WheatFields Bakery Cafe

WheatFields Bakery Café
904 Vermont St.
Lawrence, KS 66044
(785) 841-5553

Menu $2.25 - $6.75
Visa, MasterCard, Discover

Business professionals working in downtown Lawrence have enjoyed WheatFields Bakery and Café for 10 years. Now it is time to let you in on the secret. This restaurant handcrafts and hearth-bakes bread daily in a custom built wood-fired brick oven. Using only certified organic flour and few mechanical devices, they turn out artisan breads for purchase by the loaf or as part of their delightful sandwiches. But sandwiches aren't the only fine treats Wheatfields has to offer. Soups, salad, quiches, cookies and coffee are some of the other menu items that merit investigation.

A warm sunny Friday found our group of five enjoying a variety of the best that WheatFields has to offer. Two of my companions ordered the #6 Cuban Roasted Pork ($6.75), featuring ham, Manchego cheese, red onion and marinated bell peppers, along with fresh greens, oil and vinegar on a baguette.

A third dining companion delighted in the #13 Bread Baker's Plate ($4.75), a fully loaded dish, including goat cheese, pesto, tapenade, roasted red peppers, red onions and olive oil served with an assortment of fresh breads. The fun was in combining the various ingredients to create a unique flavor with each bite. Nearly everyone else at the table sampled some of the items from this plate.

A fourth colleague requested the #14 Pan Bagnet ($5.50), which has hard-boiled eggs, Provolone cheese, roasted zucchini, roasted red peppers, red onions, alfalfa spouts and garlic aioli, all served on a baguette. She commented that the sandwich had a nice mild flavor and that the marinated peppers from the Bread Baker's Plate were a perfect accompaniment.

I enjoyed the #3 Portabella Mushroom ($5.75) with Provolone, wilted kale, tapenade, caramelized onions, oil and vinegar. This selection is served heated on ciabatta, a flat crispy style of bread meaning "slipper" in Italian. It was flavorful and only slightly messy.

WheatFields is located in downtown Lawrence, which offers an eclectic mix of business professionals, students and locals, and the dining room was no different on the afternoon of our visit. Even though it was nearly 1 p.m. by the time we arrived for lunch, the line for placing orders was 10 to 15 people deep and only lightened up closer to 2 p.m.

Mixed media art by Toni Brou adorned the walls during our visit. Brou (pronounced "Brew") grew up in Dodge City, Kan., and moved to Lawrence in 1987 to complete a bachelor's degree in design and illustration at the University of Kansas. Artwork at Wheatfields changes regularly, and the restaurant will feature prints by Susan Meyer from Aug. 6 through Oct. 1.

In addition to delicious breads, check out the selection of cookies: sugar, snickerdoodle, chocolate chip, peanut butter-chocolate chip, ginger almond spice and oatmeal walnut raisin. Cookies are available in two sizes: big for $0.95, and mini for $0.55. Choc et Choc, loaded with chocolate, are priced slightly higher at $1.25 for big and  $0.75 for mini. Our group sampled the ginger almond spice and the choc et choc and found them both superb.

For those on a budget, try a cup ($2.25) or bowl ($3.25) of soup, quiche ($3.25) or the #12 Peanut Butter and Jelly ($2.50) with organic peanut butter, strawberry jam or grape jelly on country French bread. Specials change daily, so be sure to check the board to learn what kind of soup and bread, fresh green salad, quiche, focaccia and empanadas are available during your visit.

WheatFields is open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the sandwich menu available beginning at 11 a.m. Local art featured on the walls is available for purchase. For more information, including a complete description of bread styles, check out their Web site at http://www.wheatfieldsbakery.com.

Ratings: Take Out, Friday Fun, Quick Lunch