Cosi

Così is a casual restaurant chain built around sandwiches on hearth-baked flatbread, and this location serves the Downtown Boston crowd. The menu draws on the founder’s travels, pairing the bread with combinations of fresh ingredients and herbs, and the restaurant is listed under both American and Italian dining. The concept grew out of one man’s search for a better sandwich, and the flatbread remains at the center of the brand.

The brand’s story starts with founder Drew Harré, who left West Auckland, New Zealand, at 17 and later decided to solve his frustration at not finding a decent sandwich in Paris. He apprenticed with two brothers baking their family’s flatbread in an old bakery near Piazza Navona, had an Italian craftsman build an authentic hearth, and named his bistro after the Mozart opera Così fan tutte. The first Così opened on the rue de Seine in Paris on May 1, 1989.

What to Know

• Takeout is available.
• The chain has served millions of guests since its founding.
• Listed in the Downtown Boston Alliance directory.