Hendrickx Belgian Bread Crafter

The croissants here are unbelievably delicious! I highly recommend the pistachio chocolate croissant. The almond one was also great!

The cafe storefront is really tiny and they have a little seating area right around the corner when you order your food. The breads all smell amazing. I was tempted to buy a variety of things.

The oat milk latte was good, too. This is just the cutest little breakfast spot. I recommend stopping in to get a little treat.

Stopped by her on a Saturday mid-morning for some coffee and croissants that I have read so much about! This cute little shop was small on the inside but was filled with so many delectable looking pastries and desserts. I wanted to try a couple so I got a chocolate croissant, hazelnut croissant, and the caprese croissant (sandwich). Each croissant was outstanding! So fresh, flakey, and delicious!! I do think they forgot the basil on my caprese croissant and it needed some balsamic, but it was very good. I ordered a medium vanilla latte, too, and it was ok. It was very sweet and i couldn't really taste the espresso.

Overall, this little belgian bakeshop gem is absolutely worth the visit for some of the most incredible croissants & desserts you can find in Chicago!

OK, here's the thing about this place - it's not that the food (mostly in-house baked European-inspired pastries) and the drink (mostly of the brewed variety), are not good. It's just that all of it comes with a large side of "snob." I am an aficionado of snob. Don't get me wrong. I embrace my inner Frasier all the time. But this place just does so in a way that is not justified by its level of offerings. Yes, the in-house made desserts are of good quality, and appear to use good ingredients. But they are not perfect. Nor nearly so. The sandwich that my dining companion ordered (a chicken or tuna salad, I believe, with a ton of yellow saffron on it, or turmeric) appeared just "overwrought" for lack of a better word. It did not look very appetizing to me. The croissant I ordered was a bit dry and lacked the delightful "weightlessness" that makes this French pastry so sought after. I think we also ordered some chocolates and other breads, and though they *looked* impressive, it was more "good enough for Government work" than exquisite, at least where typical French patisseries are concerned. At least on the day that I came. It's also rather expensive (if that's a concern of yours).

As for ambience, the shop was also lacking in some finesse. I was a new customer, but it had a Seinfeldian-soup-"Nazi" experience of ordering. I asked questions about some of the items, only to have partial, and perfunctory half-explanations tossed back. (Again, that's fine if the food is AMAZING, but considerably less charming if the food is just good, or middle-of-the-road). It's a tiny little shop, no place to sit or even stand around and partake. But there is a little outdoor area with a couple of brightly-colored, European bistro style tables and chairs, which I appreciated. My companion and I stayed for a little after they closed, which was nice for them to allow. Though, eventually, we got barked at to leave. I didn't mind being ushered away. I just wish it could have been done with a more genteel European politeness, rather than Chicagoan.

Would I go back? Sure, why not, if I were in the area. But this bakery, despite its tantalizing promise, will not become a destination spot for me.

Not the best photos because it was a little dark in here, but the taste makes up for it. I had a caramel latte with oat milk which was one of the best I've had in the city so far. The workers are very friendly and have good recommendations as well. I overheard one of them saying a lot of people get the croissant, but they were out when I went :(. This place is a little hard to find as well since there's not much signage and it's a little

AMAZING CROISSANTS!!!! We tried a cheese one, chocolate almond & plain.

I know it sounds boring compared to other options they have, but the plain was my favorite -- definitely a classic & a must have. It was so buttery, flaky, soft & fresh. The cheese one was very good as well. The chocolate almond was good too, but I don't think I would get it again.

Inside is very small, so it's better to take everything to go, but they do have seating some seating outside too.

If you can, I would go sooner rather than later. This place is busy & you want to go before all the best options are sold out. Overall, I highly recommend!!!!

I didn't know this place existed for the longest time but it's SO good. Fresh bread and delicious sandwiches are perfect for lunch. My friend ordered a sandwich on GF bread and received what looked like 2 sandwiches. Despite being on full slices of bread... each "sandwich"was only half!

They're super friendly in there, but it is a little small so you might not find a place to sit.

I recommend a cappuccino and the gluten free almond muffin for a brief city break. The muffin has a secret almond filling that surprised me with its deliciousness. There are nice places to sit inside and outside.

Got a rye bread there. It is located on a small street near the Magnificent mile. The bread was different from the ones I had before. Indeed, it looked and tasted more like a toast, instead of "artisan rustic bread". It was soft and fluffy, which was quite interesting and new to me. Still, there is flavor of multigrain. What I do not like very much is that the bread is way too salty.

The bakery does not accept my card strangely. So to play safe you may bring some cash with you. This is also the main reason for 3 stars. For me, I was lucky enough to have someone paid for me. Extremely thankful to him!

Wow, the blueberry croissant, pistachio croissant, and cappuccinos were all great and 10/10! The owners are very friendly and welcoming. My only suggestion would be to add more seating, the indoor seating room was closed as they were using it to package bakery orders- definitely a busy and popular place! Sitting outside is nice if you can snag a table!

Its not hype but fact that this is as close to Paris croissants you can get in chicago besides St Roger Abbey's Wilmette outpost. Arrived at 8:15 am to a deep line of informed regulars and let me tell you the triple chocolate one is a revelation! Posted some pics of their wares and assured by regulars everything is good!