Butter and sugar never tasted so good together. It is such a treat to have Hewn right down the street. Their croissants are crunchy and their coffee is strong. My absolute favorite pastries are their Kouin Amons. So good I tried to recreate them with my sister who is a pastry chef at the Ritz Carlton in California. We tried but didn't even come close to Hewn's golden lusciousness. It is worth a stop or two or three. read more

This place is so good. It should be a crime to make bread so delicious. The almond croissant's are like heaven.

It starts with great people who make you feel welcome every time you walk through the door. Then you move to the pecan pie which is, hands down, the best I've ever tasted (and I've tasted a lot). Thank you Hewn for helping us end a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner with a wonderful taste treat. Everything is good but the pecan pie is something you don't want to miss. read more

Met a friend here for lunch on Friday at noon. The biggest downside to this place is that there are not a ton of options available on a day-to-day basis. While it seems like they have a big selection, they don't have all those options in stock so to speak. There were two sandwich options, and we got one of each to try. The brie and spinach sandwich I had was delicious. I really felt like I was back on my trip to France last summer, crusty bread on the outside, soft on the inside. The brie was gooey, and the sandwich was seasoned well and very tasty. They also had 2 salad options a beet salad and a quinoa salad. We tried the quinoa salad which again was well seasoned. We also shared a chocolate croissant, which also took me back to France. The only other downside, to not a lot of variety is the lack of seating inside the store, or right in front. We walked a ways to find a nice park bench to sit on and enjoy our treat. read more

Very good KOUIGN AMANN and croissant their KOUIGN AMANN is not too sweet. Cute local place for morning coffee and bread. Better quality bread and pastry than a lot of fancy places in the city. I have been tried croissant in about 5 high rate places on yelp , Hewn is the best in my experience read more

My favorite bakery in Evanston, I love dropping in to see what surprises I find that day. Wonderful heritage breads, great pastries and good coffee. Nothing better. read more

This is such a cute little bakery in Evanston, I went there when I was visiting Chicago. The croissants are excellent and the peach galette are amazing! I will definitely be coming back here! read more

The chocolate croissants are to die for. You shouldn't need more of a reason to go to Hewn than this, but in case you need one, the breads and lunch offerings are also really good. read more

I typically always enjoy my experience at Hewn. The environment, staff, and delicacies are outstanding. Today, however, was quite the opposite. I walked in and was perusing the daily treats, and after only a minute I became overheated and needed to leave. I cannot understand how a bakery does not have air conditioning - and I cannot imagine how the staff survives there. Hopefully I won't need to avoid Hewn until the fall... read more

My wife and I like to discover new places where the food is good; we lived and traveled in Italy and France for several years and in our opinion there are only few places in the Chicago area where the cappuccino, the cortado and the croissants are good enough to be compared to those we have known while in Europe. Every time I enjoy the cappuccino and the croissant at Hewn Bakery my unnecessarily complicated "Made in Italy" brain wonders: why places like Starbucks are so popular and still in business? By the way...The cappuccino made by Samantha is creamy, the temperature is always right, the balance between coffee and milk close to perfection and, last but not least, it is aesthetically inviting. read more

Great croissants brioche and bread. Scones are good, but don't stand out in the same way.

First I am biased because I love bread. Second, I love sweets, and third I love coffee. So I am already walking into a place I know (or most likely know) I will love. But Hewn surpassed what I was expecting. The space was smaller than I expected- there are no tables- but the environment was so cozy and quaint I felt at home right away. It was a Tuesday morning and I didn't expect it to be as busy as it was- but people were so friendly in line I didn't mind waiting. I ended up talking to the woman in front of me and we realized our kids go to the same school. That is a sidebar- but I also like that this is a real neighborhood bakery. The woman that helped me was really nice and super patient with me. I know I was sort of annoying asking so many questions about their bread, how its made- I like to think of myself as a bread nerd. The woman behind the counter didn't seem fazed by any of my questions and my new "line friend" also added some info about where Hewn sources their flour. My line friend also told me I should get the loaf sliced since with a house full of kids who wants to slice bread. Anyhow- I decided to order the "Country" bread since I wanted to make sure my kids would eat it and they are not always the most adventuresome. Then Pastries there were so many to choose from. I kept it pretty straight forward and went for a chocolate croissant, morning bun, a blueberry muffin and a cinnamon swirl thing. I also ordered a soy latte. While I waited for my coffee I sat on the church pew they have in the store and decided to eat a little of the chocolate croissant. That was a mistake- I ate the whole thing and then also took a little bite of the morning bun. Thank god my coffee order was up before I could eat more- it was so good! My latte was tasty- just the right amount of foam. I took the bread home - and I am grateful to my line friend who told me to get the bread sliced- literally my 2 sons tore into the bread faster than I could unwrap it. They devoured it- and loved it. I poured a bowl of olive oil with a little balsamic and dipped a slice of bread into it for myself and it was amazing! I know I started this out saying I am totally biased because I love carbs- but this bread was something special! I ate 3 slices before my husband came home. I should be ashamed- but I wasn't. Bottom line- go to Hewn and don't buy a ton of things because you will eat all of them. I am glad I don't live so close that I can go everyday- but I live close enough that I have started going at least once a week. read more

The service here is usually arrogant, but until recently, it's been worth it for the high-quality baked goods. Not anymore. On two of my last three visits, I've been served items that were dry, hard and almost certainly a day old. The first time it was a Nutella brioche loaf, and today it was a croissant. So, I don't know if they're scrimping by selling stale merchandise or if their baker has lost her mojo, but this is now officially a place to avoid, especially at the elevated prices they charge. BTW, I returned the croissant and was not offered a refund. Caveat emptor. read more

Great Bread, a little patience is needed sometimes because they greet and chat with their customers. This is a business and a brand, not sure if the uppity/hurried customer can deal with waiting a moment for Fresh products. The place is clean and feels like a part of the neighborhood. Love it, I do. read more

I came in and had to order 3 times. They would ask me what I wanted...and then ask me again 15 seconds later. Weird. Tried their mocha and lemon pound cake. The mocha was okay. The lemon pound cake was disgusting. It was the worst cake I've ever tasted. read more

Three strikes and you're out, Hewn. We went back today to experience the recent expansion and while it's bigger, it's still the same old let down. In all fairness, the bread is good and the coffee is usually nice ... it's just that the service is so, so bad. Other folks have mentioned it here so I know it's not just us - you're made to feel like a burden every time you're there. I want to like everything about this place, but when you feel like an intruder every time you're there, it's just not worth the effort. read more

Hewn is a very good bakery , if you can afford it.Not many people can fork out $10 for bread or $3.50 for a croissant. Enjoy 1%'ers , you 'ricks read more

Recently expanded with larger pastry case. Tried the mini monkey bread and Kouign-amann -- both excellent. Great selection of bread. Friendly helpful staff. Nice outdoor seating. Will definitely be back.... read more

This is one of my favorite places to pop in for coffee and a quick snack. The espresso is delicious and I adore the pastries! It's a darling space and I've never been disappointed walking in there. read more

Adore anything and everything that is baked here. True artisan bread made with love. My go to bread is the simple country loaf, although potato rosemary is yummy too. And the savory scones! Too bad the prices had to go up, and my country loaf seems a tad smaller. But the expanded store is nicer, they have a bread slicer now. Its our favorite neighborhood place. Are you selling the special local ancient grain bread? read more

MMM - best ever fresh croissants, brioche, and espresso in the morning, still warm from the oven...artisan bread, salads, cookies, sandwiches to go for lunch and dinner. Beautiful, hand made bread with a thick crust, daily special flavors, this is a new Evanston treasure. We will be here often! read more

They have some of the most wonderful breads you can find. And a very nice but limited desert baked goods. My problem is it feels as though an interior designer placed everything in the store for a photo opp. The young people that service the counter seem to have no enthusiasm for the lovely things they are selling. I'd love to see them in white aprons with some flower on it and the aroma of bread barreling through the bakery doors. It's as sterile as a Panera's . The day I was there they had three types of pre-made sandwiches and the two I tasted where good but very simple and on the lean side with one on sliced bread that was cut very thin. You can take it outside,they made a wonderful outdoor bench seat, but no table and no umbrella. And now where but inside to discard paper and cups. I just don't understand why they don't celebrate the wonderful idea they have going for them. It's a terrific effort but it has no feel of being great bakers, instead I feel like the breads where brought there from another source. read more

Great bakery with fun pastries and amazing breads. Fantastic place to grab coffee and enjoy yourself. Great service.

I stepped into Hewn while I was visiting Evanston and had a really great experience. They have excellent customer service and the food is amazing! Julie and Ellen who run the bakery are extremely friendly and give off a family feel at the bakery. I would definitely recommend their monkey bread, but you can't go wrong with most of their stuff. read more

Stopped in for a quick loaf 15 mins before close, and no surprise they were pretty much out, but we were recommended a certain Hewn bread. It was positively amazing! This is a must try if you are visiting Evanston! read more

I've been meaning to stop in here for a while and finally did on my way to work this morning - and was not disappointed! Everything looked delicious. I finally settled on a savory scone and it was great! Chewy and flavorful, wish I had a cup of soup to eat it with. The thing that turned my experience into a 5 star review was the WONDERFUL latte I splurged on. Usually places that specialize in baked goods or food have acceptable but not amazing coffee (compared to actual cafes) so I was really surprised and happy at how tasty the latte from Hewn was. I'll be back for more :) read more

I live right around the corner and I can't keep away! The breads and cookies I have tried are out-of-this-world fantastic. Great customer service. Highly recommended! read more

I drive all the way from the far northern suburbs to get their bread. With a gluten sensitivity (not celiac), I don't get to eat bread. A friend with a similar condition told me about Hewn- the method they use to proof the bread, and the riser, helps break down the protein so it is more digestible. At least that's what she told me. I drove down to Hewn, walked in, and was overwhelmed by that wonderful smell.The whole experience was great,. I bought a loaf of the spent grain and the potato breads, and ate them over the next week. No problems. This may not be a frequent thing for me but what a treat. The spent grain in particular- how clever! Using the grain left over from craft brewers! If you want to be reminded of those wonderful bread bakeries you visited in Europe, or if you just want great bread, go to Hewn. It's more than 5 stars. read more

This bakery is smaller, but better, than Bennison's. Bread's great, croissants are great. And whoever wrote that there's nothing unforgettable there has never tried the KOUIGN AMANN pastry. Amazing. read more

I've been to Hewn several times since they opened a couple of weeks ago and have very much enjoyed everything I've gotten. The croissants are perfect - just the right amount of flaky, buttery yumminess. I've also gotten delicious scones and baguettes. The coffee is great, too (I like a cappuccino). The staff are friendly, helpful and enthusiastic. I'm excited that Hewn has moved to the Dumpster neighborhood and I plan to be a frequent customer. read more

The absolute best scone I've ever eaten in the Chicago area. Crunchy on the outside, very tender on the inside, barely sweet (the way it should be). $3, but big and worth every cent. My only criticism is the blueberries didn't have much flavor. I will definitely go back to try more since everything looked delicious. They are building a lovely "parklet" which would make eating outside delightful. read more

On my first visit I got morning buns, pain au chocolat, olive rolls, and spelt bread - all were delightful. A little pricey with the small items, but the quality is great. Have to try more before giving a full five stars. I recommend stopping in to this place if you're in Evanston. read more

The best Challah I've had in my 20+ years in Chicago!! On my way to try their Whole Wheat and Rye breads.

I don't understand the glowing reviews for this place. Maybe their breads are really good? My husband and I bought 5 different pastries from Hewn and all five were so dry, potentially old, and terrible. The Nutella mini brioche looked great, but was dry, not buttery and soft, how brioche should be, and had a hollowed out space where the Nutella should have been...it had all cooked down and was only occupying 1/3 of the space and was grainy. It just had been in the oven too long. Next was the almond croissant. Never in my life have I had an almond croissant where the realization of the almond part amounted to throwing almonds on the top of it. There was no almond paste on the inside. No almond flavor on the inside at all. What??? And again, if you have ever eaten a good croissant, you know that soft flakey goodness that comes from all that butter. There was no butter taste at all and it was stick in the throat dry, dry dry. Next up, kouign amann. The flavor on this was actually good on the outside, even though, again, it was not buttery broiche-y. But if it weren't so dry, it would have been pretty OK. Next, the chocolate almond croissant. The same problems as the almond croissant. Just a terrible, dry croissant. It did have a nice layer of chocolate in it, though. Last, and the most offensive was the mini monkey bread. The outside was rock hard. Monkey bread is soft and sticky. Against my better judgement, I bit into this and the outside had been overcooked so much that what should have been the sticky outside part was so hard it just stuck to my teeth. Wow. We didn't finish one thing we bought here. Everything was seriously over baked and not fresh. What a shame and waste of money. Our experience was terrible. read more

We have tried HEWN breads now multiple times. The problem with their breads is that they are tasteless. The crust is great but beyond that it almost does not matter which bread you pick -- they all taste the same. read more

Hewn is trying to project a certain brand: cute, artisanal, neighborhoody. They've got the cute part down pat: salvaged-wood counter-top, pretty display case, chalkboard lists, touchscreen pay. The problem is that what they're selling doesn't live up. The mostly sourdough loaves look great on the shelf but are nothing to write home about. Baguettes are good. Their signature koign-amand somehow manages to be both dry and heavy. Doughy chocolate croissants sport barely a smear of chocolate inside. There is a kind of "insider" vibe sometimes, as regulars get greeted (and as others have mentioned, sometimes invited to jump the line). That's no big deal; I see it as part of their self-branding. What's strange is the pretentiousness. One small example. Hewn doesn't have a bread-slicer because, as the owner told me, their "artisanal loaves" are meant to be eaten immediately--which makes sense until you remember that much better bakers, like the folks at Publican, will gladly run their far-superior loaves through a slicer. Hewn is about as good as it gets in Evanston, and they know it. read more

Hewn is convenient, highly stylized and really hip...just not careful. I am intolerant of garlic, and so I always ask if an item contains garlic. If I eat garlic by accident, I won't become short of breath and end up in the emergency room--that's what an allergy does--but I develop stomach pain immediately and other GI tract effects that can last for hours. Today, I stopped in to buy a caprese sandwich, and when I asked if it had garlic, the employee said 'no'. I brought it home, cut it in half to share with my husband, took a few bites, and i could immediately tell that the pesto on the sandwich contained fresh garlic. I went back to the store, and the owner confirmed that it does, and that I had eaten garlic. So my mouth is now burning, my stomach hurts, and my summer weekend day will be a lot less pleasant. Good thing I don't have a true food allergy, or might be in the ER right now. read more

As I am always looking for a good bakery, I went to Hewn Bakery over the weekend. I bought some chocolate croissants and a blueberry scone. The blueberry scone was okay. The Hewn scone's' consistency was not bad, however, I prefer Taste of Heaven's (5401 N. Clark Chicago) scones' taste (flavorful, can taste the blueberries, etc). I think (but not sure) the Hewn croissants are authentic (croissants should have a crusty exterior, soft on the inside, lots of space between the layers and not flat and smooth, etc). However, I prefer "Libanais" (4708 W. Touhy Avenue, Lincolnwood) croissants. The Libanais croissants are buttery, more "moist" and flavorful. Again, I am no expert on croissants and how they should be made or taste. I just prefer the Libanais croissant taste better. It is just a matter of taste. From the other yelp comments, the breads sound good, so I may go back and try some of thier bread products and maybe give the croissant another try. read more