When I go to Mitsuwa, nine times out of ten I also stop by Pastry House Hippo, the cute Japanese…read morebakery located inside the grocery store. This has been my routine for decades, yet I just realized that I had never actually left a rating for it. What makes this bakery especially appealing is its soft, airy, and smooth bread and buns, which are handmade using ingredients sourced directly from Japan. My personal favorite is the red bean bun. While my sister loves their sandwiches and milk bread, which has an incredibly soft, fluffy, and moist texture. All of their bread and buns are made fresh daily. Many years ago, they even allowed their staff to take home any unsold sandwiches and bread at the end of the day! With increasing competition from newer Korean and Taiwanese bakeries, I hope Pastry House Hippo continues to stay competitive. As a self-serve bakery, it would be nice if the buns were individually wrapped, something many other bakeries already do, to help prevent contamination from careless customers. My most recent visit was on the second day of the new year, and I was happy to see the shop bustling with customers. I hope this little bakery continues to thrive for many years to come.

Super disappointed. Picked up the chocolate flourless cake aka Gateau Chocolat Classic. It was…read moresuper dry and burnt at the bottom. In addition to that, it leaves a very weird after taste in the mouth- like artificial sugar was used. For $6.99 (with tax)- it was a waste of money. The place is pretty much self serve- you grab a tray and tongs and they bag everything when you get rung up. Cakes are behind the counter and you order when you get to the register. My interaction was very minimal- the cashier rung me up and I paid.

If you love pastries that melt, flake, crackle, and crunch in all the right ways... 85°C Bakery…read moreCafé is your new best friend. Every pastry on my table was unreal: the almond croissant was buttery and crisp on the outside with the softest layers inside; the cheese bread had that glossy, chewy exterior and sweet creamy pockets; the chocolate bun was rich, moist, and cocoa-packed; and the pineapple bun had that signature sugary crust that breaks like a cookie. Paired it with a creamy iced matcha and a caramel coffee frappe that tasted like liquid dessert. Between the freshness, the textures, and the warm bakery aroma filling the entire place... this is top-tier bakery bliss.

I have been excited to try this place but at every visit so far, they have run out of items even…read morewhen getting there early. it's always disappointing when they are the only 85c in town and i drive out of the way to try the items they rave about on their social media... and they're "sold out". they open at 8 and they are sold out by 9? and ive been there on a saturday when its not even close to closing and they are sold out of almost all bakery items with only drinks available. i happened to get lucky and get a few items the other day and thought the breads were good but not worth the drive anymore. they don't have the breads they used to have with the mochi-like textures and it is too unpredictable what items they will have

The 1 hour and 15 minute drive to Evanston to have tea with my hija-amiga was absolutely worth it…read more Patisserie Corali is a tiny, very popular, and very crowded little gem that serves a beautifully simple high tea in a warm, quaint, country-French setting that instantly puts you at ease. We had a dedicated server who was kind, friendly, and young -- and her slight lack of experience only added to the charm. It felt human, unpolished in the best way, and refreshingly sincere. The classic three-tier stand delivered a joyful tasting journey: savory finger sandwiches, lovely cakes and sweets (including their excellent macarons and madeleines), plus warm buttery scones and tasty mini quiches served separately. It was a cornucopia of small delights; generous, comforting, and clearly made with care. The tea selection is also wonderful and thoughtfully curated. What truly stood out, though, was the lack of pomposity. No stiffness, no theatrics, just good food, good tea, and a feeling that you've been welcomed into someone's home. Easily one of the best high tea experiences in the Chicago area. Lovely, cozy, and full of heart.

This is not a review of their coffee or food. It is a review of their website, which is so gnarly…read moreand difficult to get through that it's virtually impossible to order pickup or delivery. Hard pass.

Oh man, it's so hard to exercise self control to avoid this stall when walking into H Mart. I've…read morenever had a bad pastry here and they're not easy on the wallet. Pastries are fresh, light, never too sweet, and well packaged. These are great to treat yourself or even ask them to box up as a gift when visiting friends or loved ones. Their cream filled croissants and tarts with fruits are awesome. I recently tried their seasonal caramel pretzel donut and it was Devine.... Fluffy light donut with a thin caramel glaze filled with whipped airy custard... already thinking about getting another one. The chocolate dipped rollie croissant with chocolate whipped cream inside is delicious too. The ladies always kindly package my pastries carefully too which I appreciate.

About a 1-1.5: This Paris Baguette is located inside HMart, and while there is a frequent flow of…read morepatrons, their items are just never fresh and always stale! The staff are also unhelpful, and the way the bakery is set up is just not conducive to moving around. No dice, PB. +stale items +located inside HMart +ample parking

A charming café with fantastic service and delicious food. My friend and I both loved our choices…read more I had the Monte Cristo, and she had the bacon, egg, and cheese croissant. The side salads were a pleasant surprise, with dressing that was fresh and light. We enjoyed iced teas at a window table overlooking the square. Highly recommend and already looking forward to going back.

I have seen posts on FB about this place so of course I wanted to try it while I was in the area…read more The place itself gave Parisian cafe vibes that was clean with cute decor and plenty of seating. Unfortunately that's where it stopped for me. They had baked goods on a wall display and a display by the counter, along with cake in a refrigerator. Unfortunately, none of it looked fresh nor did any of it stood out to me or was very appeasing. The regular croissants looked very dry and flaky and the chocolate croissants were flat and smashed looking. Even the cake in the refrigerator looked dry... I did end up buying a lemon blueberry scone along with an almond danish- and I feel like I wasted $10. My 10 year old child thought the scone was old and stale. The almond danish basically was phyllo dough with a big dollop of almond paste- I couldn't even eat half of it. They do have a menu with soup and croissant sandwiches, but they're very over priced. $18.50 for a bacon egg and cheese croissant!?! Hard pass for me. Some advice should you choose to try this place, keep an eye out on your receipt. While I do hope it was an honest mistake- the guy working there was nice- he charged me $6/piece for the scones and the danish when they were actually $5/piece. I did bring it to his attention before I paid and he did adjust the prices. Whatever he rang them up as- was not listed as a "scone" or "danish."

St. Roger Abbey is nestled in Wilmette, having another location out in Birmingham, MI…read more This cute bakery is run by friendly nuns who are trained in the French art of pastry and baking - super impressive! They offer organic French macarons, bread, cookies, jams, various pastries, and even ready-cooked meals that you can order in advance or pick-up in the store. I loved checking out their shelves of jams, pickled veggies, and other nicely packaged boxes that could be great for gifts! We came here for a caffeine fix, and we ordered: +a White Chocolate Mocha - not brewed well; very weak and watered down; no flavor of the white chocolate +a Cafe Latte with almond milk - not brewed well; very weak and watered down +the Leek Delight - seemed a day or so old; it was dry and extremely bland +the Les bugnes d'Albi - this didn't taste like anything - just a fried, unflavored dough, topped with powdered sugar The organic lemon cookies that I purchased to go were actually delicious - I think it's best to just stick with their packaged cookies here. The nuns were nice. They have limited seating inside, and the place seems pretty popular for pastry orders. Plenty of free parking in the front and in the residential area around the block. +organic lemon cookies +friendly nuns +ample parking

Saturday early in the afternoon, stopped for a cup of coffee. Three employees. Line got longer…read moreafter we placed our order. But our order came out pretty quickly. I got blended hazelnut with cold brew large for $5.70. I did not add any flavors or whipping cream. However, it was still sweet with hazelnut flavor. I loved it! I wonder how sweeter it gets with flavor added with whipping cream. Very local coffee shop with many other pastries and chocolate for sale. Good spot for coffee after a meal in the area!

ooooh probably one of the best for chicago suburbs. they have a wide selection and they are all…read morepretty solid. i got the Vietnamese coffee and tastes v authentic. the interior is cute and the staff is super nice. not sure if the staff was super overwhelmed but my friend got the ube coffee drink with milk and it just straight up tasted like ube milk not coffee. :/ recommend altering proportion since the coffee taste isn't even subtle!

Stopped by this bubble tea spot and had such a great experience! The inside was super clean and…read moremodern, and it was really easy to order using the kiosk. We couldn't decide what to get, so of course we ended up with three drinks for my bf and I. A refreshing mango drink, a crème brûlée cold brew, and the cutest cookie cake drink served in a little bear cup (I paid extra for it). They also offer food, which we didn't try this time, but definitely will next visit. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and there's a parking lot right in front which makes it really convenient. Will definitely be coming back!

Too die for if you like sweets. Clearly an art and just as delicious as they are gorgeous.read more

From the owner: Call now for catering or special event orders!read more

This might be one of the best cafe's in the area for tea lovers! I was BLOWN AWAY by their tea…read moreselection. The tea I ordered is now one of my favorite teas. If you like a sweet treat with your coffee or tea they have a large selection. The cafe itself is super cute and the staff members were friendly!

No coffee at a coffee shop -- disappointing. Espresso drinks only. Late was okay -- though no…read morevanilla syrup. It was an odd experience. They do have some European desserts, but no croissants. Likely won't be back.

So I went to Jarosch bakery this morning at their NEW location at 111 Higgins Road, about a block…read moreto the left of their original address. And the new digs look outstanding. I went in early this morning, before 7am, to pick up some paczkis, their awesome cinnamon raisin bread and my dad's favorite, the Swedish Flat. And we weren't disappointed. So the front counter space is big. Their inside space to wait is, I believe, a little bit bigger compared to their old location. They still have their shelving in there with kolaczkis, assorted breads and pre-boxed paczkis. They are still getting everything together from their move and they didn't have a lot of pazckis available, which is ok because we aren't at Fat Tuesday yet amd last year you could place an order for them online. But their customer service is great as usual, and customers leave with smiles on their faces. I asked one of the employees there how have the longtime customers taken to the new building and she said so far it's been a mix. I love the new place and can't wait to see how they perform when they are all don't acclimating to their new home. Also, they have a awesome looking espresso machine but it isn't up and running when I was there. Thanks for being able to replace my hole in my heart when our local bakery closed a ling time ago.

Jarosch Bakery is one of those classic, old-school bakeries that's been serving the Chicago suburbs…read morefor decades, and you can tell the moment you walk in. It has that traditional neighborhood bakery feel with display cases full of cookies, donuts, pastries, breads, and cakes. The bakery has been around since 1959 and is known for making many of its items from scratch, which really shows in the quality. Jarosch Bakery +1 The selection is impressive. Their butter cookies, coffee cakes, sweet rolls, and donuts are standouts, and everything looks fresh and carefully made. If you're picking up dessert for a gathering or ordering a custom cake for a celebration, this is the kind of bakery that has built a reputation for doing those things really well. The place can get busy, especially around holidays, but that's usually a good sign that people keep coming back. Prices are a bit on the higher side compared to grocery store bakeries, but the quality and traditional baking make it worth it. Overall, Jarosch Bakery is a great spot if you appreciate classic bakeries that focus on fresh, scratch-made pastries and desserts. It's the kind of place that feels like a local tradition.