Penny&#x27;s Pastries

Matcha en your stomach…read more Potent soft serve that satisfies your appetite. This spot captures the essence of matcha green tea dessert. Great spot for a quick dessert or fun small group hangout. It's tucked in chinatown, so find the treasure and you'll be quickly served gloriously green dessert.

Visiting the area and saw good reviews for this spot but after trying it, I'm so confused. I got…read morethe matcha parfait- which was a generous portion but I really question if there was much matcha in it. The color is super bright but not the green I usually associate with matcha. I don't want to claim it was all food coloring but it only taste like vanilla ice cream. It wasn't too crowded at night and was able to get my order fairly quickly. I wouldn't really say this is a good matcha spot since it doesn't seem to have any matcha flavor. I had a suspicion from the menu options that they used to be Kyomatcha (a popular matcha dessert chain) but now called Matcha En. The good reviews are probably from the days it was Kyomatcha and not the current quality.

Chocolate crepe cake

See all

Super M (left) and Black Sesame Matcha Latte (right)

Mango Mango Dessert

4.5(452 reviews)

7.4 km•Chinatown

A perfect place for dessert after dinner. It is located on the second floor. A cozy clean placed…read morewith minimal seating. It gets really busy in the evening. There was a line to order but the cashier moved the line really quickly. Considering how busy it was, our order came out pretty fast. Everything was so yummy! It was perfect for a warm night. Our mango sticky rice and Coconut Mango Sago Pomelo were perfect temperature and sweetness. I love the generous amount of mangoes and how fresh the chunks were. This place hit the spot and highly recommend.

Mango Mango never disappoints! A lot of dessert franchises…read moretend to drop in quality after the first few months, but this spot has stayed consistently fresh, clean, and delicious since day one. It is really rare to see a place maintain such high standards for this long. The mango pomelo sago is my absolute must order every single time, perfectly balanced and refreshing. I also love their durian desserts. Durian is notoriously expensive, but they are never stingy with it and give you generous portions of real, rich durian. Consistently great quality, generous portions, and a clean space. Easily one of the most reliable dessert spots around!

Mango Man-Coco Sticky Smoothie

Strawberry and mango sago

See all

2nd floor Chinatown Square

UFOUU

4.3(60 reviews)

7.5 km•Chinatown

I recently tried UFOUU, the Chicago-based bakery known for their Japanese-style cheesecakes, and…read moreoverall it was a really a hit for me. I wish I was able to travel with one of their cheesecakes but they require refrigeration. Anyhow the cheesecake itself was delicious super light, fluffy, and honestly felt like biting into a cloud. I had the salted egg but they had several flavor options that I would've loved to try if slices were available. The texture is what really stands out, and the flavor was unique and interesting in a good way. I couldn't quite put my finger on what it taste like, but it was sweet, but not too sweet They only sale but I consider a personal size but it's definitely enough to share with two people, maybe even three depending on how much of a sweet tooth you have. My only downside like others is the price. Paying around $19-$20 for a small cheesecake felt a bit steep, especially since they don't offer slices. I really wish they had smaller portions available so you could try different flavors without committing to a full cake prize. They package it very well and they also serve you a cute little fork set and a knife for cutting which I think is contributes to the price. The shop itself is very cute with chic décor and a lot of Asian-inspired artwork, which adds to the overall vibe. Customer service was friendly. When I visit Chicago again I'd definitely go back the texture and taste alone make it worth it but I do hope they consider offering smaller portions in the future.

Came here for a hot drink while it's very cold in Chicago and not a lot of lot of places around…read morethat offer hot chocolate, hot coffee, or any hot drinks. We got here when it just was opening. The place was clean and the staff was really nice. We got the sweet roasted milk and it was very good and unique flavor. We were watching them while they were making that and the cheesecake and you can tell they put a lot of care and in time to their products.

