The best focaccia I've ever had in my life. The lady that makes it pours lots of love into every bite. You can taste it.

This place is cash only - so know it going in! But the older lady at the counter is old-world charm at its best- it almost seems like I'd heard her voice on a radio commercial- but she's very sweet. I ordered a 6" Italian sub on their soft and fresh baked French bread- I waited about 5 minutes after ordering- and she gave me 4 sandwich rolls in addition to the reasonably priced sub! I sat to eat - and munched away on this very tasty sub! Worth recommending AND eating again! If you've got the cash and are a bit hungry? Check it out! read more

Michele Baking Company - Italian sub! - Bakeries Near Me - Franklin Park, Illinois

Delish sandwich and the bread was amazing! The lady at the counter was so kind and helpful!

Been coming here for years. Love this bakery. So simple, so fresh, so home style. The older woman who runs it and I believe owns it is the friendliest old school lady you know. The kind you find on every block in any Italian neighborhood. Michele's is off the beaten path of n a main drag in an industrial section. A perfect location actually. Her offerings and fresh, fresh, fresh, and the staple everyone looks for in a true Italian bakery. They have great bakery products especially their bread and awesome focaccia bread that can't be beat! As well, there are various specialty imported products from Italy to choose from. It's the kind of family owned shop that you may see a family, a business man, working folks on lunch break or your neighbor. Lunch business can be busy but never overwhelming. I usually have Michele's special. Prosciutto and fresh mozzarella with a bit of olive oil dressing on the freshest bread you've ever had. You can't beat the prices and the simple kindness that you can't put a price tag on. No wonder they've been there for decades. read more

See all

Have driven by many a time, finally decided to pop in and see if they're open to the public. They're a cash business from there Front Bakery side. Old World charm! Mrs Tina & Mrs Amy are just wonderful as a Team! Ordered some various Italian breads. The smell's made me hungry & reminded me of the old Italian Bakery's on Grand Ave (just before Ogden Avenue). My new go to spot to pick up any baked goods...The Italian Way! Mangia & Smacznego!!! Ciao! read more

This place is amazing and the bread is absolutely delicious. I can't say enough good things about the place. The Italan sandwich is ok, but the bread takes it over the top. The service is by far the best I ever had. They are so kind and friendly, that they make you want to come back every day. The prices are amazing. I am so disappointed all the years of driving past here. That I ever stopped in sooner. I absolutely love this place and definitely a must try for anyone in the area. Amazing. read more

Michele Baking Company - Focaccia bread and French bread - Bakeries Near Me - Franklin Park, Illinois

See all

The staff is super friendly, the prices are very reasonable, the bread is delicious. They also sell pizza dough, small and large Focaccia bread. It is worth your time to have a first visit to this bread baking company. Cash only. Not sure if they still sell brewed coffee. read more

I work nearby and after 3+ years decided to try them out 2day. I always smell their bread and wanted to get a sandwich. Did I get a sandwich? Nope. I got welcomed into the family. Tina was the cashier, order taker. A polite, friendly older lady who took her time and welcomed me. Another lady sitting down eating, presumably her friend - Mama Filomena, was also friendly and assisted Tina explaining menu options. They were full of charm, familyness I felt like a grandson. I just wanted to order a turkey sandwich but Tina gave a slice of pizza, a foccoia & a dessert variety bag for $5. WTH?? I felt like I left grandmother's home and was given food for a road trip. I will DEFINITELY come back. It was clean, old world charm vibe. There was another lady named Ami in the back cooking/baking. I truly got the total, royal treatment. Love this vibe which is missing in most restaurants nowadays. read more

See all

Family-owned bakery that makes really great bread and serves very good cold cut sandwiches. The dinner rolls are probably the best you're ever gonna have! Service is casual - sometimes they're yelling at each other in a foreign language, but they are always friendly to the customers. The prices are very low for the baked goods too! The place is cold and sterile, but you can't sit down and eat there anyway, so that's fine. The bottom line: Walk in, get some really great baked goods and low prices, and get out. read more

If you like fresh bread, this is your place. I was in the area and had to stop by for a loaf of Italian bread. I found out they also sell sandwiches! Give this place a try, its on the southwest corner of Mannheim and Belmont. read more

Michele Baking Company - Welcome - Bakeries Near Me - Franklin Park, Illinois

This is a hidden gem! The bread is baked fresh and very affordable. The little Italian lady running the store is so friendly regardless of how busy the store is at times. It's not a frilly or cutely decorated but there are a few tables if you want to have lunch in the shop. Everything is very affordable but beware CASH only! So worth the visit! read more

This is definitely a rare jewel! The bread and sandwiches are fresh and delicious! They are made with fresh ingredients and sauces! The service was quick and easy and we were able to put our order in with ease! The cashier made you feel welcomed the moment you step into the store. They even gave us delicious cookies to sample while we waited on our sandwiches to be made! Their prices were excellent in fact you get way more than what you pay for. Their prices French bread only costs $2.00 and it was the biggest loaf of French bread I've ever seen. She literally had to fold out in half to get it in the bag. The ambiance was nice when we walked in and you could smell the delicious breads as you stand in the bakery. We had never been to this restaurant before but we are so glad we had the opportunity to taste this goodness! We ordered a large Italian sub, large turkey with salami and two six inch subs that were made with love and care and they were the best sandwiches I've tasted in a long time! Thank you Michele for your food and service ! read more

Stopped in for some sandwich rolls and noticed some fresh focaccia and decided I needed some of those as well. The super friendly woman working the counter threw in some extra rolls and told me just to keep them in the freezer till needed. Delicious baked goods, great prices and wonderful service. I highly recommend read more

Michele Baking Company - Fresh rolls and focaccia (two full sacks for less than $10) - Bakeries Near Me - Franklin Park, Illinois

their French bread is delicious. soft inside with a light crunch on the exterior. perfect for sandwiches. walked into Michele's today around closing time and when I said to the lady at the counter I'd catch her at a better time she insisted that I place my order. the salami, provolone and mortadella sub was delicious. I will be back soon for a purchase of that French bread. read more

I can only repeat the other reviews. The two ladies there were the sweetest ever. I went with pizza and focaccia and left with samples of dough, bread and directions on how to use them. The focaccia was amazing. It was soft but chewy and the pieces of tomato just burst with flavor. I cannot wait to have the pizza read more

This is best bakery ever! They are so kind and the food is so fresh. I love it so much. We will be back always

The finest sub rolls. So fresh and made by hand. This is the only bread brand we use daily at my sub shop. It's a third generation, family owned operation with the finest customer, service, and delivery services! read more

This is a legit little Italian Bakery, you may miss it if you don't look. Two cute little Italian ladies greeted me at the door and I got a 6 inch French Bread Italian Sandwich it was perfection. From the minute you walk-in it smells amazing! Most of the cookies and bread were gone, to me that was a great sign. I did see the biscotti looking extra tasty, and planned to save that for another day. However one of the ladies gave me a cranberry pistachio biscotti and I was not about to argue. I think this may be a hidden gem! read more

Everything in the bakery is amazing! Especially the focaccia bread. The staff are so nice and helpful. Keep up the great work!

Best bakery in Chicagoland. Awesome service, great people and really really good bread. I recommend this to everybody.

(Right now today, Yelp is listing them as closed for business. They are OPEN and in-business.) 3.5 stars but I'll have to stick with 3. I'd like to add, the counter-lady is a true sweetheart. Always kind, sometimes muttering something in Italian but like a dear Nonna. You just kinda listen and nod to. I found Michele's randomly while driving through the area. It is bleak (out there) due to existing on the outskirts of the airport, situated amongst industrial companies and empty lots. Ever wonder where "extended" airport parking lots are or lesser expensive airport hotels? Out here. I'll tell you what, if there is an awning or storefront with "subs" or "submarines" indicated, I will automatically post a note in mind. With that said, I found myself back in the area a few days later with time to try a sub. Since the first visit I've been back at least three-x. (Relatively closeby is a submarines sandwich competitor FYI. Well known shop however, their bread isn't as fresh since they are a deli / bar / storefront. It is a wonder whether they buy Michele's bread or get it elsewhere.) The storefront appears dismal from the outside and is no better indoors. They have an enormous amount of space which is wasted and because they do not have more employees on hand, most new customers will bee line for the door soon after entering. The mausoleum look indoors does not offer much warmth to beckon patrons to stay & enjoy coffee & pastries. I'll tell you what's good... their (Italian) cookies, a few pastries and fresh baked bread which comes out daily. If you make it during a weekday, you may come across those coming in to grab fresh baked loaves of bread. Otherwise, most would grab a sandwich. Pricing is affordable and a helluvalot more value than Subway. Just the other day, I grabbed a foot long for less than $10 even with the extras I wanted. The counter lady asked me to squeeze the sub to realize the freshness of the loaf. (This important detail because their sandwich competitor nearby has many reviews that often ask about bread freshness) Once I got it home I realized the length of the sandwich was more than ordered! I asked for 12" but somehow received 16"! How, maybe she had the loaf there and rather than cut off a bit that may not sell, she upgraded me. I'll have to throw some extra at them the next time. As few reviewers have mentioned, their sandwiches are pretty plain. The deli meats lack flavor and their condiments hardly add any additional flavorings to the sandwich overall. The capicolla isn't hot, nor their giardinera and the special dressing is probably the only thing adding anything and it isn't much to brag about. I usually find myself adding my own condiments once I get the sandwich to my destination. They also offer fresh-made slices that seem to come out 1-2x a day. They sit in a spinning warmer on the service counter. These are $2.50 a slice. It's a thin crust variety. More like a pan in that the consistency of crust is chewy and the sauce is tomato tasting without sugar. This is probably just a side project to try and capture additional business. Toppings are minimal. Sometimes a meat, usually cheese and occasionally a light dusting of chopped basil. There's enough sauce and cheese to get through it but then the crust is just.. crust. Something to appease kids, not an adults meal. It's a sandwich for a decent price. But if subs is your game, you might like to try their competitor which is found a few blocks North of here. If I ever find myself needing a 3 foot loaf for a sports party, I know where to go! read more

Michele Baking Company - Sub sandwich menu - Bakeries Near Me - Franklin Park, Illinois

sweetest woman on the planet ! Great service and the bread is SO good ! Glad I found this hidden gem.

The Focaccia bread rolls and large pan Focaccia are fabulous. I bought the Pan Focaccia for a party and it really went quick. Just warm it up and so easy to present. Other breads and rolls are also great and reasonably priced. Selection is limited inside but what they do, is to making the selection the best. The lady who works there is so pleasant and happy. Such a nice experience. I will be back soon! Stop in... You won't regret your purchase! read more

We discovered Michelle's while driving down Mannheim looking for a place to have lunch. We were not disappointed! Michelle herself made our sandwiches which were huge and on delicious fresh-made bread. She also gave us samples of two types of cookies that were so good - and very unique - her amaretti was like a snickerdoodle, but chewy and the perfect amount of almond flavor to it. Apparently Michelle is from the Nice area of France and has been here in the area for the last 18 years. I wondered why she runs an "italian bakery" according to the sign, but given the area, I can see that it would appeal to more people. We will definitely be back for more sandwiches and to sample more of the sweets (paying this time) - but I agree with the other reviewer that they are super slow (we almost left after standing at the front for 5 minutes without anyone acknowledging us). My advice is to stay - it is worth the wait! read more

Best sub and bread I've ever had. Everything is fresh, I can't get over the bread. They are very kind in there and even gave us an extra roll. Seriously places like this don't exist anymore. I hope that they can build more business so that they can stick around. Please come here, you won't regret it. read more

Michele Baking Company - Michele Sub and Focacia bread - Bakeries Near Me - Franklin Park, Illinois

The BEST bread I've ever had. I love the Italian sandwich, suggest it with extra meat. Met the owners Mother (Angela) and sister (Tina) and they are dolls. I will drive over 20 minutes to come here, that's how good the bread and sandwiches are. read more

Michele Baking Company - Bakeries Near Me - Franklin Park, Illinois

See all

Michele Baking Company was our bread supplier when we had a restaurant in the area. We have since sold and moved to California. Any trip to Chicago includes a visit to say hello to Christine. She is the best!!! The kids love the cookies and I love the focaccia. My husband always gets a fresh made sandwich. Just the smell as you walk up to the building, invites you in to the fresh, Italian deliciousness that welcomes you! read more

