Middling iced coffee (a bit more watery than I like) but very tasty and fresh Brie sandwich with excellent bread! It would be nice if there were an option to have it slightly warmed (not melted) because I tried a few bites fresh in the cafe but enjoyed it more after walking through the conservatory gardens, by which point the cheese had softened for a satisfying chewy / creamy bite. read more

Lea - Brie Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Unfortunately, this location packages every order in multiple layers of landfill plastics/ single-use disposal packaging, even if you ask them not to. Not a sustainable choice and nearby businesses should take note. There is a decent amount of seating in a nicely designed space. Touch screens actually say you can take it for here but it's not the case. Quiche is excellent for fast casual format. read more

Lea - Packaging - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Piping hot coffee that burns your tongue, and pastries hard enough to break a tooth but taste good. read more

Lea - Hot coffee - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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(G)o or no go - Go! Cute French cafe in the loop, limited seating, very popular around 9:30am. (W)ow - Delicious croque monsieur (A)mbiance - Quirky and adorable decor (M)enu - solid breakfast options, only downside was the croque monsieur took a while to prepare so..slow service if you're in a rush for breakfast. Le Marais was huge, great portion size. read more

Lea - Decor - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Popped in for breakfast and coffee at Lea. Tried the breakfast baguette and it was filled with egg, bacon, and cheese. Very hearty sandwich, could definitely be split between two people. I also had an iced vanilla latte! It was very good but a little sweeet for me, would probably ask for less vanilla flavor next time. Lea is great because you can order on your own on tablets at the front of the shop so there wasn't a line to order even though it was very busy. Even though it was packed, the food came out very quickly (and the food and coffee came out at the same time, which was nice). I think it's a really fun spot to stop in and sit for a quick breakfast or to get food to go. read more

Lea - Interior - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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One of the best breads/sandwiches I've ever had. The French baguette is so so amazing. Perfectly substantial bread with so much heft, yet nicely chewy on the inside. The sandwich itself was caprese, which was fine. Mozzarella was real fresh. I wish they also had like a veggie sub type sandwich. But seriously, top notch. Also, I had an almost croissant to go and that turned out to be good. Can't wait to be back again. read more

They've adopted a people-less ordering system, so your only interaction with employees is when they call your name to get your order (or none, if you order online for pickup). When I came in there was a line of at least five people at the single ordering station that was open; the other two were out of service. That was a real drag for sure. There's no parking here whatsoever. You're half a block from Michigan Ave, half a block from Wacker, half a block from Wabash. There is commercial parking if you want to risk it, though it's almost $4 for 15 minutes (nope, I didn't pay for it, but was curious). Across the street from the bakery, on the southwest corner of Garland and Lake, is a 15-minute standing zone--and I got real lucky in that a space was open there. I picked up a couple breakfast sandwiches here and they were one of the best I've had anywhere. They use the baguette bread for them and that makes a huge difference in the quality. Service was fine and they were really apologetic for the wait time. I wish I lived much closer so that I could visit more often, but it's not too long a walk from my workplace so I may stop in again sometime. As of September 2024 or earlier, they... don't offer straws. If you ask for one they'll tell you they don't have them. read more

Lea - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We were looking for a place to have a brunch and a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, today is just an awfully busy day. The soup was absolutely cold and we have waited probably 25 to 30 minutes to get our order. The food was just OK overall if you're going to try anything the Quiche Potagere was the absolute best. Otherwise just OK for us. Not sure we would return again. The staff also do not seem very friendly. There's not many tables inside and they're extremely crowded. read more

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My rating is more like 3.5!! This is another French cafe in the town! I met my friends for a quick Sunday brunch at Lea Cafe. We shared Le Croque Madame, Le Croque Avocat, La Potagère Quiche, and Le Vendôme Chicken Baguette from the menu. Everything was honestly super delicious. Surprisingly Baguette was amazing. It didn't look like much at first but the taste totally blew me away. All of our coffees were decent too. My least fave was probably the Le Croque Chèvre (the one with goat cheese). I'm just not the biggest fan of goat cheese, and it was a little too much for me, but that's on me. The vibe was French bakery style.. cozy, chill and nothing too fancy. They have self-service ordering system. You gotta order through a machine, and it doesn't give you room to customize your order. Also, since it's in the Loop, the area can get sketchy with homelessness around, in the loop. On my last visit, a person just walked in to make some chaos. If you're looking for a light brunch option, this is a perfect spot with right portion sizes. read more

