North Shore Bakery Tour

The intoxicating aroma of freshly baked bread. A mouthwatering parade of croissants, scones and all the best breakfast yummies. Colorful cakes, cupcakes and donuts for a special event or sudden craving. North Shore bakers are bustling to deliver extraordinary flavor and variety every day. Make the rounds with this delicious tour of bakeries. You’ll find all these and more when you are Exploring North Shore Restaurants.

 

Hewn, Evanston & Winnetka

Freshly Baked Bread and Croissants
Begin your bakery tour lured by the heavenly aromas of Great Harvest (Evanston). All made from-scratch daily, grab a loaf of their signature Honey Whole Wheat, the Dakota (with sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds) or Cinnamon Chip which makes a dynamite French toast. Hewn (Winnetka, Evanston) goes old-school with organic, stone-milled grains sourced from local farmers — every loaf shaped by hand. Beyond daily Baguettes, Cheddar Ficelles are available Thursdays on their rotating menu. Family-owned Kneads & Wants Artisan Bakery (Skokie) pleases with freshly baked pastries like house specialty Kouign Amann (pronounced "queen-a-mahn"), a croissant-like beauty with a crispy caramelized surface and pillow soft center. 

 

Buck Russell's, Wilmette

Sweet Treats, Swoonworthy Pastries
A recent addition, Button Bakery (Evanston) is wowing locals with tasty pastries. Their darling shop is brimming with scones, muffins, cookies, cinnamon rolls, brownies, raspberry squares and a ricotta-filled cannoli with that perfect chocolate-chip studded, crunch-to-creamy sensation. Buck Russell's (Wilmette) compliments their sandwich shop with delectable homemade cookies, bars, cupcakes and cake pops. Grab signature crullers and Grandma's Coffee Cake with a freshly brewed cup o' joe. Or take a cupcake decorating workshop! 
 

Bennison's Bakery, Evanston

Which Bakery Takes the Cake?
Eva Dean's Bakery & Café (Wilmette) goes above and beyond their breakfast, lunch and bakery menu. Build your dream cake from seven flavors (like chocolate, red velvet, funfetti), ten fillings (caramel, cream cheese, strawberry buttercream) and five icing options. Scrumptious comes in many flavors at Bennison's Bakery (Evanston) where their custom cakes rival their repertoire of tortes. Pick an edible image to top your special order for birthdays and special occasions or provide a photo printed on sugar paper for a topper! Coffee cake counts as cake when it’s from Schlegl's Bakery & Café (Lincolnwood). But their gorgeous decorations dazzle in fondant, buttercream, fruit and more. Best pick up some German pretzels and strudel when you visit.
 

Lefty's Righteous Bagels, Evanston

Bagels and Beyond
Family-owned and locally famous, Max and Benny's (Northbrook) deli and restaurant cook up all your favorite comfort foods. Hit up their bakery counter for a six-pack of bagels or stunners like challah rolls, ruggelach, hamantaschen and cute kichel (little bow-tie-shaped cookies). Lefty's Righteous Bagels (Evanston) introduces the Midwest to a unique, wood-fired Montreal variation. Hand-rolled and kettle-boiled, mix and match favorite Bagel & Schmear flavors with Cinnamon Sugar, Kerrygold Cheddar, Everything, etc., topped with Blueberry Lemon, Giardiniera, Tomato Jam or a dozen others. Classic artisan breads of Eastern Europe fill Kaufman's Deli (Skokie) with heavy, dense ryes and wonderfully fermented pumpernickels. But the biggest sellers are the traditional Sesame bagels—boiled and hearth baked for that great crust and chewy interior.
 

DB3 Donuts, Evanston

Go Nuts with Donuts
DB3 Donuts (Evanston) is the go-to spot for gourmet donuts made from scratch and decorated daily. Plenty of flavors, sprinkles, chocolate and more, but go out of your way to say hello to The Dude, a maple cake donut covered with maple glaze, cinnamon sugar and bacon! Looking for an Italian twist on your donut fix? Head to Sorelle Italian (Glenview) for their Zeppole. This freshly baked treat is filled with house-made cannoli cream and is sure to delight. While you’re there, don’t miss the endless selection of other Italian delicacies, like Lemon Ricotta Cookies, Nutella Maritozzi, and, of course, Sicilian Cannoli.