A great little bakery with exceptional service. A friend and I ran in around 2 in the afternoon and there were still plenty of baked goods displayed proudly behind the glass counter. I chose a little bit of everything because I wanted to try and find the perfect cookie for me. My only complaint would be that there were no names so there was a lot of pointing and saying things like, "That one on the bottom left with the almonds." And I did find the perfect cookie; I just don't know the name. It looked like a small, fat sugar cookie, but when you bite into it, it was chewy and tasted like amaretto and cherries. I would love to try their espresso and their sandwiches but know it probably also tastes amazing. As a splurge, we also picked up a half pan pizza for only $5 along with our of Italian cookies. When we checked out, one of the employees gave us two free loaves of bread. A French bread and another super awesome, soft bread with some flour on top. Yeah, that one. read more

Michele Baking Company - 9.99 lb italian cookies - Bakeries Near Me - Franklin Park, Illinois

Michele's is a great Italian bakery and sandwich shop. They make the sandwiches to order with very fresh ingredients. They have a good variety of meats (including pastrami, proscuitto, pepperoni, capicollo, etc.) and will make the sandwich however you want. The sandwiches are very reasonably priced. They also have a huge display case of bakery items. They also sell breads and cakes at very reasonable costs, too. The service is very very friendly. They're pretty slow, so give yourself plenty of time when you go there. read more

1st They are CASH ONLY! Your debit and credit cards are no good here! 2nd for goodness sake please use turn signals when getting out of the parking lot on Belmont! I should also mention that there is no entrance for the retail bakery from Mannheim. Their banana bread and zucchini bread are amazing. They are so moist and lovely. Their baguettes have the perfect soft center to crust ratio. They are perfect for the sandwiches they make here. They hold up nicely to a hearty sandwich. Or if you are like me you go in for a sandwich and up walking out with a baguette, 1 loaf of each of banana and zucchini bread, and since I knew I was going to be walking into the office with all of that, a couple of coffee cakes for the coworkers. All for under $20 I feel a need to mention that I've been disappointed by some of their Italian butter cookies so I pass on those but I love the anise or more specially flavored cookies. Or even the chocolaty ones. The slices of cake are lackluster. I'm always disappointed by pre-cut slices of cake. They do have seating there for those that can't wait to leave to have their sandwich and a little something sweet. The service is very friendly and often at a more leisurely pace. They really do treat all of their customers like regulars. read more

I grew up in the area years ago but just found out about this place recently. Wow! Sandwiches were great. Bread is unbelievable. It's a little out of my way but I'll be going to this place for sandwiches and bread from now on. read more

Love it. Fantastic Cannoli made to order, wonderful authentic Italian cookies. Note: unlike American bakery, expect more crunch, less sweet, more flavor, like Anise or Fig or dark chocolate in addition to the chocolate brownie and apple slice standards. DO try the country style baguettes!!! We visit every time in town, going far outta our way to do so. Neighborhood is industrial, so expect little ambiance. read more

Cash only joint. Bakery always smells terrific! The lady at the front is such a sweetheart. Love this place!

I have lived in the Franklin Park area for some time and saw this bakery but never stopped in. Well today 12/21/22 I stopped in and the place is amazing!! I bought the BEST fresh baked bread and lemon cookies. Went home made my kids sandwiches and they couldn't stop talking about how delicious the bread was. If you are looking for good bread and homemade Italian baked cookies, look no further, this place is simply the best! Nice people too! Michael and Zina are the sweetest as well. I will be back! read more

BEST SUB SANDWICH Cookies, drinks, subs, loaves of bread, everything is GREAT! Service is exceptional if you're nice. They are Italian and Polish ladies... haha. I love them! read more

As of today, 12/2/17, this place is open and serving, not closed as Yelp indicates. However, half the cookie case was empty and the large freezer unit that used to be by the door is no longer there. I wonder if they will be closing at some point in the near future. We got a sandwich and focaccia that were good, as usual. read more

Exceptional bread, fair prices, friendly service. Need to try a sub sometime.

why didn't i have to fistfight my way through a mob of beret-clad francophiles to buy this croque-monsieur? why did this giant bag of fresh bread only cost two dollars? why do i have a latte foam mustache? read more

Christine was so wonderful. She treated us like we were family and we just met her. Sandwiches were excellent and full of meat and yummy cheese (and big too!). I liked them so much, we went back for doughnuts and coffee the next morning and it was all good. I recommend you visit this little out-of-the-way place and experience a hidden gem. Cash only. read more

Had their Italian Sub, it was so bland and the meat was fatty. The lettuce wasn't fresh at all. I had a much better sub, I will not come back for another sandwich, cookies and pastries yes I will be back for that. read more