Pastoral is my new favorite lunch spot. Â Their sandwiches are perfect in every way. Â I had the Pig & Fig which was absolutely delicious. Â The Serrano ham was thinly sliced, and the blue cheese was the perfect addition. Â As an added sweetness to the salty pairing of the ham and cheese was a nice fig and black tea compote. Â Absolutely Devine! Â I felt like I was eating in France and for a few minutes I had escaped the dreary Winter in Chicago and was transported to a small cheese shop in Paris! Â Bon appetite!
Review Source:oh pastoral... i have visited you three times in the past month and have already spent $60. I used to HATE cheese. DESPISE cheese. I would pick cheese out of sandwiches, hold my breath when I walk by the cheese aisle at whole foods, want to puke when I smell parmesan... you get the idea.
But then in recent months, I've started to acquire a taste for cheese, and pastoral really solidified my fondness for cheese. They have so many varieties! And all so delicious! The staff are all so friendly! Really good with recommendations and give generous samples. I've been more than pleased with every purchase I've made here.
Will always be back... even if it means the 40 minute L ride + 20 minute walk to your store in below freezing weather.
I have been going here, since day one of their opening. Â I stop in anytime I am in the city for a visit. Â They are extremely polite and knowledgeable of all their offerings from cheeses and meats, to wines, and condiments. Â I to enjoy nibbling a fresh bread of theirs, as I stroll Broadway, window shopping. Â They let to taste anything behind the counter. Â I still remember this pork salami from Italy, from their first year. Â It was amazing, and worth every penny I spent on it. Â Â Their wine selection is perfect, and they have chilled bottles as well, for that last minute picnic along the lakefront.
Review Source:My advice: Ask for the soft wheat bread they offer. By default, sandwiches come on a French bread that if cooked even slightly too long, is hard as a rock. My mouth was sore after eating one of their sandwiches and I had to give up halfway through because the bread was so hard to bite into. It was honestly a horrible experience, even though the sandwich contents tasted good. But I came back again and ordered on the wheat bread and it went much better.
The sandwiches are good. I wouldn't say they are anything too special, but it's a cute sandwich shop, that also sells fresh cheese and various gourmet grocery items. And it beats a lot of the chain lunch places in the same area. A little pricey, but it's downtown Chicago, so what can you expect. Always a crowded clusterfuck at lunchtime.
This place is awesome and the fact that it is close and convenient for me is even better. They do a perfect job at just about everything. From the quality of product to the atmosphere inside everything here rocks. They have small but good sections of cheese, wine, grocery and meats. But of course I frequent here mainly for the delicious sandwiches they make. The Atun A Tun with added giardiniera is my favorite and the Salume Picante kicks ass.
Review Source:Fresh ingredients, delicious sandwiches, and pretty generous portions. What's not to love? Ok, well the wait time isn't so awesome if you forget to call in your order ahead of time, but doing it will save you the 20 minute wait.
I almost always order:
Bocadillo De La Mancha: My favorite. The manchego and jamon serrano blend together perfectly. It's on the heavier side, and it always leaves me stuffed and in a borderline food-comatose state. Always helpful for post-lunch productivity.
The Mediterranean Turkey: The pesto is delicious and the white bean puree gives the sandwich a subtle kick. I could eat the puree with a spoon, really.
Club Nuovo: Pastoral's version of a club sandwich. Simple, but delicious when you're in the mood for just a simple, delicious club.
I've tried a few others and I've never been disappointed. If in doubt, just pick a random one. It'll be good, I promise. And you can always try another one on your next visit.
I love a quality sandwich, which is exactly what Pastoral offers. I had the duck confit and it was a wonderful medley of deliciousness. Everything from the quality of meats to the baguette to the thick slab of cheese to shallots to the melt in your mouth with ever last bite -- amazing. I can't wait to go back and try all they have to offer - including classes! How cool!
Do note that Pastoral has a small town deli feel to it. It's set up so that you buy and go, though there are a few tables available if you're lucky!
This place has some delicious sandwiches.
They are a quality deli so they already have all the delicious meats, breads, and cheeses you could ask for.
They made the smart decision to put them together for you in awesome ways and wrap them to go.
These sandwiches are perfect for a picnic in the summer. My favorite is definitely the BLTA (a blt with avocado and prosciutto instead of bacon) except I order it on different bread since the baguette is too tough and smushes the avocado.
You can read all the other reviews about the fabulous cheese. I agree, the cheese is great. The staff is knowledgable, makes thoughtful suggestions, and even gives samples (yay!).