Matcha

See all

ParTea

4.4(37 reviews)

7.7 km•Chinatown

SO CUTE! My…read moredaughter and I stopped in earlier today after going to a nearby park. A+ on the free and covered parking! It's a weekday and there were only a couple open spots, I'd imagine on weekends it may be hard to come by with a free spot in their lower or upper parking lot. As other reviewed have said, their space is small, with only four high top stools. But for us today, it was fine. Our main interest was the ice cream and characters! They're adorable! They have so many options too. They were sold out of a few of the characters, so make sure to level set expectations for a little one beforehand. Not only is it cute but their ice cream itself is delicious too! They have an extensive menu but we only ordered ice cream. The staff is really nice as well.

Great customer service!! The person that attended us was very friendly. Reasonably priced as well…read more Will definitely return!

See all

Ms Ku's Flowers and Desserts

4.8(26 reviews)

7.7 km•Chinatown

Seems very authentic but just be aware that most drinks are very bitter because of its herbal…read morecontent.

I really love tang sui from my time in Hong Kong and I've always missed having it in the U.S. This…read moreplace is probably the closest thing I'll get to that. I tried the taro , the black glutinous rice with mango and the mango sago dessert as a to-go order. The to-go order came in a cute, sturdy purple bag. The taro dessert wasn't too sweet and had a great texture. My only critique would be that the taro was a bit undercooked, it was a bit hard. The mango sago dessert was so much fun with lots of chunks of mango. The prices were a bit high but the desserts all come in high quality containers. Parking was a bit tight in the parking garage next to the shop. The shop itself is smaller with just a few seats. You can also buy flower arrangements here. Definitely come here to try some Asian desserts!

18 stems flowers without lighting

See all

Mabu Generation

4.3(58 reviews)

7.4 km•Chinatown

We came to Mabu Generation on a Sunday evening when the restaurant was not busy and was actually…read moreunusually quiet. One thing I personally did not like was that they require customers to pay first before the food comes out. For a sit-down restaurant, I prefer to eat first and pay after, especially when service is expected. The service was not very proactive during our visit. The food was okay, but nothing really stood out to me. For the price, I felt it was a little pricey compared to Taipei Cafe, and the overall experience did not feel worth it. Overall, the food was just alright, the service could be improved, and the pay-first system was not something I liked. I don't think I would come back.

Decided to spontaneously eat here on a friday night while walking past and did not regret it…read more The restaurant wasnt overly crowded or loud and, the service was great while the food was even better. The taiwanese style popcorn chicken and pork cutlet were super juicy and tender with nicely crisp breading. The sausage had a pleasant sweetness to it and was served with garlic chips, which added a nice touch. Finally, the broth of the Sichuan noodles was packing with flavor: sweet, tangy, spicy, umami - truly hit all the spots without being too numbing to your mouth, if thats one of your concerns Would definitely return to try the other menu items, especially their hot sizzling plates and their dessert/drink offerings

Inside

Ovaltine Condensed milk French toast

See all

R07. Japanese Style Curry & Garlic Udon With Mashed PotatoTempura Shrimp

Big Ying Yogurt

4.1(17 reviews)

7.4 km•Chinatown

There is such amazing variety of dessert places in Chinatown, and especially in this particular…read morearea. I've tried quite a few and this one might be my top choice. Yes, I know, I said it - even above the boba tea spots. It's the best of fro-yo meets gelato meets boba tea meets kefir. It's prepared fresh daily, has a nice balance between being sweet and tart/sour, and has options for mix-ins too. Very clean spot on the upper level, helpful service to understand the options, and satisfying dessert.

We came to Big Ying seeking some sort of dessert after lunch. The yogurt smoothies my girls got…read moreand the yogurt ball I got hit the spot without being over indulgent. Service was quick and efficient. The store its self is cute and decorated in hundreds of post it notes from customers! We will be back!

