Zoup! in Mentor officially opened for business today, but I got to try it yesterday during the soft opening.

4 Cheese Melt sandwich and Roasted Tomato Bisque

One thing I really liked about the restaurant is you can sample the soups — though that didn't exactly help me make my decision because I enjoyed every soup that I tried. I'm really looking forward to going back to get the Ginger Butternut Squash, which was fantastic. I love getting a good soup that isn't something I would make at home.

This place is going to be some competition for Panera, which is located at the other end of Points East Plaza. Both offer soup, sandwiches, salad and wi-fi. But, both have fairly different atmospheres. Zoup! is a place I will go for lunch and leave. Panera is a place I will go for lunch and hang out reading after I finish eating. Also, Panera has coffee and bakery treats. Zoup! will have the better soup selection (as it should). I don't think Zoup! will have much of an impact Panera's business, but it will give midday diners another option.

I'm looking forward to stopping at Zoup! when I take my lunch break at work.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl