Maria&#x27;s Bakery

This location of Sweet Reserve is off of Oakton with street parking available. I generally walk…read morehere and take whatever I order to-go, back home. The cafe is large with many tables in the back, bar seats in the front window, and big display cases of pastries. They also have whole cakes, a few savory food options, and a small coffee and tea menu. The staff here are generally friendly, and you order at the counter. I have tried many offerings from Sweet Reserve and there truly are no bad choices in the food menus. My favorite savory offering is the chicken tikka twisted bread, which is flavorful and light and crispy pastry warmed up, and also the grilled cheese. These are perfect lunch options for me if I can swing by on my break. On the sweet side, the almond croissant is my absolute number one from Sweet Reserve. The croissant is layered and flaky and buttery, and the almond filling is rich and creamy and divine. I could eat a thousand of these. Their brownies are rich and chocolatey, the Ferrero one is a top contender in our house. I'll often grab one of their pre-wrapped cookies to take with me also, they do have seasonal choices in these. They also generally have a vegan and gluten free option, for example a vegan raspberry matcha muffin (that I know to be very tasty also!) If you're feeling extra indulgent, their miniature tarts and cheesecakes are high quality and well made with great flavor choices. As a Floridian in Chicago, I really enjoy their key lime tart especially. Finally, I took a chance on their whole cakes over the summer for my partner's birthday. I was able to walk in and pick a whole chocolate cake and take it with me. The price was reasonable for the quality and how beautiful it was, and the cake was incredibly luxurious to eat. I would absolutely buy another whole cake from Sweet Reserve with how easy the experience was. This is a spot that I frequent and I really enjoy. While I highlighted some of my favorites, I have never tried something that I wouldn't go back and have again here, and will continue to try new offerings.

The cake menu has some interesting options. Unfortunately, the online ordering process is a pain,…read moreand you can't call in. The bakery offers large cakes - and yet they will.not customize in any way, not with any kind of birthday message, or anything to recognize a special occasion. We went to pick up the cake, the young kids working there didn't even seat the cake well in the box - didn't close the box properly, and when we got home, the cake had shifted so that it had rubber against the side of the box. The chocolate cake layers themselves in the Ferrero cake were excellent - a slightly denser texture with some chew, but not overly so, and nice and moist. The hazelnut cream was ok. Overall it was hard to taste that this was a Ferrero cake, although I could see a few crushed up pieces of the Ferrero chocolate inside. But the white frosting was awful - tasted something between flowers and soap. I do not enjoy a soapy cake. In terms of the cafe itself , it's an industrial space that put minimal effort into feeling like a modern/minimalist cafe. Not somewhere I see myself enjoying a latte in. I don't see myself returning any time soon.

You can't see what's in the Skokie cup, but I got a Karak Chai and it's the most amazing thing ever. And I got a pecan sticky bun.

Kashmiri Iced chai & Dragonfruit Lemonade

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Cranberry scone

Madeline Bakery

4.3(6 reviews)

2.3 mi

If you're looking for home made bakery you've found it Great…read moreselection of treats for everyone Great service even if they're busy they always pull it off somehow Good job guys.

Wow!!! This pizza is great! I agree with one of the reviewers that their crust, for the thin crust…read moreat least, is really flaky and crispy. It has a great texture! There are some pizza places where their thin crust is too doughy and chewy and it fills you up really fast and leaves a weird after taste in your mouth. But this crust is really something special! My co-workers and I tried this place since it's only down the street from us and they have a Monday special where you can get a 16" pizza with one topping for $10, which is a great deal! The three of us devoured the entire pie and we all agreed that this is one of the better pizzas that we had....and we eat A LOT of pizza from a lot of different places! The sauce isn't salty and they put just the right amount of cheese on it. This place is very bare, but don't let that scare you! They make some quality pizza and I definitely will be ordering from them again! Thanks for the great pizza!

Beautiful

Pepperoni

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Cheese

Complimentary Café

4.8(212 reviews)

1.3 mi

I've only had their espresso drinks, so I can't comment on their food…read more The decor is modern but cozy and comfortable. There is plenty of space to sit and chat or work on a computer, and it isn't too noisy or distracting. When you enter, there is a little table next to the door where you can pre-pay for a coffee for a friend and leave them a hand written message. It's really cute! Their coffee drinks are excellent, and the staff is wonderful. Just the right level of friendliness for me, they're approachable and helpful but aren't overly familiar or pushy.