7.4 km•Chinatown, Near Southside

See all

Autea Sweets & Eats

4.5(81 reviews)

I came to Autea after dinner, I ordered the mango sago with taro ball. My order arrive in 15…read moreminutes, and it was so fresh. The T-shirt came with evaporate milk, and you can pull them on top of the dessert. I suggest to mix the dessert before you eat it so that you can mix the enjoy all different tester all at once. There's so many spot at night and the restaurant also provide different kind of board games for you to play with friends.

This is label Taiwanese cuisine in the Chinatown. It is off from Chinatown on other side of…read morerailroad. The door posted a notice make sure park correctly or to toll. They also warn car may be broken due to thief. We got the grilled rice with preserved meat and dried tofu. I recommend this dish. It good enough to share. We also got a dessert with Osmanthus Wine ice Jelly with ice cream, different jelly and more. The ice jelly is unique. Definitely recommended. Service is good. Food is good.

7.4 km•Chinatown, Near Southside

August 2026

Osmanthus dessert

See all

TSAôCAA

3.9(269 reviews)

We ordered off the ubereats app as each entree came with a drink for a pretty cheap price. The…read morewings and burger surpassed our expectations, but the tea was pretty meh.

Underwhelmed with the boba here, but I believe as a chain, their actual tea is decent…read more Unfortunately I wanted boba at night and wanted to avoid caffeine, so went with a simple fresh milk. At another location, outside of Chicago, I had tea that was solid but the boba was still mediocre. Not sure if it's the franchisees or the actual chain, but the toppings may not be freshly rotated. Double Purple Bubble Fresh Milk - ube lining, ube grounding, milk, and boba. Combo sounds pretty great, but felt like execution was off. Ube lining was decent and smooth, just took some effort to scrape. However I expected the ube at the bottom of the cup to be mashed similarly and it was not. Boba was chewy on the outside but ripped apart easily in the center, almost firm.

Double Mix - Strawberry mango shaved ice cream

See all

Guava yakult green tea w honey aloe

Te’amo Boba Bar

4.4(277 reviews)

7.5 km•Chinatown

First time here and super cute!! Been eyeing this place. Happy to see multiple locations! The ube…read morecreme brulee is to die for! Ice never wanted another drink so fast. I was so sad when it was gone. It was sweet but so good. The decor is pretty. The merch is pretty. Order at the kiosk. Can't wait to have the chance to get it again next time I'm in Chicago

We stopped in whilst visiting Chinatown. We have one in our town and like to visit it on occasion…read more We ordered 5 drinks on the kiosk and found a place to sit in the back corner. Our order was ready pretty quick and everyone seemed happy with their drinks. The drinks are so pretty! Te'amo is pretty small and the night we went it was really messy.

Super cute, friendly, fast and amazing boba! Definitely a place to check out.

See all

Ube Mochi Donut

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

9 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Carie A.

13 years ago

I started Crossfitting about a year ago and since then I have tried a few times to stick to a Paleo diet. Unfortunately, due to my love of baked goods and most things sweet, I have found it difficult to adhere to Paleo guidelines. I believe I have found my solution. I found Penny's Pastries when looking for Paleo bakeries. I corresponded with her and ending up ordering 1 dozen vanilla cupcakes with a raspberry swirl and coconut frosting. They are amazing! She used coconut flour so they are more dense than an average cupcake, but they are still delicious and exactly what I need for the once and a while sweet treat that alleviates any feelings of deprivation and keeps me on the straight and narrow. I am happy to have this option and look forward to my next order. read more

Michael G.

11 years ago

I do not know what combination of culinary science, mysticism and witchcraft Penny used to make the banana walnut cake I ordered, but if I didn't know it was gluten/dairy free I never would have believed it. I recently had a baby shower for a friend who is extremely gluten and dairy averse. It had been over a decade since she had cake, so we decided to see if there were any options out there for a gluten/dairy free cake and we found Penny's Pastries. From the start, she was great at communicating what our options were and helping us pick the best option. Could not have been happier. If you have dietary restrictions, but still want to eat deserts that make you feel like you don't, look no further than Penny's Pastries. read more

cheryl b.

101

15 years ago

OK, so let me start off by saying desserts can be sugar free and taste good!! I have been lucky enough to sample a few creations made by Penny, and all of them have been AMAZING!! If anyone is a cheesecake lover, hands down Penny makes the best (not to mention it was raw vegan and sugar free) How is that even possible for something to taste so good and not be bad for you? SHE MAKES MAGIC!! And then there was the banana bread and my favorite, these very tasty energy bars. These bars are also raw vegan, so much flavor, they are moist with the perfect amount of crunch, and my kids love them! Perfect healthy treat for the kids, between my 2year old and teenager I can't keep them away. read more

Antonia L.

14 years ago

I'm dairy allergic and 3 years ago found out I was gluten intolerant. Since then I haven't had many sweets except for an occasional gluten-free/vegan chocolate pastry. But I hadn't had too much luck finding the variety that I longed for until I found Penny. After working with me to determine which ingredients I could eat, I asked her to make carrot cake cupcakes, red velvet cupcakes and samoas-type cookies. They were all outstanding! My boyfriend, who doesn't have any food allergies, said they tasted great and didn't taste gluten-free or dairy-free. I'm very happy to have found Penny. read more

Denise D.

11 years ago

I don't eat a lot of sweets, but when I do, I want them 'fully loaded' with yummy flavor. I've asked Penny to make gluten free and/or low sugar desserts for special events, and they were excellent. And if you're looking for a 'wow' factor, Penny can come up with something great. For an anniversary party, she made cupcakes and applied various pictures of my hubby and me from our travels. They were quite popular. read more

Bev T.

13 years ago

Penny recently made a birthday cake for our daughter who has gluten, egg and vanilla allergies. She made her a divine chocolate cake with almond flavoring that was moist and absolutely delicious. I would highly recommend Penny. She was so helpful and a delight to work with on this special cake. We will definitely call her again!! Thank you, Penny for making her birthday so special!! read more

Terri W.

13 years ago

Penny more than rose to the challenge of delivering delicious gluten-free, lactose-free birthday cupcakes to my daughter and her friends at College...the best she's ever tasted! Thank you, Penny...for making a special day even more so...and for helping me chose from the great variety of baked goods you are able to create for those with discriminating palates and food intolerances read more

Nicole C.

11 years ago

Thank you so much for working with my party date and accommodating the gluten free needs. The cake, lemon squares, chocolate fudge brownies and doughnuts were out of this world! ALL the guest were in love with them! I look forward to having a reason to call on you again. Thanks Penny! read more

Nancy K.

2 years ago

I ordered a lemon poppyseed cake for my daughter's 27th birthday and eveyone LOVED the cake. It was said by many that it was one of the most decious cakes they had ever had!! Will definatley order one again! read more

Penny's Pastries - desserts - Updated September 2026

People who viewed Penny's Pastries also viewed

Cake Sweet Food Chicago

4.9

(233 reviews)

•$$$

When we arrived for the tasting, Jo-Anne was so sweet and fun. She explained all these fun details…read moreabout cake and was super fun and easy to communicate with. You can tell how truly passionate she is about cake and making sure all of her clients have the best experience possible. The tasting was also very fun and it was fun that we got to take home a second box in order to try all of the flavors again to make an informed decision! Onto the cake! We decided with a chocolate cake with chocolate fudge on one side, and a white cake with vanilla icing on the other side, these sides separated by the Italian buttercream. I will be dreaming about her Italian buttercream for the rest of my life. As a dessert connoisseur, I had high expectations for my wedding cake, and this cake exceeded them. The chocolate side was rich and the perfect amount of sweet. You could really taste the true chocolate flavors. The white cake was exceptional as well, with a perfect sweet vanilla frosting. The Italian buttercream was buttery, smooth, and truly the perfect middle divide for the cake as it matched both sides very well. I really have not tasted a better wedding cake and our guests were obsessed with the cake too so that just goes to show how quality and incredible the cake it. Truly all of it was an elevated and quality take on classic flavors. I am so so happy we got our wedding cake from here. Truly the most delicious cake I've ever eaten and our guests agree. We couldn't even wait a year to eat the anniversary cake we generously received so that is completely eaten already, so we will definitely just be getting a new one every year to enjoy the cake over and over again and we are so excited to continue to support Jo-Anne and her lovely business. Highly recommend getting your cake from here! Jo-Anne truly understands that cake is its own food group and should be treated with the utmost care!

My now husband and I loved working with Jo-Anne! She understood our vision and executed it…read moreperfectly! Her team was wonderful to work with - prompt, professional and most importantly fun! She also did an AWESOME groom's cake of all his favorite Chicago teams! We are so very happy with her services!

Bake

4.5

(383 reviews)

•$

This place is super cute. Super pink. Super femme. Love the whole aesthetic! Only a few tables, but…read moreit seems like most folks take it to go anyway. A full wall of quirky cards. Candles that look like baked goods. Other adorable home knick knacks and books. I don't know how someone could go in and not feel their mood perk up. Ordering was easy and no-fuss. Super quick and also very nice to us even while our younger little was hopping some wiggles out. What we got: Quiche (the daily was a sausage and broccoli) - I don't think I have ever had a quiche this style before. It was so so good. Huge portion that can easily split between two people. The egg was so custardy. And the crust was so flaky. It was more like a puff pastry or amazingly buttery pie dough. I think any quiche they make would be delicious. Even our kid kept wanting more ... and that's with broccoli y'all! Surefire way to get a kid veggies is through this magical quiche. Get it. 11/10 -- highly recommend.

Scone was good. Coffee way too strong. No self serve for adding milk. Only three small tables in…read morethe middle of the room and a bench. Seating is uncomfortable. Many bake goods to choose from. They have greeting cards and some books. If I lived in that neighborhood id stop in otherwise I think theres other better places if you're looking to hang out. Didn't try the cakes and I'm sure they are delicious. Seems like they were doing a nice business with the neighborhood families.

Chicago Sugar Daddy Patisserie

4.7

(91 reviews)

Overpriced but good. One cookie, the chocolate chip was really good, chippy peanut was ok, doodle…read more(not pictured) was pretty aweful. At $5 a pop I had a bit of a sticker shock. In their defense they're not small & texture is damn near neutral because it's not overt soft nor crunchy. What drew me hear initially was the custom cakes & I may return but with my budget better managed.

OMG! Try the Ube cake, it is amazing! The huge slice, the frosting Im glad I don't live too close…read moreor I would be here 4 times a week. Quaint place and the staff were so welcoming and helpful. Check them out!

Defloured

4.7

(252 reviews)

Defloured is the place I go when I need to feel "normal" with celiac and eat some GF treats that…read morearen't dry and crumbling. The banana bread is indistinguishable from one with gluten. My new obsession is the hummingbird cake-- or anything with Defloured's cream cheese frosting!

