Publican Quality Bread — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

We were craving some sourdough and pastries but feeling a bit lazy, so Publican Quality Bread stood out as the best option available on all the major delivery apps. It’s been on my list to try since I’m always on the hunt for high quality artisanal sourdough, and it’s a huge bonus when a bakery also offers exciting pastries.

Their signature Spence sourdough was only available as a full loaf, but you can have it pre-sliced. It was beautifully executed with a perfect crust and a slightly dense yet fluffy interior. The mix of rye and whole wheat gave the bread great flavor, more hearty than sour, but still satisfying. Considering the price, size, and convenience of delivery, this will definitely be one of my top choices when I need a quality loaf.

The Chocolate Orange Morning Brioche bun was another standout. It had a beautifully flaky exterior and a rich, slightly gooey center. The orange and chocolate were nicely balanced, though the flavor was bold and perfect for sharing, as it might be a bit much as your only treat.

But the Cardamom Monkey Bread? I could eat that every day. It was as good as monkey bread gets, with perfectly balanced spices and a strong, fragrant cardamom flavor. I’ll have a hard time not adding it to every future order.

They offer other sourdoughs and pastries that look equally tempting, and I’m looking forward to trying more. I’ll make an effort to visit their physical location sometime, but for now, I really love having great bread delivered...

They have great coffee, bread, and pastries. However, I would not go here for lunch or a larger meal than a snack again. Bad pricing. Came a little before closing around 2:00 for a sandwich and there was a zucchini sandwich and a turkey club of sorts. They had a ham sandwich as well that was labeled $13, it seemed to be a good size. We should have gotten and ham. The zucchini and turkey club were not labeled with price; you requested how much of an originally larger, sheet-pan-sized sandwich you wanted cut off for yourself. Not sure what metric they use to determine the price of these chunks they cut off but ours was way off.

My partner paid for the meal, so I didn’t notice it until we left and drove away and I saw the receipt for the “sandwiches” but when they asked for a turkey club sandwich, half of what was left on the counter, the staff gave us a square piece that was about 3x3 inches and they charged us over $13 for it… the zucchini one my partner got was about double the size and charged the same price. I’m sorry, I like the fresh bread and baked goods from here but charging nearly $14 for a tiny 3x3” piece of a larger sandwich and same price for about a 5x6” chunk totaling over $30 is ridiculous, even for a ‘homemade healthy ingredients’ aesthetic. If you come here, stick to loaves and pastries or check they’re charging you the...

on my search for some yummy bread, i stumbled upon publican. when i went around 1:45ish, they were sold out of sourdough boules and i’m not sure if they make a new batch before closing or if it’s until the next day, so that’s something to keep in mind for next time! otherwise, there were fresh baguettes with steam on the bag and lots of other breads that i’m sure i’d be a big fan of.

i noticed they sell pastries as well, so i was stoked to see some striking selections. i got the cardamom monkey bread (pictured behind the kouign amman) and… all i can say is i wish i’d bought two… or three, or four– anyway! it was yummy, made with a croissant base that hit on a buttery flavor akin to a palmier, with a subtle note of cardamom and a black dough swirl (which i’m assuming is where the flavor comes from) and a slight caramelized bottom with hints of honey and sweetness. i warmed it up at home, but personally, i liked it better as is; it has a particular bite that would pair well with a hot cup of tea