Sandwich wishes and peanut butter dreams have now come true in Studio City. A brand new fast casual sandwich bar flaunts the most famed of all nut butters, in varieties and variations only a peanut butter zealot would dream up. Spread PB has just opened featuring a build your own sandwich bar—and your little picky eater is about to go nuts.
Some Enchanted Mealtime
Here’s a lesson in never pooh-pooh your kid’s culinary day dreams, no matter how outlandish. They may be the germ of a future dynasty. For Katie Kerr and Dustin Alpert, destiny was sealed in sixth grade. Across from the lunch table they sat, each clutching their very own version of peanut buttery bliss. Fourteen short years later, these two would honor their protein of choice by dedicating a restaurant to its glory, in all the possible permutations and combinations.
Lunch Gone Nuts
Graham crackers, coconut, granola, Nutella. You name it, they’ve nutted it. Spread PB favorites range from the classics (one base, one spread, one jelly—we’ll get there) to the downright well, nutty (think, banana sushi). But the premise is simple and the outcome is delicious. They’ve made their peanut butter favorites. And they’ve invited you discover yours.
Here’s How It Works
A line-up of their sandwich spreads and fillers are listed and ready for selecting. The Worlds Greatest Wrapper (tortilla filled with a spread, sliced apples, raisins and granola, honey drizzle) might have to wait till the next visit, because the Berry Berry Nuts and Bananas (blueberry bread, a spread, layered with strawberries, blueberries, and bananas) might take top honors on your first trip. No surprise, your monkeys will also go bananas for Give Me S’more (a base, a spread, graham cracker crumbles and marshmallows – can you blame them?). The Elvis goes off the rails with a base, a spread, honey, bananas, and, hold your applause, bacon. Diet Starts Monday is just decadent with dark chocolate, peanut butter, nutella, and chocolate chips. And that’s to name just a few: the list is impressively all-inclusive, pickles to potato chips.
DIY Decadence.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Pick your base.
Breads (try the blueberry, or the cinnamon raisin) to bagels, tortillas to celery sticks. They are not the main event, rather the best supporting layer.
Step 2: Pick your spread.
Now you’re in for some fun. Selections range from the Plain PB to Coconut PB, Maple Bacon PB, Dark Chocolate PB, to Cinnamon Raisin PB. Maple Almond Butter. Banana Chunky PB. There are many more where those came from, but they might necessitate a spoiler alert. (Hello, White Chocolate Blueberry Peanut Butter?!? Awe nuts. Spoiled it.)
Step 3: Choose two toppings.
Alright, this is where the true sandwich greats show themselves. Will your wunderkind pick pickles? (They might.) Pretzels? (Probably.) Blueberries? Apples? Marshmallow fluff? Welcome to after school snacking Nirvana.
Im-pressed.
Whatever your sandwich picks, try it panini’d. It’ll get everything a bit more smushy and gooey. Translation, kid irresistible. Kerry and Dustin will likely be there (look for the smiles beneath the trademark trucker caps) and they’re full of fabulous recommendations. Remember, this peanut butter playground is their brainchild. If you’ve dreamed it, they can probably peanut and panini it.
You Can Snack If You Want To
Not feeling full throttle sandwich? Have a snack. The Spread Sampler comes with your choice of three nut butters and two snack bases (pretty much the snack you’d make everyday if you had the patience). Or maybe Smiles is more what you’re in the mood for. Featuring apple slices layered with a spread and marshmallows in between, it is literally the (bread-free) snack that smiles back.
Drink Your Protein Too
Peanut Butter was born to smoothie. Based on kid reactions to the sipable stuff here, we’re predicting a large expansion in the future of this portion of the menu, but the few that currently showcase are a fun way to sip and sate. Start with the Peanut Butter and Jealous, which largely mimics the PB&J classic combo, only through a straw. The Black and Tan and CocoNutty do additionally delicious things to peanut butter and bananas.
Peanut Butter Birthday Party
Yep. They’re ready when you are. They’ll come with their cart and sandwich to your hearts content. Watch how toddlers can form a line to the left when supplied with ample motivation.
Picnic tables, Peet’s adjacent, (because for tired parents, the only thing that goes better with PB&J than milk is coffee), cozy Adirondacks and a completely kid welcoming vibe. Katie and Dustin are dynamite hosts, and have clearly done their protein passion proud. Once just jelly’s jam, it’s fun to sandwich in the land where peanut butter reigns supreme. Grab the kids and go get a little gooey.
Spread PB: A Peanut Butter Bar
12215 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City
Phone: 818-980-2472
Online: spreadpb.com
What’s your favorite PB combo? Let us know in the comment section!
written and photographed by Jolie Loeb