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Very cute interior but mid overall. I ordered a decaf americano and saw it came from a prepackaged single serving packet, like a tea bag you put directly into the machine. I can't be a snob for wishing it was freshly ground beans can i? Tasted pretty bland and water ratio was off. The tomato and mozzarella baguette was good, nothing spectacular but it is a simple thing. I did enjoy the almond butter croissant though, and saw a pistachio one that looked delish. I wouldn't come again but it was a nice place to stumble upon for lunch. read more

Lea - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cute place to grab a quick coffee or pastry. We stopped by for a afternoon pick me up and grabbed a pain au chocolat - it was perfect. Light, airy, buttery, good quality chocolate. Would definitely come again. The place was busy and no seating available at the time. read more

Lea - pain au chocolat - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Lea is a hidden gem tucked away on a side street in the Loop, offering an impressive selection of bakery items and sandwiches. I stopped in one morning for a pain au chocolat and an iced latte. The pastry was outstanding--perfectly buttery, light, and flaky, easily the best I've had in Chicago. While the latte was fairly standard, the quality of the baked goods alone makes this spot worth a daily visit. When you enter the building you are met by two self-service kiosks with the main counter to the right. The dining area itself is spotless and brightly lit with French decoration. I was also happy to see they're opening a new location across from the Bean too. read more

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Great location across from the bean and good variety with the menu. I got the mushroom tartine and goat cheese/avocado tartine (you get to choose 2 for $13). The mushroom one was fantastic, no notes. The avocado one had avocado that was a bit too brown in places but other than that tasted great. The place is small so seating is tight. read more

Lea - Tartines and salad and croque monsier with fruit - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I really liked this place. Found it randomly while on a hunt to find breakfast options. Liked the vibe of this place from outside so decided to go in, they have a kiosk ordering system and order is ready within a reasonable time frame. Their baguette sandwiches are incredibly delicious and the coffee truly hits the spot. I went there a bunch of times during my visit of 5 days and that says a lot. They have a huge variety of desserts too. read more

This is becoming my favorite spot in the loop for baguette sandwiches and pastries. I especially like their baguette, crossiant, apple tartlette and lemon bar. Very efficient because you order at one of the three tablets. They pack your order and call your name. The place has a parisan feel and there are about a dozen tables. You may or may not get a table depending on how busy they are. I would recommend going earlier rather than later because they do sell out of items. read more

Lea - Pastries - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I got the Le Marais sandwich. Good sandwich and bread was delicious! But unfortunately my egg was burnt and it ruined the flavor of the sandwich ): Staff were very nice otherwise. I would come back but just order a different sandwich. read more

Lea - burnt egg - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Only a handful of selection - but amazing taste. Ambience is cafe vibes. Only negative thing is - sitting is circular tables for two. Bigger party will have tough time finding place to sit. Perfect to carry out. Great coffee. Sandwiches are good value for money. Croissant and baguettes were freshly baked. Yum! read more

Lea - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's really cute, reasonably priced and the food is delicious but you order at a kiosk and then wait for you food. We waited longer than I anticipated and the place was very full. The food was VERY good. The staff were amazing they were working hard the whole time. But I didn't love waiting 20-30 minutes for a quiche, croissant and coffee. Also they only give you good to go, i would like if they were more eco friendly and used reusable plates. The only reason why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was because the service was so slow and I don't love eating out of boxes and would appreciate if they used reusable plates and silverware. read more

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My sandwich was delicious - the bread was amazing. Orders are placed at a kiosk which makes service efficient and maximizes the small space. Counter staff is friendly and helpful. They are officially the keeper of the keys: the restroom keys. I love that the bottled water comes reusable aluminum bottles. read more

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Lea is a French cafe on Lake Street just west of Michigan Avenue. My lovely wife and I stopped in at Lea recently for a snack. You place your order and pay at a kiosk with a card (they are a cashless establishment). Someone calls out your name and hands you your order once it is ready. We snagged a table in the colorfully cozy cafe, as well as cups of ice water. My love and I split a pain au chocolat, and it was hard to divide into two as it was deliciously flaky without being too sweet. read more

Solid 4. Cute place. Not 100% what you'll get in Paris but close enough. One of the best croissants outside of Paris. You can order via kiosk so no direct service. read more

Great carrot curry soup and excellent latte. You order at a kiosk near a wall of rolling pins. Your name is called to eat in at about 14 small tables or you can take out. Cute and cozy. read more

We stopped in to share a pastry at Lea, and I felt the space was so cozy. Definitely not a lot of seating, but on a late-morning Saturday, nobody had an issue getting a seat. The pasty was buttery and flaky, with a bit of chocolate inside for a sweet twist. Worth noting - they do not accept cash, and ordering is done at a kiosk. Perhaps they have had a pickpocketing issue, as there are several signs posted to warn of this. Given the layout of the place, (long, narrow with one door), I also wondered if the signs were posted just out of an abundance of caution. The decor is very charming and vintage-inspired. Our server was upbeat when handing over our order at the counter. I would definitely come back, but I'd also have a plan B in place in case of it being crowded. read more