My complaint? They sell wine, but you can't drink it there. Please tell me how that works because I can't get on board with that trick. They sell wine and even let you sample it, but have a glass? Forget about it. What gives?
I found out the hard way, so I thought I would share the knowledge.
That little issue just cost Pastoral a star.
I stopped in before dinner. I was immediately asked by a lady in plain clothes if I needed help. I told her what we were having for dinner, and she suggested several bottles of wine.
I then went to the cheese section, where a younger guy offered to help me. He chose an amazing soft cheese. Â Very friendly service all around.
We dropped by for some fresh sandwiches from the deli and ended up trying a bunch of different cheeses. The servers were helpful here and are very generous in allowing you to try different cheeses. We ended up getting some to pair with wine and they were really good.
I got the Salumi Piccante which was amazing. I love spicy food and the spicy giardiniera had a good kick to it. This came with a baguette which was on the harder side. I normally don't like baguette sandwiches but this one was really yummy. The Padda cheese was a great addition to the sandwich as well.
I wish they had more places like this in Boston!
Gourmet Sammies.
Gourmet Cheese.
High post wine.
Olive bar.
They could really, rightfully rename this outpost "Sabrina's Pastoral", it's soooo me.
No where else are you going to get a Mediterranean turkey sandwich with hummus, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes. No where else are you going to be treated to an olive bar, gourmet cheese samples and possibly a few thimbles full of wine to sample at lunch time while you wait for said sandwich.
Now, there are many other places where you can go to wine tastings and sample high post wine. But it's still nice to add Pastoral to that list, especially if you work in the Loop.
I've yet to be steered wrong on any sandwich, cheese or wine selection. You won't be either. (Mediterranean turkey is my all-time favorite -- lots of breads to choose from, but get it on wheat. Trust.)
I haven't been to the other location, but Lake Street is small and gets super crowded and a little unwieldy during the lunch hour. And this ain't Subway or Jimmy John's, so your sandwich will not be made at the speed of light. It will be given TLC and possibly a special Hindu blessing before they wrap it up and give it to you, which is to say: Be patient. And pay attention for your name.
Amidst screeching trains and the din of a crowded intersection and busy commuters, Pastoral is a little piece of the 5th Arrondissement in downtown Chicago. Enjoy it, my fellow, harried Loop workers. Enjoy it.
I LOVE YOU, PASTORAL.
Granted, the first time I had a sandwich here was actually a pre-made sandwich that they packed up and sold to Intelligentsia (it was a salami sandwich) and I thought it was so delicious, that I decided to make it up (or down) to Pastoral today for sandwiches.
I had the Le Canard (because let's be honest, how can I turn down a sandwich with duck confit in it) and saved a Grant Park Grinder for later. Oh my god. They are the tastiest sandwiches ever laksdjglkajdg. I wish I Â had an excuse to go back down more often, but I often don't. Maybe I'll stop by here every so often now that I know they taste amaaaazing. Worth the money. Great flavors.
Look, I like stinky things - I'll get nose DEEP in it, girl! - but Pastoral generally smells like a colon cancer steakfart. It's RIPE up in here! Up in HYEAH!
The sandwiches will victimize your pocketbook but only return mediocre results. Ice-hard bread, salty fragrant meats right out of the eastern european gulag cafeteria, a chunk of...what is that, licorice flower? Tisane of fennel? Ungood, senior. I need that like I need an ice cold BJ!
On the other hand, he'll put together a nice little bento or balikbayan box of salt-cured intestinal meats, olives and cornichon, gibson onions, and some bred for you to take over to Millenium Park (via Robbie Williams) to see Dad sway gently in the evening air to polite world music courtesy of your taxpayer funds that were diverted from libraries and teachers. Impress a girl you just met on Ok Cupid with one of these and you won't even remember when she thought Mandy Patinkin was a girl! No sweat, bb.
Pastoral, as much as I thought the prices for a sandwich and not to mention the total of my bill was extremely much....I couldn't help but to think Damn! this sandwich is so good.
I ordered the sinfully healthy sandwich and my partner in crime ordered the bridge pork. Both sandwiches were worth the price. Staff was super helpful and friendly. Will be back.
I just went for lunch, and it's an instant favorite. The sandwich was gargantuan, so beware before piling up on the amazing sides. I ordered the Club Nuovo, and yes, I know it's not the most interesting item on the menu, but I just wanted a turkey club. It was awesome. I also tried the orzo salad which was light and flavorful-- would serve as a satisfying lunch on its own. My friend had the Pig n' Fig and the potato salad. I didn't try the sandwich, but she said it was decadent and wonderful. The potato salad was maybe the best I have ever had.
Con: Limited seating.
Pastoral kind of feels like a quickie Euro vaycay on your lunch break. I had the Grant Park Grinder, with finnochiona, mortadella & coppa, mozzarella, piparras, tomatoes, red wine vinaigrette and field greens (yes, I had to look it up online to get the full names of all that amazing charcuterie), and it was a welcome flavor explosion in the middle of my workday.
The line moves quickly enough, but you'll be standing around for a bit waiting for your order. Which is kind of awesome, because then you get to look around at everything Pastoral has to offer: it's a deli, cheese shop, wine retailer, charcuterie, and specialty goods store.
My heart yearned to be in Chicago for pleasure instead of business. Pastoral has everything you need to pack a top-notch picnic for a concert in the park. A split of wine, baguette, cheeses, salty meats, spreads-- oh, I die.
For the quality, and for Chicago, I think the prices were more than fair. Thanks Yelp, for pointing me to this little oasis of continental day-dreamy-ness.
My friends and I stopped in here yesterday before heading to the Broadway in Chicago concert and I was quite impressed. Â I was a little nervous when I walked in and the line was to the door but it moved at a decent pace - I wouldn't say overly quickly or slowly.
The sandwich I got was quite tasty - The Farmhouse Veggie Deluxe which was excellent with the apple/cucumber adding a nice crunch and the dijon giving a subtle kick. Â I would def go back and order this sandwich again. Â My companions also enjoyed their sandwiches.
One complaint is that the wine in the cooler doesn't have the price listed. Â I'm sure you can try to find out where they usually are on the wall but it was crowded and we were in a hurry so we just grabbed a couple bottles...one which ended up being $47! Â Wowzers! Â Next time we will take time to check out the prices before we purchase!
This is a great place to stop and pick up essentials before going to a concert or event in the park. Â Note that you can call in your sandwich/salad order beforehand and pick it up - cuts down on time when you're in a hurry!
Loved it - I'd stand in line all over again for one of their sandwiches.
There's a great variety of sandwiches here - each one has a little surprise ingredient that makes it difficult to pick from the list. Â I went with the Blue, pig and fig, and it was excellent. Â The cheese was tangy and creamy, the meat was fatty but glassy (the way prosciutto should be) and the fig spread really completed the package. Â The bread was chewy and crisp, but not too much of each. Â Chips were tasty, and I had the opportunity to try some GUS soda for the first time, which was fun. Â
I'd go back again and again for the sandwiches. Â Bear the line, it's worth the wait.
Holy Mary Mother of Sandwiches. Â I stopped here with a few coworkers before a little outing on the river for lunch based on the awesome sandwich reviews from friends.
This did not disappoint.
The bread, meat, cheese, everything was perfect. Â The only thing that isn't perfect is the location. I don't work or live in the loop so I'm not sure how often I'll be able to enjoy this amazing, wonderful place. Â Not to mention I'm also eating low carb at the present time.
I wish they had seating indoors - then I would make a special trip and "eat in".
Now I'm all hot and bothered again thinking about that delicious sandwich and the amazing bread. Â Darn it...
Call me a cheese slut, I wouldn't be offended at all... if I could flick it, lick it, smack it on the bing bong I would.
Came here twice during my recent visit to Chicago. Â Once for a quick simple dinner (cheese, crackers and cured meat). Â Then a quick stop on the way to the airport to grab some cheese and crackers for the long flight home.
This place is top notch for a cheese shop!
Great selection of cheese and meats for all end eaters, and the cheese mongers are very knowledgeable, Â The accommodating mongers doling out samples until you find what you're looking for, only the worthy cheese shops offer up tasters.
I had mentioned that I bought some crackers there several days early, and they asked for feedback on them. Â Not a big fan of the cracker as they were soft like biscuits, where I'm more of a fan of crispy and crackery.
Don't ever pick up a call after eating dried cherries at Pastarol! Your phone will get all dirty and sticky. Nonetheless, I cannot stop eating its cherries. I am a Pastoral-addict, help!
Since I had a good impression of the dried cherries here last time, I decided to try Pastarol's dried figs and apricots today. Although the latter two are not as juicy as the dried cherries, they are well made. On the first bite, the figs and the apricots seem to be relatively plain compared to those you buy in grocery stores. However, the more you eat it, the more you appreciate their freshness and their relatively healthiness, due to the relatively small amount of sugar added.