I just recently discovered this place. I work in Lincolnwood. It has a great ambiance to talk with…read morefriends, co-workers, or just chill by yourself and sip on coffee. More than enough seating and outlets to do work. My go-to drink is the iced café latte with whole milk. The coffee quality is far superior to Starbucks. Also, I love the gauva empanada with cream cheese! Also its good to know you are supporting a local business. Happy to know 5% of their proceeds go to charity. Overall highly recommend!

This one really resonated with me!

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Veggie Samosa empanada and a black seeded honey latte

Skokie Grill & Bakery

4.4(65 reviews)

1.8 mi

Came across a meal that fits perfectly with The Plant Paradox Lectin Avoidance Diet (Correct diet…read morefor all humans)...I had a delicious grilled Iraqi masgouf fish with basmati rice with a little saffron sprinkled in, lentil soup and the freshest pita bread I've ever had. I always needed to make my all my own food with non harmful ingredients but I can go out for a meal here no problem. Great staff, art work and clean dinning room. Eat for perfect all around health, not hype .

Skokie Bakery and Grill is possibly one of the best places to get masgouf (the golden pompano) in…read morethe Chicagoland area. I swear they don't even salt and pepper the fish, they just let that sit on the grill and do its own wonderful thing. Walking into to the restaurant, you might be a little taken aback. It's not the nicest dining area, even a little dinky. But if you are a real foodie, you know this is a good sign. The best places are the ones that look like this. The food comes out and you're realizing you've made the right decision. Admittedly, a lot of the business is takeout and delivery (which I've also done, and is also delicious) but if you aren't afraid of a pared down dining room, you can often have it to yourself while enjoying some amazing food.

Menu pg. 1

Menu pg. 2

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Menu pg. 3

Oakton Bakery

4.0(1 review)

1.7 mi

What a hidden gem! For 13 dollars my husband and I just had a great meal. Saffron rice, kifta…read morekabob, hummus, falafel, salad, bread & sodas! This isn't really a sit down restaurant, but was recommended by our Assyrian neighbors as authentic good food for cheap & they weren't wrong. The owner was lovely & warm. We will certainly return!!

Schlegl's Bakery

4.1(173 reviews)

2.9 mi

Good doughnuts they held up their freshness even late in the day. Probably the best old fashioned…read morei have had. Even day old the 2nd one was still more moist than a fresh dunkin. staff was great , and exactly the set up you would expect at a bakery. The parking was limited but that is a small thing to consider.

They have the best chocolate covered donuts in Chicagoland. Staff is very friendly and welcoming.read more

Paczki menu

Chocolate cake with raspberry mousse

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Paczki Day!

Cupitol Coffee & Eatery

3.8(87 reviews)

1.5 mi

5 Stars for Hannah, Love her service! She is the vibe! That's why it's easy to come here…read more Food is good, fries were a little overcooked and ambiance. We need Hannah's service everywhere, she makes the experience pleasant. Location while you shop is great, beats all the fast food.

The food is okay, a bit overpriced and not much vegan or vegetarian options. It seems like they…read morejust want to make money selling things to people who eat dead animals. Plus when the check came, they gave us another table's check which was double, and they said that they cleared it up, but they wouldn't give us avoided receipt. The story, the waitress told us, and the story, the hostess told us were completely different. So we're still not sure if we got charged over $130 for the other tables check. My check was less than half of that, because I only ate by myself and my party that was with me, just had water. They said they fixed the bill, but they charged my card twice, with no voided receipt, shown to us, so you be the judge. They did give me a free vegan cookie, supposedly it was vegan and when when I got home. It was not fresh at all and I threw it out.

Nice design

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Seating area

New York Bagel & Bialy

4.4(207 reviews)

2.5 mi

Check out. text door NY Bagel & Bialy ! It's become a fact that your bagels are disappointing to…read moremany at numerous locations . I complained months ago because our cinnamon raisin bagels had 0-3 raisins and very little cinnamon . It seemed to be better but last dozen we had had brown bits of something : cut up raisin pieces ? , poor flavor and were tough It's not been good . Where going on here ?

