Best Cake Places in Boystown

"It should come as no surprise that Alliance Bakery is serious business when it comes to cakes. The shop proudly displays its elegant creations in the window and they taste as good as they look. In addition, there are also plenty of other French delicacies for sale such as macarons, croissants, eclairs, bombes, and tarts, plus a newer location downtown in River North."

"Alliance Bakery is a French-inspired bakery served with a modern twist. The chef, Peter Rios, has extensive experience working as a pastry chef at the Fairmont Hotel Chicago and Sofitel Hotel Chicago. He has won numerous awards in cake competitions around the country."

"Their stunning desserts are each crafted by hand using traditional techniques. You’ll find macarons, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and fine pastries that are (almost) too pretty to eat."

"Restaurants Bakeries Armour Square. Dim sum fans are accustomed to cart service and ordering cards, but the majority of the small dishes traditionally served originated in tea houses and bakeries in southern China. Chinese bakery Chi Quon has been making these delectable items for decades, attracting locals and visitors from around the city with dishes like fresh BBQ pork buns, sesame balls filled with bean paste and decorative mango mousse cake."

"Chiu Quon in Chinatown is the original location of this classic Chinese bakery (the other is in Uptown). And though we love them both, we can’t think of a better place to stop for a snack while walking around Chicago’s Chinatown. Anything from their pastry case will be delicious, such as the pork buns, sponge cakes, sesame balls, egg custards, and much more."

"The oldest bakery in Chinatown has been at it for more than three decades. Peruse the cases to discover rows and rows of Chinese pastries that include barbecue pork buns, egg custard tarts, and butterfly cookies. The affordable price points — most items are a dollar or less — mean folks are able to fill up a whole box with goodies for just a few bucks."

"Restaurants Bakeries Bridgeport. This iconic Polish bakery closed in October 2019 after decades of serving pączki, doughnuts, cookies and other candy-colored sweets to its fans. Thankfully, new ownership swept in and restored the spot to its former glory."

"If you’re wondering what happened to Bridgeport Bakery 1.0, it closed. But thankfully version 2.0 has the same delicious treats as the original. And while they have a lot of baked goods besides donuts, we like coming here for their long johns and bismarks."

"The Spot: Located within the building of Campus North, Te’Amo is right on campus, and almost always filled with UChicago students drinking tea and diligently studying. The Good: Te’Amo does great with its subtle flavors. The signature rose tea is a favorite as it smoothly joins the flavors of rose and black tea to where they become indistinguishable."

"With lines out the door majority of the time and over 100 positive reviews, you know you’re in for something good. Located on the Northside of the city, you’ll stumble upon this milk tea bar and cafe. With lots of aesthetically pleasing drinks made (very flavorful too), your instagram will pop!"

"If you are in downtown Chicago and get a craving some bubble tea, this is the place to get your fix. The bubble tea is made with fresh ingredients which gives it a rich flavor. You also get options on the amount of sugar and ice you want in your bubble tea."

"Le Macaron found on West Armitage Avenue invites guests to experience the best of French cuisine. The coffee shop’s website describes its macarons as the perfect delicacy, original and elegant, and we think they’re 100% correct. Le Macaron does offer some really fun flavors alongside the more traditional choices, though: including bubblegum, violet cassis, gingerbread, and strawberry key lime."

"Decisions can be difficult when constructing your perfect ice cream cake. Choose from 10 different ice cream flavors, all made with organic milk and cream, and decide if you prefer crumbled brownies, blondies, or cookies as a base. Rachel Kamins launched Bartleby’s in 2018 after working for Ben & Jerry’s and Zingerman’s Bakehouse and calls herself the “caker, baker, and ice cream maker.” Fittingly, she makes everything, from the ice cream to the crushed cookies and brownies to all her sauces, from scratch."

"Logan Square With a hop-heavy lineup of IPAs including double, Belgian, black, and session IPAs, Pipeworks started out in a tiny Chicago space in 2012 which was originally geared towards brewing one-offs for beer nerds in the niche market. Now with a goal of releasing a new beer every week, the hyper prolific brewer is one of the more recognizable yet underappreciated Chicago craft brewers. With plans to open a brewpub in Logan Square in 2019 (where it will face stiff competition), knowing about Pipeworks still feels like being letting in on your cooler big brother’s secret."

"Merrit Lewis and Beejay Oslon didn’t follow the traditional route of attending brewing school before opening up their own brewery in Chicago. Instead, the two friends traveled to Belgium and worked for free at De Struise Brouwers. When the pair returned, they crowdsourced funds and opened Pipeworks Brewing Company in 2012."

"Get in the spring mood with a pint from Pipeworks (the artwork will get your juices creative flowing!). Place your contact-free Pipeworks Brewing Co. pick-up order ahead of time and don’t forget to tip!"

"Empirical Brewing‘s taproom is a bit like walking into the lab of a mad (or at least buzzed) scientist. This experimental microbrewer is always texting new recipes with their signature one-barrel system — which means small quantities and lots of creativity. The brewers are known to collect feedback from taproom patrons and use it to further tweak their brews."

"A self-described "bunch of nerds" (even their logo is an ancient historical reference!), you can literally watch the Empirical brewers' expertise in action. They are open for limited indoor seating, patio seating or to-go orders!"

"Pizza lovers can have it both ways at River North's newest restaurant. Tree House offers both wood-fire Neapolitan pies and crispy-crusted Detroit-style pizzas. The menu reads like an Italian cuisine "greatest hits" list, filled with options like fried calamari, pasta, steak frittes, a juicy burger and more."

"A two-story contemporary pub that is seated right across from Millenium Park, guaranteeing you nice views with your good food and drinks."

"1600 S 61st Ave, Cicero, IL 60804 Do not let the name of this restaurant confuse you. While delicious pizza pies certainly hold a spot on the menu, you can find a variety of meals to suit every taste palette. Freddy’s also sells Italian-style meats to take home to prepare for the family."