Midtown Lunch

In case you haven’t noticed, an annoying thing called the Polar Vortex has made walking outside to grab lunch an exercise in quickness and finding something warm to eat. The other day a craving for chili hit, and there aren’t too many places that regularly carry this specific dish. Then it dawned on me that Potbelly, of which there are four locations downtown, had chili on its menu every day and I had never tried it. While I may not flip my lid for their sandwiches, the chili is delicious.

You can get a cup ($4) or a bowl ($5.90) and since I wanted it as a meal I got the larger size. The bowl is still probably not going to fill up most people but throw in a cookie or bag of chips and you’re in business! The chili has ground beef, kidney beans, onions and bell peppers and to my surprise had a bit of a kick to it.

It’s not the chunkiest chili but I didn’t mind, especially with the two packets of top-notch oyster crackers you get with the bowl. I’m not saying this is the best chili you’re ever going to eat but I’ve had some really bad renditions from places that aren’t chains. This will at least warm you up and fill you up without the blandness that you find from most soups made for the masses.

Potbelly Sandwich Shop, 101 Maiden Lane (btw. Gold & William), (646) 289-4201; 127 Fulton St. (btw. Nassau & William), (646) 307-4896; 90 Broad St. (at Stone), (646) 289-4211; 280 Broadway (btw. Chambers & Reade), (646) 289-4206