Panera's Limited Double Bread Bowl Was Made From An Entire Loaf Of Bread

Panera Bread specializes in comfort food and has been serving it up since its first location opened in 1987 in St. Louis (via Panera). The quick-service food chain serves up soups, sandwiches, salads, macaroni and cheese, a wide spread of bakery items, and more. The company was originally named the St. Louis Bread Company and it honors its origins by continuing to sell a variety of bread loaves and rolls in its cafes.

While entrees come with a choice of side, like a slice of Panera's signature French baguette, if you've dined at the restaurant, chances are you're aware that any of its soups or macaroni and cheeses can be ordered in a bread bowl. The edible bowls are made from sourdough bread, according to the Panera website, and can be ordered on their own for $2.79 each. 

The fresh-baked bread makes a great companion for soups, but there used to be an even bigger bread bowl option.

You may still be able to get a double bread bowl

For a limited time in 2019, Panera released a double bread bowl (via Today). The double bowl was only available nationwide for about two weeks before the promotion ended and cost $9.99. Customers could choose from five combinations when ordering online, according to the Panera website: Chicken Noodle and Broccoli Cheddar, Creamy Tomato and Broccoli Cheddar, Broccoli Cheddar and Broccoli Cheddar, Bistro French Onion and Broccoli Cheddar, and Ten Vegetable and Creamy Tomato. Macaroni and cheese was available, but reportedly had to be ordered in person at the cafes.

If you're craving the double bread bowl, there may still be a way to enjoy it, though it's not actually on the menu, a Panera representative told Delish. When placing an online order, add an unsliced loaf of sourdough bread to the cart. Then, add a note under the "special instructions" section, asking the employees to cut it into a double bread bowl. If you're lucky, they might accommodate the request. If not, you can still order the loaf to cut and scoop it out at home.