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Great little bakery perfect for an easy breakfast and coffee. We were staying nearby and stopped in one day for an easy breakfast and some coffee. The latte was great and the croissant breakfast sandwich was delish. We liked it so much we went back the next day! Service was good, you order at an iPad and wait for your name to be called. Simple and easy. The place is busy so it's tough to find seats but it's a really cute little spot. read more

Ok I now owe a big thanks to my fellow yelpers. I was downtown and wanted a quick bite for lunch. Lea was the first place that came up on my yelp search. Place looks new. It's on Lake between Michigan and Wabash. Not a lot of tables. Assume most the business is carry out. I had a delicious Le Saint German sandwich on a fresh and crusty baguette. Ingredients were fresh and a perfect combination. Sandwich came with a bag of chips. Which I'll have another day. I'm looking forward to returning. Maybe try soup, pastries, or another sandwich. Final note. Prices, especially for the loop, were extremely reasonable. Again thanks to the many yelpers who rated this place as amazing. You were so correct read more

First, the picture of my salad doesn't do the amount of goat cheese they included generous. It was about 60% goat cheese, which I didn't mind, given the salad was on the pricey side without any protein. I do wish, though, they had given more than two puny pieces of baguette to go with the broccoli and cheddar soup I got. Ordering system was easy and straightforward (you tap what you want and pay via the tablets set out as soon as you step inside) but there were definitely some kinks in actually getting the food. My best friend had ordered a quiche which came with a side salad on the menu, only when she opened the bag and then the container, it just had the quiche. She ended up going to the counter and asking for the salad - they didn't charge her for it (though, to be fair, it was really only a heap of greens and a thimble of dressing). Then I had ordered an Arnold Palmer and waited, and waited, only to realize it was just sitting on the counter. If you sit further away from the counter, it definitely gets hard to hear your name being called. The soup was on the watery side and not super flavorful but as with most things, I ate all of it anyway. Maybe I should have gotten one of their baguette or croissant sandwiches instead. read more

Lea - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

THE GOOD * Le Croque Avocat - 4 out of 5 - Good flavor and quite hefty. Very glad I shared it with my wife. Not sure I'd want to eat that all single-handedly. - Came with a bag of chips THE BAD * I like that it's a self-order.... but it would still be nice to be acknowledged by staff. Have some personality and personability. * Almost all the tables had crumbs. * Under one of the tables, it looked like someone had dropped their drink awhile back. THE UGLY * n/a read more

Lea - Le Croque Avocat 4 out of 5. Good flavor but also quite heavy. Glad I split with my wife. - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had to go to Millennium Station to catch a train and had a 2 hour wait time so looked up close coffee shops. I was very curious since this was a Parisian Sandwich shop and I have never been to one! The ordering process was easy enough just order from an ipad and customize however you want! I got a BLT croissant sandwich but added chicken. It was seriously the flakiest croissant i have ever had. The added chicken was cooked just right not dry at all and the bacon was a decent thickness. The Cafe Au Laut was the best I have ever had. (Usually it just takes like boiled milk) You could actually taste the coffee flavor! And that Apple Tartlet tasted as beautiful as it looked! It was also super clean and the restrooms were roomy and super clean too! I will be stopping by every time now! My order for the 3 items was under $19. What a steal! read more

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Hidden gem lunch spot! Happy we stumbled across this place as it's delicious, fresh and reasonably priced. The baguette was so good and my coworker said that the croissant used for her sandwich was great too. For lunch in the loop, a big sandwich with chips being only $12 is a good deal. I also ordered a cookie but I'd probably skip that next time as it was a little over cooked and honestly I was so full from the sandwich and chips that I didn't need it. They have a full selection of beverages including coffee abs tea, as well as breakfast items including pastries. Makes sense as they are open 8am-3pm they are catering towards the breakfast and lunch crowd. Ambiance is super cute too, but seating can be limited as they get busy for lunch. read more

Lea - Le Vendome - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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1st time trying this place. Great place for a quick bite & variety sandwiches, pastries I got the new LE VENDÔME sandwich. read more

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Warm and cozy, quiche was delicious, coffee was good and apple pastry was perfection.

