“We call it comfort in a bowl,” says Andy Toomire of the house specialty at Zoup!, whose chicken pot pie soup is just one of 100 rotating recipes.
He and partner Matt Sall of Naperville launched the first Illinois location for the Michigan-based franchise in January, perfect weather for soups at the quick-casual eatery that also features made-to-order salads and sandwiches.
Toomire, a Streamwood resident, and Sall met while working for a manufacturer of industrial fasteners. On a business trip, Sall happened to stop for a meal at a Zoup! location in Ohio.
“He really enjoyed the experience, and passed it along it to me; we researched it,” Toomire says. “I’m a soup lover … and the quality of the soup just blew me away. It’s a relatively easy franchise to operate. It seemed to be a really good fit.”
Each day features a dozen soups, including variations on chili, seafood and vegetarian options. The repertoire usually offers one of eight gluten-free choices, including fire-roasted tomato bisque; frontier seven bean; ginger butternut squash; potato cheddar; pumpkin pie bisque; tomato basil; tomato, spinach and brown rice; and zesty three-pepper with chicken.
“We try and have at least one of those out a day,” Toomire says. “We try and carry a dairy-free option, a vegetarian option or two, and something fun for the kids.”
Soups catering to children include cheeseburger royale, Sicilian pizza, and mac and cheese.
Two hit recipes are served daily: chicken pot pie and lobster bisque.
“Part of the allure of Zoup! is we strongly encourage sampling,” says Toomire, noting that on Sall’s first visit in Ohio he tried two or three before picking.
“The whole concept of ‘try it before you buy it’ appealed to him,” Toomire says. “It’s one of the key selling points. We’d rather give away soup and have the customer enjoy the meal and come back.”
With soup comes a hunk of freshly baked sourdough, French or multigrain bread.
The menu includes mulligatawny, a favorite of Kramer’s on “Seinfeld.”
“It’s actually really good,” he says, explaining his personal favorite changes by the day. “I’m partial to the spicy crab and rice and the fire-roasted tomato bisque.”
The dining room, with contemporary touches and warm earth tones, offers casual tables and booths.
Recently lunching was regular customer Kacie MacDougall of Lombard, who says she has a tough time settling on one choice, so she orders a second item to take home.
“I love their variety of soup,” she says. “Something is new to choose from every time.”
MacDougall says her fiancé always orders the chicken pot pie, adding that the soups’ flavors live up to their names.
“The stuffed pepper (soup) tastes exactly like stuffed peppers,” she says.
The restaurant offers catering, including one-gallon tureens of soup.
Diners in a hurry can order and even pay online, and will find their food waiting for them, explains Toomire, adding, “We call it the polite way to cut in line.”
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He and partner Matt Sall of Naperville launched the first Illinois location for the Michigan-based franchise in January, perfect weather for soups at the quick-casual eatery that also features made-to-order salads and sandwiches.
Toomire, a Streamwood resident, and Sall met while working for a manufacturer of industrial fasteners. On a business trip, Sall happened to stop for a meal at a Zoup! location in Ohio.
“He really enjoyed the experience, and passed it along it to me; we researched it,” Toomire says. “I’m a soup lover … and the quality of the soup just blew me away. It’s a relatively easy franchise to operate. It seemed to be a really good fit.”
Each day features a dozen soups, including variations on chili, seafood and vegetarian options. The repertoire usually offers one of eight gluten-free choices, including fire-roasted tomato bisque; frontier seven bean; ginger butternut squash; potato cheddar; pumpkin pie bisque; tomato basil; tomato, spinach and brown rice; and zesty three-pepper with chicken.
“We try and have at least one of those out a day,” Toomire says. “We try and carry a dairy-free option, a vegetarian option or two, and something fun for the kids.”
Soups catering to children include cheeseburger royale, Sicilian pizza, and mac and cheese.
Two hit recipes are served daily: chicken pot pie and lobster bisque.
“Part of the allure of Zoup! is we strongly encourage sampling,” says Toomire, noting that on Sall’s first visit in Ohio he tried two or three before picking.
“The whole concept of ‘try it before you buy it’ appealed to him,” Toomire says. “It’s one of the key selling points. We’d rather give away soup and have the customer enjoy the meal and come back.”
With soup comes a hunk of freshly baked sourdough, French or multigrain bread.
The menu includes mulligatawny, a favorite of Kramer’s on “Seinfeld.”
“It’s actually really good,” he says, explaining his personal favorite changes by the day. “I’m partial to the spicy crab and rice and the fire-roasted tomato bisque.”
The dining room, with contemporary touches and warm earth tones, offers casual tables and booths.
Recently lunching was regular customer Kacie MacDougall of Lombard, who says she has a tough time settling on one choice, so she orders a second item to take home.
“I love their variety of soup,” she says. “Something is new to choose from every time.”
MacDougall says her fiancé always orders the chicken pot pie, adding that the soups’ flavors live up to their names.
“The stuffed pepper (soup) tastes exactly like stuffed peppers,” she says.
The restaurant offers catering, including one-gallon tureens of soup.
Diners in a hurry can order and even pay online, and will find their food waiting for them, explains Toomire, adding, “We call it the polite way to cut in line.”
See original story
