As I opened the door to the Potbelly Sandwich Shop, the grey and cold exterior was quickly juxtaposed to the inviting interior. Warmly lit, Potbelly has a rustic atmosphere; with an open seating arrangement on one side, and the Sandwich Shop on the other. The walls are covered with pictures, and in the middle of the shop sits a potbelly stove, from which the shop takes its name. Located on 28th St., in front of CenterPoint Mall, Potbelly opened a few months ago. 

The menu consists of mainly sandwiches, as the name would suggest, each listed with its estimated calories. Sandwiches come on regular or multigrain bread, and can also be made as flats. If you want a bit extra on your sandwich, you can order it as a big. Most sandwiches cost between five and six dollars for the original, or six and seven dollars for the big. They also have skinny sandwiches, which are all under 400 calories. Their menu also has a wide selection of salads.       

Stepping into line, I selected my sandwich from the neatly laid out menu above my head, and then placed my order, grabbing a root beer from their large selection of bottled drinks. I watched as my sandwich was made in front of me by a friendly staff member, then passed through a toaster. On the other side, extra toppings were added, then the sandwich was wrapped and I paid; the whole process taking no more than three minutes.

Sitting in their ample outdoor seating area, I began to eat my sandwich. I was greeted by warm, perfectly melted cheese, chicken, and bacon, with a crusty toasted bread exterior. I’m not normally the biggest sandwich fan, but at Potbelly I managed to get exactly the sandwich I wanted, exactly how I wanted it made, with high quality and tasty ingredients. Potbelly is the perfect place to hang out with friends and enjoy good food, without emptying your wallet.