First time trying this place because we are staying near by. We're delighted by their menu and the food they served! Their breakfast sandwiches are amazing and the overnight oats is a must try. Will definitely recommend them to anybody. read more

Lea - Inside look. - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm not the biggest fan of bread but when walking past this place my husband and I were so inclined to stop in! I'm glad we did. We just ordered an almond chocolate croissant. I'm also not a fan of chocolate but it was so good. It was just a hint of it and actually balanced out the dough really well. What I loved mostly is the very cute tables, pictures and the smallness (is that a word?) if the place. It made you feel like you were in Paris at a little cafe. There are few tables but the perfect amount. It was around 1:30 and they close at 3 so it wasn't packed but I imagine it could be if you came earlier in the day. I recommend stopping here, even if bread isn't your thing, I bet you will find something you enjoy. read more

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Technically a 3.5, but rounding up to 4 since local cafes are way better than another Starbucks. Pls no more Starbucks. Really happy to see a new, cute cafe in the loop area! Aaand it's open on the weekends! I stopped by Saturday morning and tried their cafe au lait and the croque madame. Prices are pretty reasonable (4ish$ for coffee, 10-12$ for sandwiches), portion sizes not bad, and there is quite a bit of seating inside. When I went it was pretty busy and loud and seemed more like a tourist rest stop than a place to study or work. Coffee was fine and the croque madame was ok. I was expecting it to be a bit more flavorful, and the bread was tougher than expected. I hate eating food with my hands unless absolutely necessary, but the plastic fork and knife were no match for that baked in-house baguette. Another small complaint is that the tables that were available weren't very clean and we wiped it down ourselves. read more

In an effort to try out a couple more breakfast/brunch spots during our stay in Chicago, we decided to swing by Lea, which is a French-style cafe just a block or so from the riverfront. Ordering is straightforward and completely through a kiosk - we opted for a Le Parisien (lightly smoked ham, swiss, salted butter), pain au chocolat, and coffee. Was pretty intrigued by the croque madame but wanted something easier to eat on the go. At first bite, the sandwich was cold, and I realized I didn't order one of the toasted options. But, the baguette had a great texture, chewy on the inside and somehow crunchy on the exterior despite not being heated up. I think this is the first sandwich I've had where the simplicity of the filling really puts the spotlight on the bread - definitely made me want to visit France and see how this place compares. read more

Lea - Le Parisien and pain au chocolat - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First coming in, they have tablets where you can place orders at without going to a cashier, which I like. Inside is very clean and they got good sandwich options as well. I got a chocolate and almond croissant - both tasted very fresh. The croissants here are unique, in a way that they are very soft and airy - not dense at all. The outside is slightly crispy/flakey and isn't super buttery or heavy. I think this will be a good option for people who want a lighter croissant for breakfast. I still prefer my croissants with more texture when biting into them. However, not a bad croissant at all! read more

This is probably the best thing that happened in the loop after my absolute favorite cute little tonis patisserie closed!! ( although it is not as close to me but still good for a short walk) I didn't get to try any food today since I already got lunch at my other favorite ( peri peri) but I did try their iced latte and it's a solid latte ! The ambience inside is very nice. Super chic and very Parisian . Loved the various French posters throughout the cafe . Can't wait to come back and try some of the yummy snacks. My drink was a little delayed due to their pos being a little new and not functioning well, but they did apologize after a ten min wait and the drink was yummy! read more

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I stopped by Lea early on Sunday morning, inquiring as to the "time" one would need to return to assure chocolate croissant. The friendliness of Jenna brought me back a few hours later. I ordered that croissant, along with coffee and a superfood type parfait. Thanks, Jenna, for your kindness. read more

Lea - a pastry with powdered sugar and almond on top - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A lovely French-style cafe, perfect for a quick breakfast or lunch! Lea was super close to the hotel we stayed at during our last visit to Chicago, and it quickly became the place we wanted to start our days. They have a pretty big selection of pastries, sandwiches, and, of course, coffee. I really liked how customers are able to order off of iPads for themselves up front, as I love to customize my coffee just how I like. Both visits, my boyfriend got a croissant breakfast sandwich that he absolutely loved. I opted for a croissant, which was flaky, buttery, and delicious. I also ordered an oat milk latte with pumpkin syrup. It was good, but the coffee wasn't very strong and the flavor of the syrup/oat milk was a little much for me. I wish the lattes came in different sizes (though maybe they did and I missed it). Overall, I think this is an excellent place for a quick bite or coffee if you're in a rush and wanting something of much higher quality than a fast food chain. It's so cute inside to sit and work too! read more

Lea - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had business in the neighborhood and stopped in for lunch and was glad that I did. Had a croque madame and a salad, and the bread is delicious. I also really liked the Dijon vinaigrette that came with the salad. It's a fast casual order on the screen type of place, but I thought it was great for a reasonable quick lunch. read more