Austrian Bakery

Perfection in a simple neighborhood bakery with traditional Austrian and European eats

Inside the Austrian Bakery, by Karina for TKGO

My friend Adryanna discovered this spot in her Lincoln Park neighborhood and, with TKGO in mind, told me I must go. She gave me specific directions to find it, which I needed. This is one of those unassuming places you could walk by every day for a year and not notice. It’s very basic on the outside, and inside, as well. It’s wood-paneled, with collection of simple tables and chairs, and almost has an unintentionally rustic feel to it.

It definitely attracts a neighborhood crowd; when I was in a couple of nearby employees stopped in for lunch, and judging by the rapport with the bakery’s employees, that happens quite often. Everything looks delicious and fresh, and best of all, it is all very reasonably priced. In addition to baked goods, the Austrian Bakery offers salads, soups, sandwiches and breakfast fare. And like any true neighborhood bakery/café/lunch spot, there’s free wireless.

I ended up purchasing a Cheese Pocket ($2.25 and huge), which is a square-shaped flakey pastry filled with sweet cream cheese and coated with powdered sugar. It is one of the bakery’s more popular products, in addition to its traditional Austrian poppy seed bread. The simple pastry was the best pastry I have ever tasted. Often with filled pastries, the layers (pastry, filling, pastry) are clearly discernible, almost like a sandwich. Not so with this pastry; the sweet filling was perfectly baked in to the pastry dough. Next time — and there will be many next times — I plan to sit down to a whole meal.

Cheese Pocket from the Austrian Bakery, by Karina for TKGO

-Karina for TKGO City Guides