The heavenly scent of freshly baked bread will soon start wafting through the Arts District. With it comes the joy that only a warm crusty loaf can bring: Publican Quality Bread is coming to town.
Baguettes, ciabattas, and traditional sourdough loaves will be on sale when it opens Sunday.
The knead lead is Greg Wade, who won the 2019 James Beard Award for “Outstanding Baker.”
I love everything about it,” the self-described bread head said. “I like the smell of fresh dough as you’re mixing the flour and water together, the kind of ritual of taking care of the starter and feeding it.”
Wade and PQB, the quick version of their name, get deeply involved long before dough meets oven.
“The really important thing for me is, when you’re talking about relationships, it’s trust, and also and being able to do something bigger than what you’re able to do alone. For example, our farmer, he and I talk before every growing season,” Wade said.
Illinois farmers Marty and Will Travis of Spence Farm provide as much of the grain as possible for the organization. They also mill the grain.
“They find really special, unique varieties and grows them in a very particular way – all organic and without chemicals or anything like that,” Wade said.
Back in the kitchen Wade’s team relies on wild yeast for their long fermentation process, which extends up to 30 hours.
“It’s the tastiest way, the best way to make bread. But there’s a whole slew of health benefits that come along with it. The long fermentation process makes it much easier for us to digest. It’s breaking down those complex sugars in a way that doesn’t spike your blood sugar, and it makes all of the nutrients in the whole stone-milled, whole-grain flour bio available to us.”
Oak Park is the first suburban foray for PQB, which is a part of the One Off Hospitality Group. Other restaurants in the group include Avec, Big Star and Dove’s Luncheonette. Its other restaurant, The Publican, inspired Publican Quality Meats and later expanded into breads.
While PQB might have a new footprint in Oak Park, it has a long history here. Its breads have been sold at farmers’ markets, Sugar Beet, and even in the previous incarnation of the Harrison Street location. Elizabeth Madden, owner of Rare Bird Preserves, brought them into the space.
“Elizabeth was very supportive in getting us connected to the landlord as she was making her decision to close her business and finding somebody to pass the torch on to,” said Donnie Madia, partner in One Off Hospitality and PQB.
Roman Pizza from Publican Quality Bread | Courtesy Publican Quality Bread 
Pistachio & Amarena cherry maritozzi at Publican Quality Bread | Photo by Kelly Sandos Credit: Kelly Sandos 
Roman Pizza from Publican Quality Bread | Courtesy Publican Quality Bread 
Pastry selections from Publican Quality Bread | Photo by Kelly Sandos Credit: Kelly Sandos 
Bread at Publican Quality Bread | Courtesy of Publican Quality Bread 
Greg Wade of Publican Quality Bread | Photo by Kelly Sandos Credit: Kelly Sandos 
Publican Quality Bread | Photo by Risé Sanders-Weir
What’s on the menu?
When doors open daily at 7 a.m. pastries like lemon meringue croissants and pistachio and Amarena cherry-filled maritozzi, or brioche-like buns, will get mouths watering.
“I try to use the appropriate grain for the appropriate products. For example, we’ve got a wonderful whole wheat croissant. Our Danish is made with a heritage cornmeal, so it tastes wonderfully of corn, but also really buttery,” Wade said.
La Columbe is the coffee bean provider.
“We believe that their coffee pairs really well,” Madia said. “It is sweeter and not bitter. They don’t over roast. And I think that’s a really good partnership for Greg’s baking.”
When lunch comes around, Big Sandwich is a PQB staple – a Roman-style bread split and filled with ingredients that change with the seasons. Open faced Tartines and Jambon-Beurre are also on offer.
From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., the menu shifts to center around five core pizzas.
Wade explains the crust: “It is going to be crisp, but it’s also going to be light and airy. And really have a good rich flavor to it.”
The pizzas will be served “al taglio” (sliced and sold by weight) at the counter. Whole pies will be available for pickup and delivery. Veggie sides and salads will round out the food offerings, and a selection of Chicago craft beers and globally sourced wines will be available, as well.
Of course, there are desserts. One that will require a double take is tiramisu served in a house-made waffle cone…a walking dessert you didn’t know you needed until now.
This location is a homecoming of sorts. Founding partner Donnie Madia and CEO Karen Browne are both Oak Park residents and Greg Wade lives nearby in Berwyn.
“It’s a really big deal for us,” Madia said. “We want to act as a supplement to all the other great pastries, bakeries and businesses in in Oak Park. We want to add to what Oak Park already has.”
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Info for Graphics
Address: 211 Harrison Street, Oak Park
Website: www.publicanqualitybread.com
Hours: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily