Hendrickx Belgian Bread Crafter

I enjoyed a carefully crafted café au lait paired with a canele on a frigid morning in Chi-​town. Just delicious. You can eat in a room right behind the kitchen. You can see the bread being prepared and packaged. This place is authentic and spectacular.
There really isn’t a better place in the area for coffee. It is a true oasis in a sea of Starbucks outlets and other chain coffee shops!

Excellent pastries and nice owners/​employees. A cute little outside seating area as well if you want to enjoy your croissants there.
Runs out toward the end of the day (as would be expected of an excellent place), so go early!

Loved this wonderful bakery while visiting the area. The smell had me hooked even before they were open for the day, having walked past early in the morning while they were prepping for the day.
I came back for breakfast, and came back another time and also got some desserts to take home with me so my family could enjoy the goods as well. I had an almond croissant and a plain croissant for breakfast (two separate meals), both were perfectly crisp and chewy, and filling. I also had the decaf drip coffee, which was hot and delicious — so smooth. I will definitely make a stop there when in town again.
The seating is a little tight even with the extra little room by the kitchen, so it is not for big groups. There may be two tables for four, but all the rest are small tables best for just one or two diners. Each time I went the service was very friendly and helpful.

The chocolate croissant was wonderful. A lightly dusted powdered sugar made this treat delightful. The latte was creamy and delicious. Everything was eaten in about five minutes!

randomly stumbled upoon this small storefront on a Saturday morning, awesome handmade croissant! and we really liked the chocolate cake too.
it smelled very nice inside, will come back for their brunch another weekend!
after we got back, i watched this video that the owner posted about how all their stuff are hand made here, made i like the place even more!

This place is delicious, with nice service. On our way to the Museum of Contemporary Art, we stopped over for brunch. We had the savory crepes of the day: smoked salmon, cream, dill. RIDICULOUS. Also a side salad (arugula and kale, so yummy), the tuna salad plate, and a cannelé to share. The cannelé was perfect. So dense and eggy and sweet. We sat outside — there’s lots of seating inside and some outside. I should have tried a croissant but I thought all that we had ordered was just fine.
It’s inside an orange front door! Really cute.

Located right off Michigan Ave, this no frills gem entices you from the moment you walk in the door and breathe in the delicious aroma of all the fresh pastries. It was hard to decide which flavored croissant I wanted but I knew my waistline should only have one so I styled on the pistachio chocolate. Perfect choice! I washed it down with the homemade lemonade served with simple syrup on the side so you can adjust your flavor accordingly.
The seating is limited and nothing fancy but it didn’t matter because the food was so delicious and the price was right!

Nice neighborhood place with homemade food and tasty desserts. Jonesing for a chocolate éclair, croissant, fresh sandwich with hand crafted bread, gourmet soup or salad? Look no further, this is a charming little shop with a European flair.
I’m a sucker for their chocolate cherry croissant, it’s a great way to start the day. Outdoor seating, friendly staff and appetizing food — you can’t go wrong.

Very small café with limited sitting room especially if there is a big line. Just had the hazelnut croissant, and it was fresh, tasty and I loved the crunchy topping on it. Look for the orange door. There was a kid working the front in a chef outfit. He was great at serving customers and giving suggestions !

A bit small on the inside, but not a big deal for people like me who get their food to go. Tremendous pistachio croissant that reminded me of being in France. When in the area this is the place I go to get a quick morning meal.

Delicious macaroons, bad attitude.
I expect an attitude in that area but not from coffee shop clerks. I asked if they had any non dairy creamer for my coffee. She said no. I politely suggested they think about something for the non dairy folks. Her reply, «well, this is really a bakery… the coffee isn’t really our thing.» Wow! Then i mentioned that even Dunkin Donuts has non dairy creamer now. So the more customer oriented guy standing next to her asked me what kind of non dairy I would suggest. That’s the way to handle it. Ask how to fix it, don’t tell the customer why they are being ridiculous. And I don’t think i’m being that ridiculous. Most places in major cities these days have non dairy options. Gheesh! I’ am completely turned off to this place.
Too bad too because that Dark Chocolate Salted Carmel macaroon was amazing.

