcakes. Their soups are pretty good and the mac and cheese is a little over rated. Boston Market has better mac and cheese. Don't get their paninis. I got this sirlon steak and cheese and it was such a rip. Deli sliced highly preserved roast beef and packaged shredded cheddar? You know there's a reason why grocery stores separate real cheese from Kraft and Velveta, right? Oh, my sandwich was cut in half - which was fine. I finished one half. I took the other half and there was nothing in it!!!!! That's how lopsided this thing was. BUT, like all places, there is likely to be something that you really don't like. So... I love the cookies and they also have tasty soups and salads. I like getting the Chicken 'Caesar' salad with the sesame ginger dressing. The staff here at this location are also really nice. read more

Delicious!! I ate here several days in a row because I was staying over for several nights in the hospital and enjoyed it immensely. The hours are weird though they closed in the early evening and reopened at 9PM- 3:00AM. I got hooked on their fabulous egg white sandwich with avocado and cheddar cheese. I've tried the luscious blueberry oatmeal and there were some choices to dress up the oatmeal, dried cranberries, slivered almonds, and brown sugar. Another favorite was the pumpkin soup! Absolutely fantastic. The staff for the most part was pleasant, especially the cashiers. read more

I come here... a lot. Mainly because it's the only place I can get iced coffee within 5 min walking distance from work (in fact, it's right downstairs!) The pastries here are the usual delightful but fattening options that go perfectly with a cup of black coffee... I try to stay away. I don't normally choose ABP when there are other options, but this deserves a special shoutout since I credit it for keeping me awake during the week. They have a summer deal where you buy their cup and every cold drink is $0.99 (coffees, sodas, peach teas, etc.) read more

Au Bon Pain - a cup of coffee and a bowl of cookies - Cafes Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Food is marginal at best. Always crowded since it is one of a few options around here. Soups are ok. Prices are high. Employees are marginal and sometimes combative read more

Working for the School of Medicine does have it's perks at times... In cold weather - much like today's - I can walk through 4 buildings and get to this Au Bon Pain without having to put on a coat or step foot outside! AWESOME! Plus in December they have some great cookies - Shortbread Cookies, Gingerbread, and Chocolate Dipped Macaroons just to name a few. This ABP is huge in comparison to others in the area, it's spacious and best of all if you are a PENN student or employee you can access Penn AirNet free and logon to the internet while enjoying cookies and coffee or soup and sandwiches! Only detractor - some of the cashiers are more interested in their text messages than they are in expediting you through the checkout so you can get to enjoying your ABP goodies! Bring some extra patience with you and allow for an additional 5 minutes for potential line waiting and you'll be good! read more

Au Bon Pain - a stack of cookies on a plate - Cafes Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

When I've exhausted the HUP and CHOP cafeterias (usually it takes only a few meals for that) my go to place is Au Bon Pain. Sure I normally don't spend $10 for a sandwich and drink but damn it tastes good and if turkey and fresh mozzarella is what it takes to get me through the rest of my shift- its worth it. Standard selection of sandwiches, soups (all very tasty), and an extensive selection of baked goods. Surly workers but the food is yummy... Speaking of baked goods- anyone else find the posting of calorie counts a total buzz kill.. Of course I know my chocolate chocolate chip muffin is full of fatty goodness. But why oh why do I need to see how much fatty goodness. I can't possibly consume that many calories with one small muffin- total buzz kill. Now I'm chewing gum for dessert :( read more

The location at 10th & Chestnut needs much work. I have been to several Au Bon Pain and this has to be the worst. first it is 9:30am and they have NO BAGELS!!!! I ordered the Good egg sandwich and they gave no spinach, my egg white was burnt, tomatoes cut very thick and not ripe and the avocado was not good at all. The only reason I am giving it a 1 star rating is because the young man at the counter was friendly and my connamon spice tea was good. read more

It's an ABP (the Penn kids abbreviate it like this, I dunno if this is standard East Coast lingo-excuse me in advance). As ABP's go, this location is fairly large and also has a good number of seats. It has what you expect-the bagels, pastries, soups (I'm always down for their pumpkin soup, yum) and made-to-order sandwiches. Being right on the ground floor of the Penn Biomedical Research Building (BRB) makes this joint an occasional (and expensive) lunch for me. The nice part of this ABP location is that the half-off bakery sale starts at 6pm. If you're going to be pipetting until the wee night hours, take a break and pick up some cheap delicious pastries. read more

If I could sum up my love for ABP in three small words: PEACH ICED TEA. Drinking this tea makes me think of a blissful sunburst of refreshment. I don't know what it is about their tea. I'm pretty sure it's basically peach syrup + tea and nothing really fancy but it sure is delicious to me. And for a pretty good medium sized cup at $2, a small price to pay for some happiness in a cup. NOTE: ABP on locust walk in the huntsman building does NOT have peach iced tea. Weep! Don't learn the hard way and walk over there only to have your heart be broken. Baked goods: - The jalapeno corn loaf is delicious, but you can almost squeeze out some of the oil/butter/fat they use to bake this thing. Hasn't stopped me from buying it more than once though. - Pumpkin muffin is delicious but I haven't seen it lately... sad - Chocolate chocolate chip muffin is nice and rich. - The chocolate cherry tulip thing is pretty intense. The cherry filling is like a mix between jelly and really sugary syrup. Not sure if I'm really a fan... leaning towards not being one because it might just be too sugary tasting to me. I don't go here much for the food - not because it's bad but mostly because for lunch there are cheaper options like the hospital/research building cafeterias and pretty delicious food cart options, but but my go-to sandwich has always been the chicken mozzarella sandwich on focaccia bread. It's savory and fresh and has been a feel good go-to sandwich since my college days. The asian chicken salad is pretty good too. A few other pointers about this location (not sure if this is universal or not): + bake sale after 7pm means that all of the leftover baked goods are buy one get one free! if you only want one though you have to pay full price... but why wouldn't you want another cookie or muffin if you're already getting one? + same thing goes for premade sandwiches and salads after 7pm, buy one get one free. - lines can get a little long during lunch hour, but on the upside they do have a pretty nice organized way of handling the crowd. read more

I love stopping by Au Bon Pain for a quick lunch, and I've never really been disappointed by their food! Items I've tried that are really tasty are: Tuscan White Bean Soup (which I love to scoop with a baguette), chicken salad sandwich with cranberries and almonds, and of course the pastries! When I feel like indulging myself, I love the blondies, white chocolate chip macadamia cookies, and red velvet cupcakes. Considering that I run around the country trying every red velvet cupcake I come into contact with, I was pleasantly surprised by the cupcake here. It was moist with a good hint of cocoa flavor, and the frosting was creamy with the tartness of cream cheese that I love. Overall, ABP is a great staple for a quick lunch! It gets pretty crowded around prime lunch time, though. So either be patient or make sure to get here before the crowds come around noon! read more

OMG. How is this place getting 4 stars? The ABP death grip on the Ivy League needs to be forcibly released. This place is terrible. Food is mediocre and expensive, which is not the fault of this particular location. (What's with the coffee? It's like battery acid. As I've aged in graduate school and my coffee palate has developed, the horror of having to grab a quick cup o' joe at Au Bon Pain has gone up exponentially. So has my requirement for dumb scientific phraseology too, I guess.) What IS the fault of this particular location is the service. The horrible, horrible service. Not to sound like an angry grandparent, but back in MY food service days, treatment like these people dish out would have had me fired. And the stuff I was selling cost a lot less. My boss has the best story regarding the service here. He once bought an item with a total cost of $1.27. He tried to fork over two dollars, but the cashier said, "I want exact change." So, he counted it out. When he handed her the correct amount, she scowled at him and said, "I don't want pennies!" WHAT! Seriously. Can't win with some people. read more

This is on my way to work, so I frequent it for both breakfast and lunch. For the former, I love their cinnamon crisp bagels, chocolate croissants and chocolate chip torsades. Good lunch options are the pumpkin soup (when in season), southwest tuna wraps, chicken and chickpea salad or the grab-and-go cheese and fruit. The lines move quickly and they always provide service with a smile. This is one of the few places where I've never received attitude or an I'm-too-cool to be friendly vibe. read more

We typically stop in here for either breakfast or lunch when we find ourselves down at CHOP. The pastries and breakfast sandwiches are decent, but what I'm not overly fond of is the layout of this place. It's hard gathering up all the stuff you are buying and then having to carry it to the front to check-out, only to have to walk back thru the place to get to the seating area. Maybe having some trays would be helpful, as we typically start gathering stuff and just placing it directly at our table and then I go up front and tell them what I got. They don't ever question me, but there's got to be a better way! I do like that nutritional info is displayed with the products so you clearly know just how long you are going to have to exercise to burn those sweet calories off! read more

To me, there's no difference between a 6:30 PM orange scone and 7 PM scone. Just that it's half the price. I've tried most the baked goods and some of the wraps. You generally can't get a disappointing wrap (i.e. ham and cheese, chicken wrap), but they're much too expensive before 7 PM AND I've found that it's my sweet tooth that I should be listening to. The SCONES and ginormous MUFFINS hit the spot. I've tried their corn bread (eh, okay), brownies/fudges (consistently tasty), and that cherry-filled chocolate-like cupcake. And it's vanilla cousin. Both are too sweet and poofy and hard to split with friends! Their breakfast coffee is pretty good...as long as you get it when they just brew it. Also, caution to those who get the creamy/milk based soups later in the day; check for curdles (yuck). Note: the red velvet and vanilla bean cupcakes are pretty good and cream cheese frosting is OKAY but they're NOT half-off EVER. boo. read more

Meh, bland food that's expensive. Every once in a while they have a soup that actually tastes like something. If you are in a jam, you can find something and it is accessible from a number of buildings without going in the rain. There are many better choices but none as close as this. read more

Best ABP on Penn's campus! It's really big and has a lot more seating available than the one in Huntsman. The food's the same though - it is a chain after all. Love their broccoli cheddar soup! read more

This review is commenting specifically on the baked goods, the coffee, and the soups--the only items I've purchased from ABP. Speedy service especially if you are in a rush. While prices are considered higher than the other places around the medical campus, I always know I will get good food quickly. They always have the "fresh until" sign hanging on their coffee dispensers. For coffee that's been sitting out, it's good. read more

This Au Bon Pain is excellent. The employees are always very friendly and service is prompt. They have a great system going and I rarely have to wait in lines, even during peak times. The salads are pretty good (and the whole wheat baguette is awesome). It's a good go-to spot, even if the prices are a bit higher than the cafeteria or a food cart. I think the quality is better. The black bean soup is delish in the winter and I also enjoy their oatmeal raisin cookies! Sign up for their email club to get a free to-go mug and a free sandwich or salad on your birthday! read more

this is such a nice space to grab a quick lunch. the long side of the restaurant is comprised of all windows which makes the inside bright and welcoming. the food is typical of any au bon pain, but it seems like this location's items are fresher than others. the restaurant is also really clean. there's plenty of seating inside though the tables are very close to one another so if you're claustrophobic, you should come at an off-time or get your food to go. i appreciate that ABP labels their items as gluten-free or vegetarian to make it easier on those with food restrictions or food allergies. read more

A little on the pricy side, but I love everything about it! I come here with my gal pals when we want to treat ourselves. We ordered the black bean burger (it comes as a sandwich, not a burger but still amazing nonetheless) and the turkey avocado sandwich and we loved both!! The bakery section makes us so happy, especially because it's so hard to find good bakeries in University City that's not tooooo expensive. read more

I come here practically every single day for the daily double shot of espresso and a scone (for my boss, but sometimes for myself as well!) The espresso is great, the pastries are fresh, and the salads are really good for lunches. I'm not a huge fan of the sandwiches, as they tend to be pretty small for the price. At least the salads are a decent portion size! The soups are good too, they change consistently and I like the variety. Like I said, it IS pricey, but cheaper than Gia Pronto down the street, and this location is more convenient for my job. Not to mention, the staff members here are great! read more

I work near BRB, so I tend to come here fairly often. My favorite thing about ABP is that their medium-sized espresso drinks are only $1.99, which is way cheaper than anywhere else on campus. The staff tend to be very friendly, and the process is usually efficient. I'm less thrilled about their hot food. It tends to be a bit over-price and bland. However, overall it is definitely a better value than nearby options like Gia Pronto, and the staff seems happier. read more

The pastries are just soo good. Actually the ones I regularly get are so soo good. Creme de fleur and pecan rolls... Salads... not bad! Soups... like... morning blend coffee is my fix... just wish I was rich so I could afford it every day. Them again not, as I already pay for gym too!! :) read more

This location has fast service is convenient and clean. I've always found the pastries to be fresh. A huge part of why I ever stop in here is the delicious Peach Iced Tea. Sandwiches etc are just ok. read more

Never again! Slow service, overpriced, small portions, limited menu, crazy deli and checkout lines. I work upstairs from the UCity location. Once or twice a year I get in a bind and just need something quick. Back in Feb I ordered an eqq sandwich at lunchtime that took over 35 minutes and so over cooked it was rock hard. I swore I would never come back but today was one of those days and I had an old gift card in my drawer with a few $ on it. As soon as I ordered, I remembered why I hate this place - 7 workers behind the deli counter, no customers in line and it took 18 minutes to get a tuna sandwich- not toasted, no special request- just 'as is' from the menu. Tuna all on one side and the other side just bread. The bread was fresh, I'll give them that. And the menu, although limited, is 'creative' but let's get over avocado on everything, shall we? If you want overpriced pastry, fine; but the $9 salad I saw in front of me at checkout could hardly be called lunch. read more

When I do not want to wait in line at Starbucks or Dunkin donuts, APB is the perfect place to grab my french roast coffee to start my day. Courteous and helpful cashier who makes sure the coffee stays fresh. They have bagels pastries and soup as well. read more

I've been into Au Bon Pains plenty of times and I like the consistency. The coffee is good and the baked items are good. This review, however, will focus on the management, as I recently had an unpleasant experience at this particular location. This Au Bon Pain has a large seating area, and as I work near by I like to stop in on my way home to take advantage of the baked item sale after 7 in the evening (the redvelvet cupacakes are DELISH!). Recently, while waiting for the sale to start, I was seated in the seating area and a disheveled african man (not being racist, only pointing this out to be descriptive) approached my table. This man seemed not well. He had so many layers of clothes on in the middle of the summer, and his hair was so long. He was drooling uncontrollably, like a dog, a continuous flow of saliva going from his lips to into the depths of this Dumbledore beard thing. I fiddled with my phone (thanks Angry Birds!) and pretended not to notice him, hoping he would go away. Obviously he didn't. Instead, he TOUCHED MY FACE. His hands were disgusting (smelled like eggs and pickles blended together). I wasn't sure what to do, and I was feeling uncomfortable, so I panicked and pushed him to the ground, then got out of there lickity split. I haven't been back since. I think the management needs to step up and exercise some control about who they let in their store. This man could have hurt me, or worse. My father didn't fight in Iraq to have people like this infringing on my personal freedom. read more

Left my lunch at home so I decided to come here for a quick bite since I see their signs for sandwiches mostly when I take my walk to the bank after work. I was definitely in the mood for soup and sandwich. I was kind of disappointed that they didnt have a soup and sandwich or soup and salad deal but that was ok. I got the New Turkey Newport sandwich, it comes with avacado, cheddar cheese, turkey and a mustard sauce and the brocolli and cheese soup. As i sit here eating the soup I wish there was just more...well everything! The soup is watery and tasteless! Its literally dripping when this soup should be thick and creamy. I am currently adding salt and pepper and everything else I can to make this soup edible. The sandwich ispretty good although it tastes more like its been microwaved than grilled. Probably won't be coming here for lunch like EVER again. Overpriced and the food isnt even that good. One small soup + One sandwich = $10.88 Sorry but it wasnt worth it. I'll just stick to Cosi... read more

Really just okay nothing special to write home about with this place ...a chain after all. Their corn muffins do have awfully large hard pieces of corn stuck in them which is pretty offputting but the rest of the baked goods are fairly high-quality. read more