Potbelly’s signature sandwich, A Wreck, features layers of Angus roast beef, turkey, hickory-smoked ham, and salami topped with Swiss cheese then toasted to perfection. Don’t forget the fresh-baked cookie! Catering is available.

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

Made-to-order spot caters to families and businesses

By Amy Rogers | Photos by Jessica Gaddy, Shrimp & Grisettes Photography

Do you like your mac and cheese plain or topped with bacon? Is your favorite salad layered with artichokes, apples, avocados or feta? Do you want a few sandwiches for your family, or are you looking to feed a larger group?

Potbelly Sandwich Shop has it covered. The Ballantyne location, open since 2019, is the newest of three owned by Shak Patel. With a menu of made-to-order sandwiches, salads, soups and sides, it’s quickly become a popular neighborhood spot.

The sandwiches aren’t cooked on a potbelly stove, as the name might suggest, yet each shop has one. The stoves are a fun throwback to the original location in a Chicago antique store back in the 1970s.

Today’s customers will smell freshly-baked cookies when they enter the shop. Potbelly staff whip up daily batches of original-recipe chocolate chip, oatmeal and sugar cookies, along with toasty bread to surround meats, cheeses and vegetables in delicious sandwich combinations.

Not sure which of Potbelly’s 15 sandwiches to eat first? Try their signature sandwich, A Wreck. Layers of Angus roast beef, turkey, hickory-smoked ham, and salami are topped with Swiss cheese then toasted to perfection.

Five overflowing salads are on the menu. The most popular one is the Powerhouse, with grilled chicken and an extra protein boost from a hummus scoop. For the Mediterranean, roasted red peppers combine with crunchy cucumbers, chickpeas and red onions on a bed of mixed greens for a colorful presentation. Bananas, berries and Oreo cookies make Potbelly milkshakes practically irresistible.

While dine-in and take-out traffic at the cozy Ballantyne shop have remained brisk during the pandemic, Patel also saw an opportunity to pivot. He and his staff ramped up their catering program.

With a menu of made-to-order sandwiches, salads, soups and sides, Potbelly has quickly become a popular neighborhood spot.

Catering manager Cris Franzese handles the logistics to work with groups of any size, from school and church groups to large retail and corporate clients. With the capacity to deliver breakfast, lunch and dinner to Charlotte and the surrounding areas seven days a week, catering has become a cornerstone of the business.

Potbelly’s website makes online ordering simple and encourages users to customize their picks with dozens of sides and toppings that are guaranteed “to make your sammies sing.” By the individual box, bundle or in bulk, Potbelly Sandwich Shop truly delivers. Just don’t forget those cookies.