By Michael Pedro
Just a short walk away from Western New England University is Breckwood Shoppes. In that plaza lies the first site of the restaurant I will be reviewing today: Hot Table. A panini shop opened by Western New England University alumni, it has grown into a regional chain of sorts, serving patrons across parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut. I am a frequent visitor to the Breckwood Shoppes Hot Table, so I figured I’d give them some exposure (and maybe get them more frequent customers).
We’ll start with the basics. What does Hot Table provide? It serves paninis of three sizes in a massive variety of combinations, many of which are on the menu. There is also a build-your-own panini option that makes the possibilities nearly endless. My personal favorite is the BBQ Pulled Pork panini, which I tried my first time there. Every time I go, that’s typically my order. The workers are friendly, and the food is high-quality.
Next, we’ll discuss allergens, an important topic for many people. For those worried about food allergies, there is a list of all ingredients on the menu located on the official Hot Table website. This list contains every ingredient and its contents, alongside a checklist of major allergens. The servers change gloves after every order to avoid cross-contamination, and you can ask them to wrap the panini in tinfoil before they put it in the press for an extra layer of safety. They also have gluten-free options, though you must ask to get those.
The last aspect I want to discuss is the pricing. I feel the food is a little overpriced for what it is. I typically order a medium-sized panini, which costs me around twelve dollars. The food is extremely good, but I don’t think it’s exactly worth twelve dollars. The app has a rewards feature that allows you to trade in points garnered during your orders for free food. These perks include free beverages, chips, and even small paninis. The trade-off is that you must go more than once to get some of these perks, though sometimes they will give them to app users for free.
Overall, Hot Table is a great restaurant to eat at. It’s a small business, and its ties to Western New England University are deep. They also host fundraisers for the campus sports teams, so be on the lookout for those.
