Pret a Manger Location Revealed

After reports that a Pret a Manger will be making its first Boston appearance surfaced earlier this week, fans of the British cafe were left wondering where they will be able to pick up their favorite sandies.

Well take a deep breath, for the suspense is finally over. News of the eatery’s location broke today, putting some well-churned rumors to rest. While initial reports claimed that Morton’s would move into the abandoned Borders space on Boylston Street, the building will instead house Boston’s first — and I hope not the last — Pret a Manger.

The vacated bookstore, which closed last year after Borders filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February, will be divided into three sections to make room for an Athleta shop run by Gap Inc. and an expanded H&M store, in addition to the cafe, according to Boston.com.

With a menu touted to be natural and healthy, Pret a Manger could be new hotspot for an inexpensive lunch, as sandwiches start at a mere $3.89.

Pret a Manger Boston Bound

One location of the Pret a Manger sandwich chain.

After spending a semester in London my freshman year of college, I have been searching, sadly to no avail, for the Boston equivalent of the UK eatery Pret a Manger. Now it looks like I will no longer have to settle for a sandwich from Panera Bread, as the company just announced the addition of 14 more shops in the U.S., with at least one location in Boston.

Pret, which opened in 1986, already has an established presence in the United Kingdom, and with shops in New York, D.C. and Chicago, the brand is well known in the States as well. While the U.S. menu varies slightly from the British one, offerings like the balsamic chicken and avocado sandwich and a brie, basil and tomato baguette are staples on the chain’s menu.

Though an exact location for the Boston outlet has yet to be released, according to Boston.com, the company is growing quickly, with 24 new shops opening in 2011, including two in Paris. The sandwich chain, owned by London-based buyout firm Bridgepoint, plans to expand further in 2012 with the addition of 44 new shops, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Convenient and clean, Pret a Manager shops offer customers a natural alternative to fast food, though the company has come under criticism in the past for some unhealthy menu options, such as its tomato soup, which contains 4.5g of salt, according to the Daily Mail.

Despite this debate, I’ll choose an avocado pine nut wrap over a meal from the dining hall any day!

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