Illinois has a serious bakery tradition, and a lot of it came over from Germany, Poland, Czechia, Denmark, and the Balkans. You can still taste that history in a twisted German pretzel, a jam-filled kolaczki, or a dense loaf of rye.
The seven bakeries on this list keep those old-world recipes going, from the Southwest Side of Chicago to the North Shore and out to the Fox Valley. Some are tiny shops with short hours, while others are busy neighborhood anchors that have been around for generations.
Each one brings something a little different to the counter, whether that is burek, strudel, whipped cream cakes, or a famous Danish kringle. Save this list for your next weekend errand run or a slow Saturday morning…