Cafe 251

This place truly is a lunchtime gem.  Quick yet delicious.

When you walk in, it's a bit like a cafeteria line.  You grab a plastic tray and walk along glass cases, picking what you want.  

There's the soup section up front.  They have some pretty great soups: the only comparable Downtown soup places are Au Bon Pain and Cafe Zuppa for also having a wide range of options.  One of my favorites is the stuffed bell pepper and their tomato soup.  They used to have a great cheesy beer bratwurst soup, but I haven't seen that one in a very long time.  

Then there's the salad aisle.  I have to admit, I've been obsessed with one specific salad here, the penne pasta salad, and so I haven't even tried any of their other salads.  The penne pasta salad mixes up spinach, penne pasta, onions, sunflower seeds, Parmesan cheese, and a salad dressing--it's full of flavor, filling, and yet healthy!

Then there's the sandwich and wrap section.  They have a delicious chicken salad croissant sandwich, some really great paninis, and some fun wraps.  My favorite panini, a mushroom and ham panini is no longer on the menu, but I've liked every other panini I've tried, including the Cuban I bought a few weeks ago.

One amazing option: their cheesesticks.  They're absolutely amazing.  They're covered with a thick layer of cheese and perfect for dipping into their tomato soup.  I've often come here for nothing more than a cup of soup and two cheesesticks for my lunch.  Get the cheesesticks with a salad as one of their daily lunch specials.

This place is the perfect lunch-on-the-go place.  Add it to your bookmarks, and if you happen to have a meeting Downtown right before or after lunch, make this a stopping place for a little grub.