My favorite Italian rainbow cookies or Tri-color cookies as some call them are absolutely amazing and this bakery does it well. They are moist and flavorful and inexpensive. I also tried the chicken salad and it too was good. read more

Ferrara Original - Rainbow cookies - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Chicken Alfredo was absolutely amazing, as well as the all the desserts, will definitely be back many times

absolutely the best place to have lunch. we ( a group of us ) had Chicken Alfredo, an Italian Beef, Chop Salad, strawberry Shortcake , and the absolute best Cannoli read more

The very best food. The pastries are amazing. The cannoli's are the absolute best. My brother in law tried the eclair and couldn't get enough. Lunch was Fantastic. worth the drive. read more

Classic, old school Italian spot cooking with love. My dad comes here twice a week for lunch and I don't blame him. Lunch is affordable, good portion sizes and oh so delicious. I got a special vodka chicken cutlet sandwich and it was perfection. Fresh, crusty bread + crispy, juicy chicken + a soul satisfying amount of warm vodka sauce = one hell of a sandwich. It also had pesto and a thick piece of mozzarella cheese that took it to the next level. We also got a piece of the limoncello cake, which was divine & pretty much a limoncello tiramisu, and got caramel chocolate butter cookies to go. The cookies were very sweet but tasty. It's counter service which was quick and helpful. read more

The service was polite and pleasant, BUT, the pastries were horrible. Eclairs aren't DIFFICULT to make . These were GRAINY AND CRUNCHY!! A slice of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting HAD NO CHOCOLATE TASTE, FLAVOR AT ALL. I'VE been here BEFORE. WILL NEVER GO BACK read more

The food is wonderfully delicious...especially the stuffed peppers! Cookies are second to none and cakes are a celebration! My favorite in the city hands down! read more

Ferrara Bakery & Cafe is one of my favorite places to have lunch near the VA Hospital. I have ordered everything on the menu, but one of my favorites is the Ferrara Signature Subs. They give you a lot for your money. Try their daily specials, especially their Lasagna. You'll be hard-pressed to finish it. They give you a side salad and homemade Italian bread, enough to take home with you or split with a friend. read more

Ferrara Original - Ferrara Signature Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good sandwiches. great cake. Excellent selection of take home meals. Nice staff. We try to stop here whenever we take Mom to the VA Hospital. It's always a highlight of the day. read more

Delicious, freshly made meals for a reasonable price. Hands down my favorite place for a home cooked soup and a sandwich. But their chocolate chip cookies are life changing. Get there early for cookies, they may run out. read more

Just had a lovely paper-wrapped box of Ferrara chocolate covered almonds & remembered how much i love this place, so felt compelled to come review. We've eaten here a ton (great sandwiches) but a standout was ordering our thanksgiving sides from Ferrara. We got the fill-your-own cannoli with pumpkin icing. Delicious AND a fun activity! Will be doing this same menu again this year :P read more

Ferrara Original - the kids LOVED the delicious filling and the fact that this dessert was an activity (mom loved it, too ;)) - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Welcoming customer service. Long running Italian bakery. First timer stopped in and asked a frequent customer in line for recommendations. Grilled chicken giardiniera sandwich and Meatball sandwich. The bread was soft & fresh. The chicken had no flavor and dry, needed more dressing. Meatball sandwich was tough and dry. however the marinara sauce was rich and tasty. Though deserts weren't recommended, I got a cannoli, and It was hard and tasted frozen like the customer mentioned. read more

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This place is always amazing and never fails. Staff is very helpful and owners are super nice. Ferrara has the best Italian beef sandwich I've ever had (and that's coming from someone who used to cook in a restaurant)! They also have a variety of delicious pastries and cannolis! Don't forget to ask to have your Italian beef sandwich "dipped" when you go! You won't regret it and it's worth the drive! read more

I have to say my favorite Cuccidati's of all the Italian bakeries so far. I know it's all a matter of taste. Nice place !!iIalso got some almond raisin biscottis for my aunt. She would not eat them again, says she prefers plain ones. She is a little hard to please to say the least. The Cuccidati didn't seem to have nut or alcohol and were a smooth fig filling and frosted with the typical "Non-Perales sprinkled on top. with a soft cookie shell. If i didn't live so far away i'd get them all the time. read more

Sandwiches were fantastic and the desserts amazing. Hot foods weren't available Christmas Eve, so we went with sandwiches and a salad. It was well priced and has a friendly atmosphere. read more

I have been here several times and usually I order one of their pasta dishes which are usually good. This time around I decided to try one of their sandwiches. I ordered their Ferrara Special which is basically an Italian Sandwich. It was ok sandwich. Not a lot of meat...lots of lettuce on the sandwich. It kind of overwhelmed the flavor from Italian slices of meat. I also tried their Chicken Pastina soup. It was good, it had flavor and filling. read more

