One of the highlights of any holiday celebration is the wide array of gorgeous and delicious treats. If you’re looking for the best options in Chicago, check out these 10 bakeries and cafes that make the most beautifully decorated holiday confections.
Alliance Bakery and Cafe is a modern, European-inspired bakery and espresso bar in Wicker Park. In addition to classic year-round desserts and seasonal and holiday treats, Alliance makes fun and creative custom cakes and cookies for all occasions. Whether you want french pastries, a multi-tiered cake or a Thanksgiving pie, Alliance has got you covered.
- Locations: 1837 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, and 1736 W. Division St., Chicago
- Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (Grand); 7 a.m.-7 p.m. (Division).
Bittersweet Pastry Shop makes a wide variety of beautiful, delicious and multiculturally-inspired dishes, both sweet and savory, made by Top Chef alumnus Katsuji Tanabe. For the holidays, you can choose items from a special holiday menu, such as the Thanksgiving menu’s gorgeous pumpkin cheesecake, or order custom occasion cakes and cupcakes.
- Locations: 1114 W Belmont Ave., Chicago, and 2019 S Laflin St., Chicago
- Hours: Belmont location hours are 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Pilsen location hours are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.
This cafe and bakery has been serving Chicago for a decade and makes the holidays extra fun with classic flavors and fancy, creative aesthetics. To get in the holiday spirit, you can order delightful treats like pumpkin spice lattes with gorgeous latte art, seasonally-flavored macarons, beautifully-decorated holiday pies and more.
- Locations: Various locations around Chicago
- Hours: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday
Courtesy photo/Goddess and the Baker
Good Ambler is a bakery and cafe where you can score some great coffee, sandwiches, pastries and other delicious sweet and savory dishes. In addition to serving its usual array of confections, Good Ambler makes the holidays extra special with their talents. From gingerbread lattes to artistic holiday-themed chocolates and cakes, Good Ambler knows how to make it festive.
- Location: 216 N Peoria, Chicago
- Hours: 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday
Photo courtesy/Magnolia Bakery
Magnolia Bakery, an international chain known for its banana pudding and other amazing desserts, has plenty of adorably-decorated confections for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah. Options include peppermint bark, holiday-themed cupcake assortments, big boxes of festive cookies and more, with a special side of banana pudding if you so choose.
- Location: 108 N. State St. (at Block 37), Chicago
- Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 8 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday
This delightful bakery chain specializes in cupcakes of several different flavors and makes themed cupcake boxes for various occassions, including the holidays, often with super cute decorations. In addition to its cornucopia of creative and festive cupcakes, Molly’s also makes custom holiday cakes and mini pies.
- Location: 419 E Illinois St., No. 120, Chicago
- Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Monday; 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Reuter’s Bakery has an amazing holiday menu full of sugary delights, including chocolate turkeys and reindeer, frosted gingerbread cookies, igloo-shaped cupcakes, entire edible holiday scenes and other goodies. And don’t foget to order a classic Thanksgiving pie or a custom cake.
- Location: 7177 W. Grand Ave., Chicago,
- Hours: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday
Sweet Mandy B’s has two locations, one in Lincoln Park and one in Streeterville. Both locations feature all kinds of special holiday treats, such colorfully sprinkled cupcakes and cutout cookies for Christmas, classic Thanksgiving pies, Hanukkah dessert assortments and special cakes frosted with turkeys and Santa’s face.
- Locations: 1208 W. Webster Ave., Chicago, and 254 E. Ontario St., Chicago,
- Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday (Webster Ave.). 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily (Ontario St.).
Weber’s Bakery creates and decorates a wide array of beautiful cakes, breads, cookies and other desserts. For the holidays, there are so many options to choose from, including, but not limited to, chocolate turkeys, snowflake-shaped sugar cookies, fruit cakes and yule logs. And don’t forget the festive gingerbread house.
- Location: 7055 W. Archer Ave., Chicago
- Hours: 5 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 5:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday
When Windy City Baker brings out the piping bags, you can bet that the creations will look cute. This establishment doesn’t just sell tasty desserts. It also offers cookie and cake decorating classes. From cupcakes shaped like mini holiday pies to cakes frosted with Christmas trees, you can learn to decorate your own beautiful treats so you can delight your loved ones with them this holiday season.
- Location: 5482 S Ridgewood Court, Chicago
- Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday