Puttanesca, $6.99, from Atlanta Bread Company. (Tom Klubens for The Star)

Chicken Chili Loaf, $4.79, from Atlanta Bread Company. (Tom Klubens for The Star)

Carrot Cake Cheesecake, $3.39, from Atlanta Bread Company. (Tom Klubens for The Star)

Greenwood, here we come! As my friend, Jen, and I headed to the Southside once again, I had few expectations of Atlanta Bread Co. How different from Panera could it be? But this eatery, the chain's only area location, has an expanded menu that includes pizza, pasta, and even breakfast.

The mood

We pulled into the lot on a warm day. There are patio tables outside, if you prefer a view of a busy commercial strip. We chose to do our lunch duty inside.

The atmosphere of Atlanta Bread Co. is typical of similar joints. Large windows provide plenty of light in the open dining room with a central fireplace. Café tables provided Wi-fi workspace and large dining tables left plenty of room for lunching families.

The food

There isn't a ton of variety here. Take that as good or bad -- faster to decide, but they may not have exactly what you're looking for. For us, a short menu, posted on each side of the register lanes, was a relief. We were a-starvin' and a long menu wouldn't have been appealing.

For the sandwiches, you can choose your bread, from sourdough, rye, even pumpernickel, and top it with tuna, ham or veggies, to name a few options.

There are also freshly made paninis and specialty sandwiches, such as the California avocado with lettuce, tomato, onion, provolone and a tangy dill sauce on a tomato and onion foccacia.

The salads aren't as interesting: standard house, Caesar, Greek and Asian.

For those up and hungry at 6:30 a.m., Atlanta offers breakfast. No, not just a muffin and coffee. Waffles, people! French toast! Omelettes! Nothing like having someone else stir up the first meal of the day for you.

Jen decided on puttanesca, made with her choice of fettuccini (angel hair and penne are available as well), olives, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan ($6.99). She left out the chicken, which you may add to any pasta dish. The pasta was just so-so, not unlike dishes you'd get elsewhere.

My eyes were bigger than my stomach, and I picked the chicken chili loaf ($4.79). When our order appeared at the window, I was shocked by the huge, round loaf of sourdough that was filled to the top with steamy, spicy chili.

Had I just 20 more minutes, I could have crammed it all in. But we had to save room for a slice of delicious carrot cake cheesecake ($3.39). Side note: If the little frosting carrot is missing off the top of the cake, they can't sell it. Jen and I snagged two pieces for the price of one, thanks to an anonymous carrot-napper.

The drinks

A Diet Coke for moi ($1.29) and an ice water for the well-hydrated Jen.

The damage: $17.61

Should you make a special trip to Atlanta Bread Co.? Perhaps not. But if you do find yourself down south, you won't be disappointed.

Two for $20 mission:

To send two people out to eat on a $20 budget.