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Im from bklyn and italian so I had to try it. Was greated by the owner. She was very welcoming and shared a piece of a family history with us as did I. Thats what Italians do we talk and yes with our hands too. We ordered the Ferrara signature which was very good and the eggplant Parmasan sandwich. The eggplant parm sandwich made me feel like I was home. It was cooked to perfection. The sauce gravy or whatever u want to call it, I just call it delicious. Would definitely recommend. read more

Ferrara Original - Eggplant Parmasan sandwich.. - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a beautiful location! So many options for breakfast/lunch/dinner/dessert! I would recommend this to anyone looking for a totally authentic and genuine Italian bakery experience! read more

Ferrara Original - Cannoli - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Today was my first visit to Ferrara. I tried the cannoli and the antipasto salad. Hands down one of the best cannoli's I've had. It was rich with creamy ricotta and savory pistachios. The texture of the dough was perfection. The salad was ok, they charge extra for little things like giardiniera and artichoke hearts. No green olives either.... The staff seemed rushed and not as welcoming. While I loved my cannoli and I would come back for the bakery aspect, this restaurant is just ok in terms of food and service. read more

Ferrara Original - Delicious Cannoli! - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delicious sandwich! First time there. Service was exceptional even though it was lunch time! Staff was friendly. Will be back

The Best food, one of my favorite places. Food is amazing!! Food is made fresh every day, owners are lovely people. They generously donated, so many boxes of lemon heads to my Twins, Girl Scout troop, for cancer patients. read more

Great bakery and cafe is what Ferrara is. My pa grew up not far from Ferrara on the old Westside so I've been pretty familiar with it all my life. This is still good family neighborhood even with all the gentrifying and a throwback to yesteryear. Ferrara Bakery has managed to fit right in with the ever changing neighborhood for over a hundred years. Excellent made in house bakery goods and Italian pastry specialties. Great cannoli! Everything is made in house from the pastries to soups, sandwiches, and pizza. You don't have to order a whole pie as the have a square piece they cut into four smaller slices and heat for you. It's a solid Chicago style tavern cut pizza and a great light snack. I'm a fan of their Lent pepper 'n' egg sandwiches. True Chicago style. I believe they use Turano bread but I may be wrong. On take out orders they wrap the bags very nicely with a special paper bag fold that literally locks up the bag so your purchases don't fly all over the place. Then they hand it to you the way it should be carried. It's little thoughtful things like this that make them special. They care about service and their customers. They also do a nice espresso and cappuccino here too. It's nice to eat inside a true historic landmark just as people did for decades. The small two top cafes tables tucked against the front picture window over looking Taylor Street give it that back in the day urban feel. You watch the customers park in front and swagger in like they own the joint and you just know their majority neighborhood folks who've been coming in for generations. The decor and painted walls tell a story and are reminiscent of the few old school joints left peppered around the city. I'm pretty sure the man who started it all, Nello Ferrara along with family also started Ferrara Pan Candy Co. off the Eisenhower expressway. They're famous for 'lemon heads' , red hots', 'atomic fireballs', and more. It's a great stop on your travels especially if you're doing a tour of cool old urban hot spots. 100 years plus and counting. read more

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Went there today, while waiting on my tacos next door. Got cheesecake, German chocolate cake, and chocolate chip cookies. Family loved it all. Will be back read more

I hope today was a one-off because this chicken sandwich was nothing to brag about. One half slice of tomato and one red onion piece on bread that was so heavily oiled and soaked in mayo, I couldn't pick it up. read more

Ferrara Original - Grilled Chicken Giardiniera Sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is one of the oldest if not the oldest bakery in Chicago. I sampled some cookies and biscotti. They were all delicious. Totally has the family owned vibe which I love. Can't wait to come again and try their lunch. I bought some frozen soup and Alfredo to try at home. I'll have to update later when we try it. read more

Amazing local business, I always go there for coffee and some good sweets. I recommend the Napolitan or the Éclairs. They have good lunch options too. read more

Food is great. Sandwiches to soups to salads and daily specials are always fantastic. Bakery portion is delicious as well

Fantastic deli sandwiches! Lots of meat and nice variety of choices. I've only gotten the sandwiches but friends also rave about their salads. read more

My go to lunch spot! Great sandwiches and soups. Make sure to get a pastry! Very friendly staff and in and

They are great ! They are always so nice and attentive . Food bread , cakes and pastries are excellent !!