I have to update my review since my last one because, since then, I have tried so many more items…read more Defloured is a gluten-free dream come true. A real blessing to the Chicago gluten-free food scene. Previously, I had only tried items stocked at Whole Foods. I've now tried SO many of their goodies directly from their bakery, local cafés, and retailers. No matter where I've purchased their goodies from, the items are always fresh. I've never purchased a stale item. It always amazes me that despite their large selection, they are able to maintain freshness of all of their items. It's hard to pick favorites, but some of my favorite items are the brownies, with the Cosmic Brownie being my number one. It's so rich and fudgy, and everyone I've had taste it has had the same wide-eyed reaction. It's amazing. The cookies are phenomenal. I love the standard chocolate chip cookies. Also, the oatmeal peanut chocolate chip cookies are seriously addictive and a favorite of mine. They're crispy on the edges with the perfect chew, have actual whole peanuts in the batter, and the perfect peanut butter flavor. The cookie sandwiches are one of my top choices and a must-try! The chocolate chip with peanut butter buttercream is amazing, as is the peanut butter s'mores. I also love everything lemon from here. The lemon mini loaves and the lemon poppy seed loaf slice are absolutely perfect. Some of the other items I've really enjoyed are the pecan blondie, magic bar, peanut butter bar, cupcakes, whoopie pie, cake pops, cinnamon crumb cake, Pucks of Love (which reminds me of MOD Pizza's No Name Cake, which I love), and the Earl Grey mini loaf. The cake slices of the week are always a great pick too. They always have fun and delicious combinations, and they always keep me wanting to pop in and try the latest one. I know there are two types of people: people who LOVE sugar and prefer a thick, sweet buttercream, and people who scrape off the frosting and only eat the cake. Their frosting is definitely for the sugar lovers out there--I personally love it! Don't snooze on Defloured. Give it a try--you won't be disappointed.

Intoxicakes

(7 reviews)

Intoxicakes is such a fun and delicious idea!! The cupcakes are so delicious and so cute (almost…read moretoo pretty to eat!). I ordered some for my boyfriend's birthday! It was something unique that he was not expecting. We had the strawberry martini, dark chocolate bourbon, and lemon drop cupcakes, which were all exceptional! The owner was super accommodating and nice! We will definitely be ordering again for celebrations in the future!

Cupcakes AND liquor? Get in my stomach! This is soooo goooood. I'm not a alcohol connoisseur and…read morerarely drink but I have to say I'll take my cupcake straight up in this case. I still remember sampling this several years back when the owner was at a event. You won't regret it. I love the idea then and love it now. Tasty cakes indeed. Now I'm jonesing for some again! It's been too long! This is also a black owned business.

Sweetling Cupcakes

(1 review)

I love me some Sweetling cupcakes!! They specialize in cupcake bouquets and it is my go to gift for…read morewedding showers, baby showers, and birthday gifts. What's better than beautiful bouquets that look like flowers but are actual edible delicious cupcakes!! I really didn't want to hop on the cupcake bandwagon, but Sweetling cupcakes has won me over and I simply had to talk about it on yelp! Their buttercream frostings are so delicious without being overly sweet and I love love love the red velvet with the delicious cream cheese frosting. They also do specialty cupcakes for themed parties!! Love it, five stars all the way!!!

Simply Simon's Cheesecakes

(1 review)

I ordered a Pistachio cheesecake for my husbands birthday and the whole family loved it! Ken Simon…read morewas wonderful to work with and even met me for a simple COVID friendly cake pick up. Will plan to order from him again

Artemio's Bakery

4.0

(122 reviews)

•$

We ordered Artemio's Tres Leches cake by phone for a coworker. The staff were very helpful with…read moresuggestions to make it even more special. The cake that Artemio's prepared was beautiful and delicious. The extra touches were appreciated and made the event even more special. The pricing was very reasonable. I would suggest using this bakery.

The best bakery in town. This style of bakery is hard to find amongst a gentrified neighborhood…read more The employees are kind, and hard working people who take pride in the business. I always feel welcomed. Support more small businesses like this!

Hasmonek's Bakery

(5 reviews)

Who knew how difficult it would be to find a bakery to bake Dutch apple pie in this city during the…read moremonth of August. After much research we found this baker. The pies were INCREDIBLE. Our guests raved. Pick up was easy at the bakers home and the pies came out piping hot. 25$ a pie. Seriously the best Dutch apple pie I have ever had. Will 100 percent be a repeat client. Highly recommend

Delicious pastries with great quality ingredients used. Everything was fresh and tasted great…read more Family loved it. Will order again. 5/5

Hardbitten