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PEKARA BAKERY & BISTRO: A HAIKU Polished, quaint menu, a plain panini arrives, pickle steals the show.
It's always nice to try new spots. It's a cute little restaurant that I actually almost passed up! You order at the counter and take a number. The young ladies at the counter are nice and helpful. I ordered a cup of soup because it's quite cold inside, but also because roasted red pepper and smoked Gouda sounds tasty! The soup was served up hot and with bread, it was really good and helped me to stay warm as I awaited my entree. I liked tasting the small chunks of cheese?? It was a perfect appetizer while I waited for my French toast, bacon and potatoes... soup and breakfast do not go together I admit, but I enjoyed both! The French toast is made using brioche bread (my favorite) and served with bits of fruit. It was nice and hot and tastes good, with butter of course. Hint: you have to ask for butter, otherwise you receive a cream cheese type spread. It's not bad, but butter and syrup is my preference! The bacon was decent and the potatoes are well seasoned, almost too well, but still delicious! I can certainly appreciate not having bland potatoes! The coffee here is also pretty good. I had regular, nothing fancy. All in all, I'd visit if ever in these parts again!
When I posted this review, I just had my 106th meal there since June, 2023. If I had to recommend only one restaurant in C-U area, this is THE ONE I would recommend without hesitation. There are many reasons for that. But what attracts me most is its quality of food. In the morning I often see the arrival of freshly baked no-preservative bread; before 11am their bread rack becomes almost empty. The lovely bread is also used for their sandwiches, which are paired with other fresh, well-cooked ingredients. The results are delicious, flavorful foods--almost every item on the menu. Moreover, except those sweet food such as sweet crepe and their pastry, everything was pretty healthy. The food there had a good balance of carb, protein, fat, and veggie/fruit, and they often use healthier ways to cook/make them. For example, their Roasted Veggie Crepe not just had a generous portion of vegetables, but also sufficient cheese. Their Grilled Cheese was made with sourdough bread, and used only slight amount of butter for toasting. Another example is Chicken Salad sandwich, in which the diced chicken was blended with Greek yogurt and topped with fresh lettuce & tomatoes. Service was also great. Everyone seemed to enjoy their job, say hello to each customer, creating a friendly, customer-oriented vibe. As I often have special requests for my food (e.g., no sauce for sandwich), I care a lot about keeping my request correct. Luckily they only made 3 minor mistakes for my orders in my 106 meals. Beyond these was the reasonable price. If you add up all the prices of each single item in Bistro Lunch combo you would see that ordering the combo could save you for up to ~$6. This is quite different from e.g. Seven Saints' combo, which usually save you less than $1. Milk was even cheaper than that in Target. And for $4.95 I could have a Kids Grilled Cheese with a cup of fruit (usually mixed berries)! They also offer half-price bread on Sunday (not easy to get though, as it is often almost sold-out before 9am). I usually dine in about 3-4 times per week, more during the summer break. Have tried almost every item on the menu, as well as their weekly/daily specials. The food there, especially their breakfast, had a "Euro-Cali fusion" style with a Midwest tone. It is hard to say which I like most, because everything was amazing. Some of my favorite dishes/combos for breakfast & lunch, drinks and bread (see picture) They also offer seasonal, weekly, or daily specials. For example, the Croissant XL BLT around Dad's holiday, the Chorizo Omelette in October, Pumpkin Gingerbread near Halloween, Beer Cheese Soup and Beef Vegetable Soup in recent weeks... Just to list a few. They are all quite delicious! Just remember to look at their blackboards at the menu table and the counter so as not to miss the surprises! Finally, not just me, but also my friends enjoyed this restaurant very much. Due to this, and my experience, I strongly recommend it to anyone looking for a healthy and tasty meal. For me, I am graduating and not sure whether I will return to Champaign again. But this restaurant has absolutely become an essential part of my life in UIUC. [Also check my 100+ pic on "Photos" :)]
This was a nice local find while visiting my daughter. I ordered the toast with mushrooms, goat cheese and added an egg. My daughter had an omelette. The portions were huge and the food was cooked with skill and good flavors. The coffee was great also. The staff were very friendly and the restaurant itself is spacious and a relaxed setting to engage in good conversation without having to yell, or a good working space with windows.
SOOOOO FREAKING GOOOD. Their donuts are the best donuts I have EVER had as a huge donut fun. So soft crunchy moist delectable the sugar literaly dissolves in your mouth with the frosting ITS AMAZING U HAVE TO TRY THE CRONUTS IF U COME HERE!!!!!!!! the sandwich crust was buttery and nice and toasted and everything melted so nicely with the focaccia. Also got their maple hot latte and just so nice and foamy and the flavor was perfect for fall. Amazing love this will go here again!!! And service was super sweet and ambience very clean and pleasant!!
This was a great place for lunch with a friend! My sandwich was so delicious. The inside was really cute, warm, and welcoming. Another thing I loved about this place was that they refuse tips because they pay their workers fair wages. Great place!!
I come for the sidewinder fries and west coast toast but they have a variety of options to please everyone. First, the fries. The fries are delicious and fried once you order so hot and crispy every time. Dessert. Lots of good single serving items in their dessert case if you're looking for a sweet indulgence. Sandwiches. Hot sandwiches are solid choices. I ventured off to try a cold hummus sandwich and if like the coarse type of hummus, this is your place. For me, it is a little too gritty and not enough tahini. Other: they make breads and have loaves for sale. Same with whole pies. I think of this "bakery" as more of a local Panera and less of a bakery where I'd come to get a birthday cake.
I didn't even notice this treasure spot when passing by for many times. They provide many different choices of dessert. The space inside is big enough, and good for work or study with your laptops. Will come again in the future!
I stopped by for breakfast on a Saturday morning. There was a long line which was a positive indication. While waiting in line there is a case of fresh pastries to gaze upon. Everything looked fantastic and I will return to try all of their pastries. I got the raspberry shortbread and it was excellent. A perfect balance between tartness of the Jam and sweetness of the short bread. I got the roasted red pepper omelette too. It came with sourdough toast and fresh butter which was also delicious. My only criticism is I wish the breakfasts potatoes had more seasoning. They were cooked perfectly but lacked flavor l.
Great donuts. High prices. Breakfast sandwiches are not it. I ordered three breakfast sandwiches online (which you customize toppings) and not ONE sandwich was correct. Everyone was upset with the sandwiches and the bagels were subpar. read more
9 months ago
A cute, self-service bakery that has delicious quiches, bread and pastries. I find the pastries a bit too sweet for my taste. But the brunch food is delicious and the service is excellent. Fair warning, it is a bit expensive! But it's my favorite bakery within walking distance because the staff is always so pleasant to talk to. read more
6 months ago
PEKARA BAKERY & BISTRO: A HAIKU Polished, quaint menu, a plain panini arrives, pickle steals the show. read more
It's always nice to try new spots. It's a cute little restaurant that I actually almost passed up! You order at the counter and take a number. The young ladies at the counter are nice and helpful. I ordered a cup of soup because it's quite cold inside, but also because roasted red pepper and smoked Gouda sounds tasty! The soup was served up hot and with bread, it was really good and helped me to stay warm as I awaited my entree. I liked tasting the small chunks of cheese?? It was a perfect appetizer while I waited for my French toast, bacon and potatoes... soup and breakfast do not go together I admit, but I enjoyed both! The French toast is made using brioche bread (my favorite) and served with bits of fruit. It was nice and hot and tastes good, with butter of course. Hint: you have to ask for butter, otherwise you receive a cream cheese type spread. It's not bad, but butter and syrup is my preference! The bacon was decent and the potatoes are well seasoned, almost too well, but still delicious! I can certainly appreciate not having bland potatoes! The coffee here is also pretty good. I had regular, nothing fancy. All in all, I'd visit if ever in these parts again! read more
When I posted this review, I just had my 106th meal there since June, 2023. If I had to recommend only one restaurant in C-U area, this is THE ONE I would recommend without hesitation. There are many reasons for that. But what attracts me most is its quality of food. In the morning I often see the arrival of freshly baked no-preservative bread; before 11am their bread rack becomes almost empty. The lovely bread is also used for their sandwiches, which are paired with other fresh, well-cooked ingredients. The results are delicious, flavorful foods--almost every item on the menu. Moreover, except those sweet food such as sweet crepe and their pastry, everything was pretty healthy. The food there had a good balance of carb, protein, fat, and veggie/fruit, and they often use healthier ways to cook/make them. For example, their Roasted Veggie Crepe not just had a generous portion of vegetables, but also sufficient cheese. Their Grilled Cheese was made with sourdough bread, and used only slight amount of butter for toasting. Another example is Chicken Salad sandwich, in which the diced chicken was blended with Greek yogurt and topped with fresh lettuce & tomatoes. Service was also great. Everyone seemed to enjoy their job, say hello to each customer, creating a friendly, customer-oriented vibe. As I often have special requests for my food (e.g., no sauce for sandwich), I care a lot about keeping my request correct. Luckily they only made 3 minor mistakes for my orders in my 106 meals. Beyond these was the reasonable price. If you add up all the prices of each single item in Bistro Lunch combo you would see that ordering the combo could save you for up to ~$6. This is quite different from e.g. Seven Saints' combo, which usually save you less than $1. Milk was even cheaper than that in Target. And for $4.95 I could have a Kids Grilled Cheese with a cup of fruit (usually mixed berries)! They also offer half-price bread on Sunday (not easy to get though, as it is often almost sold-out before 9am). I usually dine in about 