Well, you can't say this very often: for lunch I had a beef and a slice of tasty Italian pie! Original Ferrara is old-school...and that's just the way most of the locals I saw there today like it. Prices are fair and portions are even more fair; I spent about $8 today for that beef, dipped, and a slice of the Ferrara's Original Cake. I thought the cake was only OK--lots of layers, but nothing special in terms of flavor--but the beef made me happy and that thing was dipped JUST right. Thanks to the woman behind the counter for the recommendation! Plenty of seating here, too, and there were cops everywhere when I walked inside, dining at a table near the door. Cheap, tasty, the cop seal of approval, friendly staff? Count me in. read more

adorable family owned bakery, deli, and Italian pasta place in one. pastries are to die for and they offer a wide selection of salads, sandwiches, pastas, and sides. Amazingly priced too!!!! i paid less than 6$ for a latte and large pastry- you can't beat that in chicago! has a family owned vibe and I can't wait to come back here! they also do pastries and cakes to order as well as selling bulk pasta sauce, italian sausage, whole oven ready lasagnas, ravioli, and soups :) read more

I never realize this bakery was still open for business. My parents were married in the 40s and got their cake from the bakery delivered from Chicago to Milwaukee. They were famous for their tall tower cakes. Some were 6 feet tall including my parents, who had to stand on a ladder to cut it! They were the most special cakes I've ever seen in my life. And now I finally got there and was told they still have the same cake today. It was a very special trip and worth it read more

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Can't comment on their savory foods but i can say that their desserts are the BEST. If you're craving cannoli, this is definitely the spot for you. Stopped by in the afternoon not too long before closing and their pre-filled and wrapped cannoli we're still crunchy. They have some sort of magic going on in this place. They also have an assortment of cookies and desserts showcased in their display cases. I tried a lemony kind of cake-like cookie and their pignoli cookies which were chewy and delicious. They have a refrigerator full of soup, sauces, and meals to heat, and a menu for their savory foods. Definitely have to come back to try their pastas! read more

We ordered our wedding cake and desserts from Ferrara for our June 2023 wedding, and it did not disappoint! We were interested in getting a cake from Ferrara since specialty wedding cake shops often prioritize aesthetics over taste, and we were looking for a simple cake that tasted great, plus a selection of pastries and cookies to complement it. We met with Nello in the fall to taste the cake and look over our options, and we appreciated their insistence on buttercream frosting (no fondant ever). On Nello's advice, we went with their famous specialty, a vanilla cake with the layers separated by one layer of cannoli cream and another of fresh strawberries and custard. We were impressed then by how fresh the strawberries tasted. When it came to the day of the wedding, the visually simple cake was absolutely beautiful with just some fresh flowers to decorate it. More importantly-and this is truly impressive-it tasted fresh and so delicious. Since wedding cakes have to be started several days ahead of time to allow everything to settle for creating the tiers, we truly just didn't expect it to be that good, actually even better than when we tasted it in the bakery. The other desserts were beautiful and equally delicious, providing all of our guests with a variety of lovely options, and we had no trouble with delivery on the day of the wedding. read more

Ferrara Original - a white wedding cake with fresh flowers - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is a casual deli with assorted selection of hot and cold sandwiches, pastas, and a seemingly limitless assortment of cookies, pastries and desserts in their dessert case. The salads and pasta are good, but the best part of the deli is the sunlit interior. They also have pasta sauces and whole tiramisu cakes for sale. Fast counter service is a plus. read more

Ferrara Original - Bakeries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great staff. Consistent food. Favorite lunch spot. It's very easy to switch up on your usuals

The ferrara bakery is really great to have in the area. I love that they have low price high quality coffee ($1.62 for a 12oz brew) and a huge assortment of baked goods. I love their raspberry filled butter cookie the raspberry contrasts well with the rich butter. I also got the eclair which i didn't love. It tasted fresh but it was a bit too sweet and heavy on the stomach. I 100x recommend their cannoli and tiramisu. They've got "Chicago's best cannoli" on their coffee sleeves and I definitely agree. Always fresh, sweet and tangy filling and lots of flavor! read more

Sheesh.. could the girls there be any ruder or less welcoming? I doubt it. At $3.00 per cannoli ? They didn't invent cannoli, there are other bakery's that are just as good and better. The owner is old and tired now maybe time to give it up. For sure the counter girls need to just quit and move on, they're not happy and it shows. read more

Okay here I am, back at where it all started. I haven't been here in almost a year, although I work less than a block away, I just stopped cold turkey due to eating so much of the same. But its been almost a year since I had come here and I just decided to see what has changed. To my surprise NOT MUCH! Which to me is just perfect since their food has always been good. Now today I decided to see if they had the Tuscany Chili, and although it didn't state the name, I KNEW THIS CHILI. Oh good lord with the nice taste of Italy and just a hint of heat, this is what its all about. I tasted their chili for weeks on end and than one day they stopped making it I guess due to clients not requesting it so much, well that's what I was told. But its back and for that, I am happy. Ferrara's is still family owned and I expect it will always be, I hope they always stay true to form with their taste and that all these various flavors will always be passed down from generation to generation. read more