The figs here look different from the Turkish figs I normally eat. Pastoral's figs are relatively juicy, while the typical figs are relatively sweet. It depends what you prefer.
If I have to rank the dried fruits, I would say
1) Cherries
2) Apricots
3) Figs
I would definitely to come back to dry its nuts and cheese next time!
Food: 5
Decor: 4
Service: 5
P.S. Pastoral is very convenient, since it is close to the metra and several bus stops. However, it is hard to enjoy the meal outside of the restaurant due to its busy location. I would recommend including indoor seating, particularly in the winter.
Great customer service and cute cafe vibe inside. Â Right downtown. Â Not a huge selection, but enough to satisfy a variety of tastes.
To our delight, we wandered in just as a tasting was about to begin and thus met the wine buyer (and server) who was knowledgable without being snooty (too rare a combination in the wine/food world). Â We left with half a dozen bottles of wine, though only one of those we tasted--many were sweeter, summer wines.
In addition to wine, we bought a delightful wedge of goat cheese here that didn't dissapoint. Â Great job, Pastoral!
As good as it gets. Everything here is the best quality-- the bread, cheese, meats, tomatoes. I'm not talkin' Whole Foods "best quality" either. It is on a different level. Artisan shit. I had a Grant Park Grinder. It was beautiful. At $10, it was worth every penny. The girlfriend made a better choice. Something with bacon in it. The bacon here is hands down the best bacon I have ever had.
So, so good. If I ever come back, I'd get anything with bacon in it but particularly, I'd be eyeing the BLT w/ Avocado.
If you got dentures or weak front teeth, dont come here. Â your teeth will get destroyed!!
Before you get your sandwich, ask them what kind of bread it is and if the bread is hard as ______. Â The fancy names totally threw me off. Â As you can tell, im not a bread connoisseur. Â Â Asking that simple question will prevent you from having to go back to your dentist after eating these sandwiches.
oh btw. the sandwiches are good
We walked over from Millennium Park. Â Perused the menu and spotted the Blue Pig and Fig sandwich. Â Asked the order taker about the sandwich, and she gave it the thumbs up. Â
It was a thumbs up sandwich. Â Great Serrano and the sweet fig was a nice contrast. Â On a crusty roll.
There are just a few outdoor tables. Â None inside. Â Mostly office workers grabbing a bite to eat.
I went out to reserve two tables for the eight of us thinking we would eat here. Â Almost had to fight a woman off. Â She hadn't ordered yet inside but tried to grab a table. Â Said something like did I order yet? Â I said isn't that what you need to do?
What's wrong with these folks in the Midwest? Â Some of them need an attitude adjustment. Â Then after all that, we decided to head back to Millennium Park. Â Almost had an altercation for not.
I lost the coin toss for lunch bitch duty while downtown for a meeting so I decided to pop on over to Pastoral for their gourmet sandwiches and salads. Let me tell you, that I would have been happy to naw on a wedge of cheese from Pastoral for lunch but decided a sandwich might be a little more appropriate.
I ordered up three Club Nuovo, Caprese and a Health Nut Salad with turkey. I added chips and a drink to the sandwiches at an additional charge. They have a nice selection of Route 11 chips. The Mama Zuma's Habanero potato chips were good and fiery hot! Gus sodas and Pelegrino stocked the cooler.
Everyone's sandwiches looked delish and my colleague and I agreed that Pastoral's take on a classic club sandwich was damn good. The house made procsiutto bacon was heavenly! While waiting for my order, I got to nosh on some olives and sample one of my most favorite cheeses - Flagship from Seattle's Beecher's Cheese. I had to contain my excitement upon seeing it in the cooler.
The staff here is top notch. I actually had to come back twice. I ordered up three items and then had to go back not even 5 minutes later to grab a couple more sandwiches. The gal behind the counter re-packaged my order into a bigger bag and offered me another sample while I waited again. More cheese? Don't mind if I do!
We have meetings in this area regularly so I look forward to more trips to Pastoral. Blue pig and fig? I got my eye on you.
Miss this place now that I've moved to LA, especially the Club Nuovo. Â Just bought a gift certificate for a fellow Pastoral-lover and found out that recipients don't need to spend the entire amount all at once - it works just like a gift card, with a remaining balance. Â Super friendly staff, even on the phone, and I was able to order the gift certificate online.
I have a fully-punched rewards card ready to go and can't wait to redeem it next time I'm in town!