Small but very friendly (and busy) bagel shop with a good variety of bagels, cream cheese,…read morepastries, and even bialys. Orders are made quickly, including sandwiches built to order. We tried a breakfast sandwich, a lox sandwich, plus a few bagels (cinnamon raisin and everything) to go. The lox sandwich was the clear standout--fresh, balanced, and every bit as good as it looked. The breakfast sandwich, on the other hand, leaned dry. The toasted bagel was a bit too dry and burnt, and the fillings (just a basic sausage patty with cheese and egg) didn't quite bring enough moisture or flavor to balance it out. Still, it's a solid stop for bagels, especially if you're craving a classic lox. My 2-year-old got a baby bagel on the house and he was beyond happy :)

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Front of establishment.

Bennison's Bakery

3.8(665 reviews)

4.2 mi

Northwestern Graduation Cake !!! My daughter graduated this month from Northwestern and I found…read moreBennisons on Yelp . They truly made it easy for me to order her customer grad cake remotely . We chose a white cake with lemon curd filling and butter cream icing . They had the Northwestern purple and cap to match ! Great deal and everyone absolutely loved it. Customer services was amazing and awesome !! We will be back :)

I got this custard filled cruffin from the Roger's park farmers market. It was absolutely delicious…read moreand the perfect handheld food for a market. The edges were super flaky and the custard was creamy. The staff was super nice showing us everything they had despite having a pretty busy line. I would definitely check out their Evanston location in the future.

Bennison's Bakery.(Davis St/Maple Ave Evenston IL) Bakery Cakes Cookies Croissants Macarons Great Sandwiches Coffee etc .Cool!

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Valentines @ Bennison's Bakery .Evenston IL Bakery Cakes Cookies Croissants Macarons Great Sandwiches Breads Coffee etc .Cool!

Al Sham Sweets

4.9(22 reviews)

0.8 mi

Al Sham Sweets has been around for years, and this small pastry shop offers middle eastern…read morepastries, and even a catering option. We stopped by to get a variety of warbats, ballouries, and other baklava. Service was very straightforward, and items are sold by weight. Parking available in their small strip plaza lot. +middle eastern sweets +parking available

Very pleased after my first visit. We selected several pieces to try, including a chocolate knafeh…read morelooking dessert and a sesame square. They are light and satisfying. The owner is very friendly. They have some indoor seating as well. I'll be going back for the sugar free knafeh.

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4 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Dan S.

0

2

0

2 years ago

We recently purchased sweets from Maria's Bakery, and while they were tasty, they didn't seem as fresh as one would hope for, especially considering the occasion. A significant issue was the lack of clear labeling. None of the sweets had labels indicating their names, prices, or ingredients. This is a substantial shortcoming for any food establishment, as customers need this information to make informed choices, particularly those with dietary concerns or allergies. When I visited New Year's Eve, the shop had at least 20-30 sweetbreads (Cozonaci) available for sale. Given that these items, if genuinely made with natural ingredients as claimed, wouldn't remain fresh for long and that demand for them might drop after the holiday, I inquired about a possible discount. Unfortunately, my inquiry was met with an unkind response, and I was told that discounts are only offered for purchases exceeding $500. This rigid policy felt unnecessary, especially under the circumstances. While the sweets themselves were enjoyable, the lack of labeling, questionable freshness, and dismissive customer service detracted from the experience. I hope the shop addresses these issues to create a more welcoming and customer-friendly experience in the future. read more

Mark K.

4

11

4

9 years ago

Stoped by the Maria's Bakery this Saturday on the inauguration day and tried three kinds of desserts, Diplomat, Savarina and Dobos, all three are we'll known in the Romanian sweets scene. I was amazed of them, were the best Romanian dessert that I had here in US, fresh tasty, not too sweet just balanced well for my tastes. Now looks like Maria will have Romanian style pastry as well and I'm looking forward to taste them on my next visit plus they will have cakes to order for different events. Thank you Maria's Bakery and I will make sure to talk about your sweets to my friends also. read more

Tabita M.

0

1

0

9 years ago

Excellent sweets and great service! Once you try Maria's goods, you'll surely come back for more.

Jane B.