We went to Hendrickx for breakfast and it is a quaint little bakery right by Michigan Avenue and the 900 Shops area. As you step into the bakery, you will see two tables and then all the baked goods lined up behind the register. Fresh baked bread, croissants, muffins and all kinds of Belgian baked delicacies lined the counter. If you look to the left, you can see the bakers busy making the bread and other goodies in the open kitchen. The chef baker was wearing his tall white hat and greeted the guests. There is also a room around the corner from the kitchen with a few more tables where you can sit. We took a seat and ordered breakfast and tea. I ordered an Early Grey tea and it came out in a plastic tea pot where you wait a few minutes. You then put the plastic tea pot on the paper cup and it pours right into the cup. I want to buy one of these tea pots now after this experience!
I had a boiled egg with fresh bread and butter. We also split a chocolate croissant and it was one of the best I have had. Everything reminded me of Europe and I would come here for bread and dessert when in the area. The prices are a little high yet you are getting authentic handmade breads and pastries. I also noticed pictures of the baker and owner on the wall so it appears they have been around a while. Many locals were getting coffees and treats to go. Next time I am back, I want to try the Liege waffle.

Loved the place! Little off the road and hidden but so delicious! Very good coffee and baked goods! Definitely a place to stop by while shopping in the area.

We stopped by here for brunch before a quick trip to Bloomingdale’s and an eyebrow appointment. The space is small, but it smells amazing. They had all of their croissants lined up in a beautiful row, and some were sold out by the time we got there (a little before 11). My husband and I tried a chocolate almond croissant and it was amazing. I also had a cappuccino that was very good.
For the main event, we split a large quiche. The quiche was big enough to be cut into three large servings, one of which we brought home. The quiche came with a side salad – arugula and kale – with perfectly vinnegary dressing. The mixture of the quiche with the bright salad was really satisfying.
We tried to give our leftover slice to a guy panhandling at Rush and Walton. He asked what it was an turned it down, despite our assurances that it was the best quiche we had ever had. Oh well, more for us!
Long story short: go early, order a croissant and a quiche.

Quaint, little café almost hidden away in downtown. It’s hard to notice it unless you know what you’re looking for. I’m in this area a lot and have probably walked passed it a dozen times on my way to Sprinkles but never realized it was here.
I was standing in line at Starbucks when I checked Unilocal for other breakfast options in the area and found this place. The cheapest Starbucks croissant is $ 2.25, why not swing by here and for just a few cents more get something baked fresh.
The pastries are laid out behind the front counter in an almost taunting manner. They look so good you’ll want to buy one of each.
I settled on the Liege waffle & chocolate almond croissant and asked to have them heated up. I was offered free coffee since I spent over $ 5 but declined.
The seating area by the main entrance is small but there is another room around the corner with a few more tables. As you turn the corner, you’ll get a view of the kitchen where you’ll see bakers prepping for their next batch of pastries.
The Liege waffle is covered in cinnamon and sugar then drizzled with glaze. It seems small but it is very filling. Warmed up is the way to go on this one as the flavors will melt in your mouth more.
The chocolate almond croissant was very nicely done. It was perfectly crispy and flaky and the filling was great.
Here’s a tip if you get a croissant with filling like mine, smush on the center so you can spread the filling throughout the croissant. If not you’ll get through half the croissant before you find the filling.
I took away one star because I feel this place could use some improvements.
I’m not a fan of food places that do not have bathrooms. I don’t need to eat the germs from the elevator buttons I pushed today or the door handles I grabbed. I’d like to be able to wash my hands before I scarf something down.
I also think this place is in need of some light music in the background to distract from all the noise staff makes. Between pots clanking in the kitchen, staff speaking French to one another, and what I can only assume to be a very loud AC system this place can become the opposite of relaxing if you stay here too long.

My friends and I were staying in the Gold Coast area and walked here for a quick bite to start our day. Waffles and sweets? Sounds perfect for 4 girls!
This is a small bakery with a couple indoor and outdoor tables, just right for 2 – 4 people to catch up over croissants and coffee.
I ordered the kale and spinach soup, Belgian liege waffle, chocolate croissant, and raspberry macaron.
–kale and spinach soup wasn’t cream based, and was more liquid like. Sorta like a green juice, just warm.
–Belgian liege waffle was nice and dense. A little bit on the hard side, but tasted delicious nonetheless.
–chocolate croissant-​this one was just ok. I was rally excited about the croissant, but was disappointed in this one as I’ve had better elsewhere. Filling wasn’t through the croissant, but it was flaky! I tried my friend’s speculoos croissant-​this was much better.
–raspberry macaron-​this was about twice the size of your normal macaron, but the filling inside was slightly on the runny side. Meh, I’d skip this.
Overall, cute little bakery worth checking out if you need something to go and nibble on. There are mostly only 2 table seats, but go past the cashier and kitchen area and you’ll find a couple more tables!
-

Great pastries! Will visit again!