3-4 times per week, more during the summer break. Have tried almost every item on the menu, as well as their weekly/daily specials. The food there, especially their breakfast, had a "Euro-Cali fusion" style with a Midwest tone. It is hard to say which I like most, because everything was amazing. Some of my favorite dishes/combos for breakfast & lunch, drinks and bread (see picture) They also offer seasonal, weekly, or daily specials. For example, the Croissant XL BLT around Dad's holiday, the Chorizo Omelette in October, Pumpkin Gingerbread near Halloween, Beer Cheese Soup and Beef Vegetable Soup in recent weeks... Just to list a few. They are all quite delicious! Just remember to look at their blackboards at the menu table and the counter so as not to miss the surprises! Finally, not just me, but also my friends enjoyed this restaurant very much. Due to this, and my experience, I strongly recommend it to anyone looking for a healthy and tasty meal. For me, I am graduating and not sure whether I will return to Champaign again. But this restaurant has absolutely become an essential part of my life in UIUC. [Also check my 100+ pic on "Photos" :)] read more
9 months ago
This was a nice local find while visiting my daughter. I ordered the toast with mushrooms, goat cheese and added an egg. My daughter had an omelette. The portions were huge and the food was cooked with skill and good flavors. The coffee was great also. The staff were very friendly and the restaurant itself is spacious and a relaxed setting to engage in good conversation without having to yell, or a good working space with windows. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
SOOOOO FREAKING GOOOD. Their donuts are the best donuts I have EVER had as a huge donut fun. So soft crunchy moist delectable the sugar literaly dissolves in your mouth with the frosting ITS AMAZING U HAVE TO TRY THE CRONUTS IF U COME HERE!!!!!!!! the sandwich crust was buttery and nice and toasted and everything melted so nicely with the focaccia. Also got their maple hot latte and just so nice and foamy and the flavor was perfect for fall. Amazing love this will go here again!!! And service was super sweet and ambience very clean and pleasant!! read more
3 years ago
This was a great place for lunch with a friend! My sandwich was so delicious. The inside was really cute, warm, and welcoming. Another thing I loved about this place was that they refuse tips because they pay their workers fair wages. Great place!! read more
I come for the sidewinder fries and west coast toast but they have a variety of options to please everyone. First, the fries. The fries are delicious and fried once you order so hot and crispy every time. Dessert. Lots of good single serving items in their dessert case if you're looking for a sweet indulgence. Sandwiches. Hot sandwiches are solid choices. I ventured off to try a cold hummus sandwich and if like the coarse type of hummus, this is your place. For me, it is a little too gritty and not enough tahini. Other: they make breads and have loaves for sale. Same with whole pies. I think of this "bakery" as more of a local Panera and less of a bakery where I'd come to get a birthday cake. read more
3 years ago
I didn't even notice this treasure spot when passing by for many times. They provide many different choices of dessert. The space inside is big enough, and good for work or study with your laptops. Will come again in the future! read more
1 year ago
4 years ago
I stopped by for breakfast on a Saturday morning. There was a long line which was a positive indication. While waiting in line there is a case of fresh pastries to gaze upon. Everything looked fantastic and I will return to try all of their pastries. I got the raspberry shortbread and it was excellent. A perfect balance between tartness of the Jam and sweetness of the short bread. I got the roasted red pepper omelette too. It came with sourdough toast and fresh butter which was also delicious. My only criticism is I wish the breakfasts potatoes had more seasoning. They were cooked perfectly but lacked flavor l. read more
3 years ago
Great little spot we stopped at while passing through. All of the bakery items looked amazing. We compromised with the tiramisu crepe layer cake, and I had the kitchen special BLT. Service is good, food takes a little longer because everything is cooked fresh. So it's totally worth it!! Bring cash for a tip! read more
2 years ago
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3 years ago
First time here. The latte is one of the best I've had. Love the scone as well will definitely be back read more
2 years ago
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7 years ago
I have memories of getting pies and occasionally studying at the Pekara in downtown Champaign so I was excited to check out their new location. My friend and I went here for a brunch date and there were so many options of savory and sweet foods to choose from! We ended up getting a flatbread that they heated up for us, an omelette, and carrot cake to share. I thought their flavors were spot on and we were very full after feasting on these. The environment was very laid back and spacious so my friend and I could catch up with each other without having to worry about being too loud. It's also a prime study location because there's lots of natural light and it was not too crowded when we went. read more
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More info about Pekara Bakery & Bistro
500 N Walnut St
Ste 112
Champaign, IL 61820
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(217) 607-8179
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http://www.pekarabistro.com
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