Stopped at Pastoral while one recent trip to Chicago. We were looking for a quick light lunch near Millenium Park. Luckily our Yelp Mobile app came through. We ended up here at pastoral a nice little artisan sandwich shop. They have a large variety of cheese, wine, and cured meats. It's a quaint little shop with only one small table and 6 seats. So it might be tough to get seats if you plan on eating there.
I ended up ordering the Blue Pig and Fig Sandwich (Jamon Serrano, Aderkasse Reserve, Fig/Black Tea Jam, Grain Mustard, Greens, served on a baguette). It was delicious. A perfect combination of flavors, with sweet from the jam and salt from the jamon and cheese.
Perfect for a quick meal. It is a little pricey at about $10 for a sandwich, but its definitely a quality sandwich.
A great little artisan sandwich shop. Â Huge selection of cheese, wine, and meats.
I think I had the portillo de la Mancha sandwich, Dijon mustard, cheese, Serrano jamon.... Quite delish. Â Wish we had some artisan sandwich deli's in orange county.
Only one small table to sit at, so more of a grab and go style of deli.
Sandwiches are a little small, definitely not like subway but they make it up in quality!
Gourmet organic cheese, olive, and ham cafe!
Originally, we came here for their signature sandwiches -- which you can either build your own or pick one of their pre-designed sammies. I decided on making my own.
French baguette with fresh burrata with serrano jamon (and some dressing that I forget). The price was quite high .. $12 (server actually told me pre-designed was cheaper). I loved the tasty salty serrano and that OH SO DELICIOUS BURRATA cheese!! It was like eating a cloud (not that I know what eating a cloud is like)!
The sandwich is not large, but enough to feed two people.
They also have a cheese and olive tasting area. Free samples! =)
Not really a sandwich craver on a regular basis, but if that can be changed by a sandwich, it will happen here.
Even something as simple as their caprese - which had chilled oven-roasted blistered tomatoes (a special request), the fresh herbed mozzarella hunks, and basil-fennel pesto on baguette - Â is like no other sandwich shop, and there's no real way to explain why. One of the few examples where you really get what you pay for. Baguette is crusty and wonderful. That sandwich may have had the best tomatoes I have eaten in a year and they aren't even in season. The 'healthy' not-that-healthy sandwich looks really fancy with its mango chutney (maybe it's just the chutney that looks fancy) - but really, everything here does. They have prosciutto sandwiches, and a duck confit panini. I don't even know how to respond to that.
I don't work anywhere near this place, so it took me til late on a Friday afternoon to get over here. Much better than lunch rush, infinitely worth the time and the cash.
WOAH. GIRL. BACK. UP. AND WALK BY AGAIN.
That's how I feel about Pastoral. But instead of walking by again, I want to devour another sammich.
Today I had the most perfect lunch. I placed a carryout order from Pastoral for my husband, our friend and myself. I got the Sinfully Healthy, my husband got the Blue Pig and Fig and our friend got the A Tuna Tuna. We snagged the bag of carryout and walked to Millennium Park to gobble down our purchase.
Side note: Most perfect day EVER. Sunny, 80 degrees and one of the first nice days of Spring 2012.
Anyway. Once we found a suitable seat we dug in. My sammich, the Sinfully Healthy, probably wasn't all that healthy. There highlight was a gigantic schmear of Fromager D'Affinois, which is similar to Brie. The rest of the sammich was turkey, mango chutney, dijon mustard, field greens and a cracked wheat bread. It was divine. Better than divine. Sinfully divine? Maybe. It was bursting with mango, turkey, dijon and creamy cheese. Oh man. So good.
My husband and our friend both enjoyed their sammies as well.
Pastoral will be seeing a lot more of me in the future, for sure. I never thought I would dream of a sandwich that has the title of "Sinfully Healthy", but Pastoral brought it's A game and I am in LOVE.
Oh Gawd Oh Gawd CHEESE!!!
Wandering through the Loop after a successful interview with a recruiter, I found myself killing time on the way to lunch with the bf (who works in the Loop). I was heading toward State Street, and happened upon this gem. I saw the word "cheese" and began my journey across the street.
WOW! A cheese and wine pairing at noon on a Friday? Don't mind if I do!
When I asked to try a few other cheeses, the girl behind the counter was shocked when I said, "I'll take it" to both of my tasted cheeses. Apparently she thought I was just there for the free cheese. Nope nope nope. This girl LOOOOOVES her cheese. Loves. Clearly.
A week later, I found myself in the exact same conundrum.
Don't mind if I do! A couple more cheese tastings/purchases later, I knew that I found my cheesy home. Should I get a job in the city, I foresee myself spending way too much time and money at this delightful little shop.
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