I would have never notice this place on my own. I let my friend pick where we were having lunch at and we ended up here. There weren’t too many entrees to choose from, so being the carnivore that I am I chose the Italian Sub. It looks sort of plan and boring when you get it, but that sandwich was good! The olive oil it was drenched in was delicious and the bread was ammmazzzzing! I was so full off of the sandwich, but I had to get one of the Mignon desserts. They looked delicious and there were many options to choose from. I went with the Mocha cake covered in hazelnuts and topped with Buttercream frosting. It was delicious and definitely made for sharing. Although if I didn’t have the sandwich I may have been able to finish on my own.
As much as I walk by I don’t think this spot stands out much. The outdoor seating is sort of tucked away a little higher than street level. They only have a few tables on the inside, so when the summer is over you’ll probably just want to take your food to go. I will be back to try more of the menu.

I saw this place on Unilocal when trying to find potential places to get some breakfast. It was a bit far from my hotel (in Schaumburg) but we were heading into the city that day anyway. I was hoping the hour long commute to the place would be worth it.
First off, it’s not too obvious. I was following my GPS like the tourist I was and saw how I was walking past it… and I couldn’t see it. Then I saw the sticker decals spelling out the word «croissant». Then I looked past that. Then I saw people sitting at little tables outside and what looked like a potential café/​bakery beyond that. And so I walked further down, found some steps and went up. There’s a small hallway type walkway where there are small tables and chairs set up for a maximum of 2 per table. Inside was small as well with even less seating. What really caught my eyes was the wall of baked pastries and breads beyond the cashier.
I admit I was slightly overwhelmed. I only have one stomach so I could only get two things at the most — one for me, and one for my husband to share. Well, I could get more, but I am one of those ‘blessed’ ones whose body type gains weight even when I drink water (and don’t tell me it’s just water weight). We stood there for a bit and was offered one of their paper menus, but I still stood towards the front; their menu is purely text and I wanted a visual representation as well.
We finally decided upon the Almond Croissant (I have an intense love for marzipan so almond anything in desserts is a must) as well as the Pistachio Croissant (mainly because I never encountered the pistachio in a croissant… and I do love pistachios). To enjoy them with, hubby got his usual black coffee and I got a Belgian-​style iced coffee. We found a seat outside (thank goodness that Chicago had cool mornings) and got settled after we got our croissants off to the side after we ordered. Our drinks were delivered to us later.
I thought it was funny how the croissants were different sizes (the pistachio was a bit larger), but they were both delicious. Flaky pastries (I shudder to think how much butter I was consuming) with a decent amount of filling inside. I only wish I had more! In hindsight, it wouldn’t have hurt to try a third croissant, would it? Once we finished them, lingering crumbs and all, I caught sight of the macarons. They were quite large (slightly smaller than the palm of my hand)… and I wanted something more to finish my coffee with. Speaking of which, the coffee had some milk (or was it cream?) and was lightly sweetened, but perfectly so that I didn’t need water to go with.
I ended up getting a lavender macaron. Like I said, it was large, which was perfect for sharing, though I wish we could have gotten 2. Perfectly chewy under the crust and with the size, you could see more of the action as you took a bite into it. The buttercream filling was on the thick side in the middle, but still good. Flavors definitely there and it wasn’t too sweet… I wish I tried another flavor as well!
Pros: awesome food (sweets and pastries, at least) and good drinks, friendly staff (it seems to be family-​run?) though the girl needs to smile more because I don’t think she smiled the entire time I was there, steady stream of customers which can only be a good thing, in a good location by a number of hotels and in walking distance to the Water Tower
Cons: small place with limited seating when busy, their door doesn’t swing shut automatically (which seems to REALLY bother the girl who works there when customers don’t close the door behind them)
Verdict: good thing I don’t live here or it’ll put a dent in my wallet and I would need to buy a whole new wardrobe for my ever-​increasing body size

My husband and I stopped in three times during our Chicago trip! It’s located right off of Michigan Avenue (and it was conveniently located down the street from our hotel).
Their croissants, amazing! They have quite a selection so you are bound to find at least one that you like. My husband and I can’t stop talking about them! So fresh, so flaky, so wonderful! We didn’t try the freshly baked breads, but, they did look wonderful as well! They have a few different macaroons to try as well. They are a little bit bigger than I have ever seen them, but, I wasn’t complaining! Semi sweet but such a great treat! They also, serve coffee, pastries, and they have a daily quiche!
There are a few tables inside, and a few outside! The owner, there every morning and what a sweet pea!
You must try at least once if you are in the area! I promise you won’t be let down.
Enjoy!