5 Best Flatbread Pizzas at Panera Bread
Panera Bread may be best known for its soups and sandwiches, but pizzas from Panera are also worth checking out.
The Panera pizza menu includes five flatbread pizzas that can be ordered as an entrée or a shared side.
The base of each pizza is a flatbread crust made with finely ground flour to create a crisp and delicate crust.
There are also two vegetarian pizza options, though no topping substitutions can be made.
The current selection of flatbread pizzas is actually Panera’s second attempt at adopting a pizza menu since 2006.
The current menu has outlasted the first attempt and appears to be here to stay.
If you’re curious about trying one of Panera’s flatbread pizzas, read on for our ranked list based on their taste and overall experience.
5. Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza
Pepperoni pizza is a classic combination of meat and cheese that tends to be a crowd-pleaser.
Although it wasn’t on the menu when Panera first released its new flatbread pizza line, no pizza menu is complete without a good pepperoni. Thus, it was added a couple of months later, in January 2021.
Panera’s Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza begins with a thin flatbread made from finely-ground flour to create a crisp crust.
This base is topped with tomato bell pepper sauce, fresh mozzarella rounds, a fontina and mozzarella blend, and a generous portion of thick-sliced pepperoni.
With 1,030 calories, the Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza has the most calories of all flatbread pizzas on the Panera menu.
Unfortunately, substitutions are not allowed for this pizza, though any ingredient can be held or doubled up for an additional charge.
4. Cheese Flatbread Pizza
The Cheese Flatbread Pizza was one of the three original pizzas offered when Panera first added the flatbread line to their menu in November 2020.
The cheese pizza is a great option for vegetarians (or meat eaters), making this the perfect pick for those sharing multiple Panera dishes.
Each Cheese Flatbread Pizza starts with Panera’s thin and crisp crust, topped with tomato bell pepper sauce and a blend of fontina and mozzarella cheeses.
Sadly, no other ingredients can be added to this pizza, though there is an option for extra cheese or sauce.
Each Cheese Flatbread Pizza has 910 calories with 40g fat, 94g carbs, and 40g protein.
3. Margherita Flatbread Pizza
Margherita pizza is a classic option that brings Mediterranean flavors.
This vegetarian pizza from Panera is made with only a few simple ingredients, but that simplicity is what makes each ingredient shine.
The Margherita Flatbread Pizza starts with Panera’s thin, soft flatbread smeared with tomato bell pepper sauce.
A mozzarella and fontina cheese blend and mozzarella rounds are melted on top, while red grape tomatoes and fresh basil leaves give the pizza a fresh accent.
Each Margherita Flatbread Pizza has 870 calories, making it the least calorie-dense flatbread option.
2. Sausage & Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza
Panera’s Sausage & Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza is the ideal choice for meat lovers.
Choosing between sausage and pepperoni can be difficult, so Panera decided to give customers both.
Paired with the restaurant’s knack for good dough, this flatbread pizza bursts with flavor.
The pizza combines savory chicken sausage crumbles with thick-sliced pepperoni rounds that can satisfy even the biggest carnivores.
If that’s not enough meat for you, you can always double up on either (or both) for a small additional charge.
The meat toppings are paired with a shredded fontina, mozzarella cheese blend, and a tasty tomato bell pepper sauce, all baked atop Panera’s famous flatbread.
Each Sausage & Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza has 960 calories with 37g fat, 96g carbs, and 35g protein.
1. Chipotle Chicken and Bacon Flatbread Pizza
The Chipotle Chicken and Bacon Flatbread Pizza is Panera’s most unique option on the menu.
Although some may prefer the reliable classics, the tasty flavor combinations on this pizza work excellently together, boosting it into our number one spot.
This was one of the three original pizzas offered when Panera brought back its pizza menu in 2020.
It combines smoked, pulled chicken with pieces of applewood-smoked bacon that make everything taste better.
There are also grape tomatoes and cilantro for a fresh flavor and a savory fontina and mozzarella cheese blend.
The final touches set this pizza even further apart from the rest.
A garlic cream sauce replaces the market tomato bell sauce, making the crisp flatbread crust and everything on it melt in your mouth.
The chipotle aioli sauce is drizzled on top after baking which ties all the ingredients together.
Each Chipotle Chicken and Bacon Flatbread Pizza has 1,020 calories with 49g fat, 96g carbs, and 43g protein.
Family Feast Value Meals
There’s nothing wrong with ordering a flatbread pizza as an entrée, but you’ll get to try more of Panera’s extensive menu by making your order a combo.
Luckily, Panera is ahead of the game with a variety of combo options, including the Family Feast Value Meals.
Each Flatbread Pizza Family Feast serves four to six people and includes an assortment of pizzas, salads, and soups. Some also include mac & cheese or dessert.
The following are the flatbread combos offered on Panera’s Family Feast Value Meals menu:
- 2 Flatbread Pizza Family Feast
- 2 Flatbread Pizza Family Feast with Vanilla Cinnamon Rolls
- 3 Flatbread Pizza Family Feast
- 3 Flatbread Pizza Family Feast with Vanilla Cinnamon Rolls
- 4 Flatbread Pizza Family Feast with Cookies
With each option, you can get any two flatbread pizzas, including a whole Caesar Salad and Greek Salad.
If you order the 4 Flatbread Pizza Family Feast with Cookies, it replaces the Caesar Salad with group-size order of Mac & Cheese.
Conclusion
The Panera pizza menu offers an assortment of classic items and several unique options.
Each pizza at Panera is sold a la carte, but multiples can also be ordered in a Family Feast meal.
I love the Chipotle Chicken and Bacon Flatbread Pizza due to its unique and flavorful ingredients.
However, a classic Pepperoni or Margherita is always a great choice when sharing with friends or family.
For more information about Panera Bread, check out the articles below.