0

7

0

5 years ago

Great Bakery, tasty cakes and good variety of European sweets. Shopping here for every holiday!

Maria's Bakery - desserts - Updated October 2026

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Very pleased after my first visit. We selected several pieces to try, including a chocolate knafeh…read morelooking dessert and a sesame square. They are light and satisfying. The owner is very friendly. They have some indoor seating as well. I'll be going back for the sugar free knafeh.

Bonbon Bakeshop

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Super cute little bake shop in downtown Skokie. We knew of them from the Skokie's farmer's market…read moreand was so happy to hear they opened up a bake shop. We came by and were able to try some yummy samples before we bought a few slices of cake. The Oreo overload and coconut fluff were the 2 we bought, but the sample of the carrot cake were delicious. They had a carrot Oreo in the fridge as a whole cake that I was eyeing, my 2 favorite flavors in 1. All in all, the cakes were yummy'! Can't wait to come back soon to try others.

Bonbon is a good example of a bakeshop that started off small with a stand at Skokie Farmers Market…read moreand then took a big step of having a brick and mortar shop. Bonbon specializes in hand baked, artisanal pastries, chocolates, gelato, etc. Here you'll find a nice variety of cakes, exotic chocolates, decadent pastries, and cool gelato flavors (see my photos). On my first visit to Bonbon, I got a scoop of their Buttermilk Strawberry Red Wine Spice after sampling it. It was really delicious. We were tempted to get more items but we opted to save them for a future visit. We sampled some chocolates that were placed near their chocolates display. They were good. We were impressed by the variety Bonbon had to offer. Everything is hand-made in-house and at least from the looks standpoint everything looked delicious and drool worthy. We received good service. The variety of offerings was good, their pricing was on expensive side. However, that pricing comes from the fact that their offerings are all hand-made w/ fresh ingredients and aren't mass produced. Check out Bonbon on your next visit to downtown Skokie. 4.5 stars from me.

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tahar was such a great server we had great service. One thing I gotta say is that this was the best…read morebeef skewer that I've ever had in my whole entire life. It was so frreakin juicyyyyyyy and everyone here was so sweet right when you walk in your greeted with smiles

Years ago we came here often. Decided to stop here for freddo after driving around. Unfortunately…read morewe were served a frappe and told it was a freddo. As someone who visits Greece often they are not the same. I do know they have good paninis and desserts prior to me being gluten free so that's what the 3 stars are for. I would not recommend this place for food if you are gluten free.

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This is my neighborhood spot so it's hard to be impartial. I've been raving over their chicken pot…read morepie for nearly a decade, and I won't be stopping anytime soon. In the sweet side, I love the coconut cream pie and the cherry pie (when you can get it). Somethings can be hit or miss, but I argue it's more a question of your personal taste than the objective quality. I've had things I didn't like but nothing that was poorly made. It does get crowded, especially on weekends. This place draws families, professionals, Northwestern students and everyone else you can think of. In the summer, the outdoor patio is lovely.

Yeah, I like eating here. Every pie is unique and delicious and the prices are super duper…read morereasonable considering how much food tends to cost in Evanston. Vibes are low-key and diner-esque - some of the seating/tables could use some upgrades/repairs (unsturdy) but no major complaints. Service at the counter is usually friendly, though can sometimes be a bit slow. Love coming here and will continue to visit.

Great Harvest Bread

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I stopped in yesterday morning after taking the furry kids to the Green Valley off the leash dog…read morepark. About half an hour after the bakery opening for the day. The breads are delicious. I enjoy the low carb whole wheat bread. And I occasionally buy the old fashion white bread. Putting both loafs in a paper bag I remarked to the lady at the counter how heavy they are. She smiled and nodded. I also purchased a fresh out of the over blueberry scone. Driving back home I enjoyed piece by piece the delicacy as if it was manna from heaven. It is out of this world. Stop me I'm salivating for another one. Let me light a cigarette and inhale after the goose bumps go down. Pillow talk with a scone. It's a great bakery with friendly staff and owners. Highly recommended. I'm not a fan of the over commercialization of Naperville but I'm definitely a big believer in the goodness of Great Harvest Bread and their delicious delights.

Always great friendly staff. The bread is something not comparable to anything you could get at a…read moregrocery store

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