Doherty Enterprises opened the newest Long Island Panera Bread franchise at 1900 Veterans Memorial Highway in Islandia on Wednesday.
The opening celebration took place with a “bread-baking ceremony” on Wednesday at 10 a.m.
“We’re thrilled to open our newest Panera Bread location in Islandia and bring our fresh, wholesome menu to this vibrant community,” Tim Doherty, president and chief operating officer of Doherty, said in a news release about the new location.
“Our team is eager to welcome local residents to this beautiful new café, where they can enjoy a warm and inviting space to gather, relax, and enjoy their favorite Panera offerings,” he added.
The café offerings include soups, salads, sandwiches and freshly baked goods that the company says are free of artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavors and colors.
Doherty Enterprises owns and operates more than 160 restaurants in New Jersey and New York, including seven restaurant concepts: Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread, Wendy’s, Jinya Ramen Bar, Chevys Fresh Mex and its own concepts, The Shannon Rose Irish Pub and Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas.