We were in town the other day and stopped off in the French Market on North Clinton in the hunt for…read moresome early morning sweets ... and we found Vanille Patisserie. This was a very nice little French bakery in the basement of the Ogilvie Transportation Center ... the old Northwestern Train Station. Now for a "French Market" there certainly weren't many French stands, but Vanille was one. We had a couple cups of very nice 4 star coffee and two croissants ... one plain and one Au Chocolat, and both were 5 star offerings befitting a French pastry shop. There was not much selection when we arrived, but what they had was delightful ... and the selection was low because they do a brisk business with the early arriving train travelers. We will remember to get here earlier next time to enjoy more of the selections. Good coffee and pastries ... give it a try.

Small dessert shop located in the Chicago French Market/Metra Market. They had individual desserts…read moreand croissants, small sweet loaves, and exactly one 6" cake for sale, plus coffee and tea. All pretty standard flavours, but if what I got is representative of the whole offering, the quality is what makes them special. I got the Manjari, a chocolate mousse coated in a dark chocolate ganache with a thin chocolate cookie/cake "crust" on the bottom. It was almost $10 which I think is pricey for an individual dessert, but it was perfectly designed and the chocolate was clearly good quality because it was RICH. The dessert was pushing my tolerance for sweetness but in this small portion it worked as the chocolate was very strong to balance it out.

Literally the cutest café. This was my favorite breakfast spot while visiting Chicago…read more The second I walked in, I was obsessed. The green and white color palette immediately reminded me of Ralph's Coffee. It felt classic and polished but still charming. Everyone working there had a smile on their face, and the warmth felt so genuine and comforting, especially first thing in the morning. They had such a huge selection of pastries and cakes that it was honestly hard to choose. I ended up getting the cake shaped like a cherry because it looked so interesting. It was a black cherry cake and I paired it with a cappuccino. It was the perfect combination. The cake was beautiful and tasted just as good as it looked. We also ordered the breakfast burrito, which came with a small side salad. It was fine, but not the standout for me. If I came back, which I would, I would probably stick to the pastries and coffee and try more of their baked goods instead. Service was amazing. The ambience was adorable. I loved how all the silverware, plating, and dinnerware matched that perfect green tone. Every detail felt intentional. It was just perfect.

We had a toddler date with a friend and her son here at the cafe at the Peninsula. They had some…read morelimited-time St. Patrick's Day specials that caught my friend's eye, including the Pot of Gold, a special dessert only available for the weekend. The food was really excellent, as was the service. But it was ridiculously priced. The reuben sandwich was $28. It was a great sandwich, very lean, but you could get a sandwich as good for half the cost elsewhere. They only have a couple of kid's items, but my friend requested buttered noodles for her kid rather than the cheesy noodles. I got the hibiscus drink and lavender lemonade, both non-alcoholic, and they were very good. My little one especially liked the hibiscus. And we ordered the appetizer of whipped ricotta and honey; my daughter liked this more than anything else we ordered. We didn't have dessert at the restaurant, but ordered to go. The pot of gold was really good. There were little "gold nuggets" on it and that was my daughter's favorite part; good thing since I didn't realize it had a layer with Bailey's in it. It was very rich, and the cauldron was really thick chocolate (and actually was a struggle to get into, a bit!). The restaurant is small but it didn't feel crowded. We never felt rushed or unwelcome, and we were there for a couple hours (longer than I realized; it took an unusually long time to make two reuben sandwiches). Their pastries are really nice but somewhat expensive, like the rest of the menu. It was a nice, sophisticated experience.

Oh man finally just had my macaroons the other day and they did not disappoint!! I did a taste…read moretesting on my YouTube find me at Adrian's chaotic life. The earl grey tea and chcolate strawberry were my absolute favorite. I love buying all different ones and taking little bites of each at a time so I get all the flavors in my mouth! I could easily take 3 to 5 bites of one macaron . Can not wait to be out that way again to hit them up!

Macarons are exceedingly and exceptionally difficult to get to absolute perfection. If this were a…read moreplace with two or three Michelin stars, I might be a little tougher. However, for a neighborhood dessert shop, these were as close to macaron perfection as can reasonably be expected. What I'm referring to is the crust/shell. If I'm correct, a textbook-perfect macaron shell is firm yet as delicate as a frozen soap bubble, with a much softer dough underneath. With these, I felt as though a hair (and I'm not exaggerating) of the firmness transferred from the shell to the dough. Again, I grant grace due to the inherent difficulty of perfecting this delicate pastry. Where these macarons truly shine, and do so more than any I've had previously, is their filling. I was able to try a salted caramel and a coffee. Both of these had very distinct flavors, not simply a generic sweetness with hints of something. I could have immediately identified these flavors, even if you hadn't told me what they were. While it was later in the evening and not busy, I still want to give points to the friendly and personable individual working behind the counter. Thus, while perhaps not a cross-town destination, Andersonville's Macaron Bar delivers products that can perfectly satisfy a sweet craving.

A great experience. I went with my wife and two of our children. My wife asked about gluten free…read moreoptions, and the woman behind the counter was so nice and helpful. She fully explained all the options, which were many and all delicious looking. We ordered and after she gave us all a free macaron. Food was delicious on top. We are thinking about getting birthday cakes there.

This cute bakery is located across the street from the Chicago Pizza And Oven Grinder Company. The…read moresweet smell inside is warm and inviting. I tried a sample of their winter bliss Buche and it was creamy and delicious. The prices are steep, $5 for a chocolate chip cookie, $4.25 butter croissant, $5.25 banana muffin, and $8 a Chicago Bears sugar cookie. I wasn't impressed with the $4.75 Pain Au Chocolate I got. For the price, I was expecting a lot more than a dry and lack luster pastry. .|\---/| | @_@ | ..\_^_/..2026

Delicious Good variety…read more Gift sets Street parking Seats outside I don't think there's a public restroom

What a delightful shop with exquisite and tasty treats. Many varieties of cookies packaged nicely,…read morebut also the macaroons are the best we've ever had and so fresh with quite ca variety to choose from.

Drove down to Chicago to pickup family from Midway airport and wanted a sweet treat but everything…read morewas closed except for the Bakery Box ATM. It was close to the Tesla chargers at the complex. They had a variety of flavors for their macaroons, mini cakes, cake pops and other desserts. Some desserts come in a box with a mini fork inside. I got a strawberry and chocolate mini-cake, which was very moist. This wouldn't be my first preference but it's a decent option depending on the circumstances. The card machine was straightforward. I'd try a lemon desert next time.

Omg yes!! So many tasty choices..a tad pricey but what isnt nowadays…read more.. Everything we have gotten has been yummy... When there was an issue, the owner was super nice and responsive.

Thank you for your amazing chicken sandwich It was be super…read morefrash and the price was perfect. Thank you! I will come back

Stopped by to grab an iced latte for my hubby, I found so much more…read more It was a bit crowded but service was quick and friendly. What a gem I found on my vacation! When they brought a fork and knife with it crossiant, i kinda thought..why? Then i realized why and was so happy! The chocolate is amazing! The staff are so nice. Would definitely come back.

Such a cute little bakery with the tastiest sweets and the coolest vibe…read more Customer service - good. Desserts - even better. CUTE set up. Great spot. Chicago street parking but it wasn't crazy.

In town visiting friends and we've heard so many great things about Alliance because it's always…read morebeen their go-to bakery. They lived out of state for a bit and tried to replicate this specific cake from other bakeries, but it never came close. Needless to say, we had to try this one of a kind cake. Unfortunately, the last time they ordered it, somehow, it was missing one of the most important parts-the raspberry coulis! They reached out to the chef-owner and he graciously offered to make them a new cake the next time they came in. We popped into this cute bakery with a vintage flare this Sunday and the staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating. The cake was gorgeous and tasted just as great! If you're a fan of chocolate, you're about to be in heaven! Chocolate cake, raspberry preserve and chocolate mousse filling, chocolate buttercream frosting, covered in chocolate ganache. So rich, creamy, moist and decadent. A little goes a long way! The flavors and textures were perfectly balanced and the raspberry coulis made me smile with each bite. Thank you Alliance for your excellent service and delicious creations.