The line for this takeout-only bakery in Logan Square starts forming at least 30 minutes before they open at 9am. But it’s worth spending a precious weekend morning standing on a sidewalk to get one (or hopefully, many) of Sugar Moon’s curried cauliflower croissants, Nutella-pear brioche buns, or crunchy and not-too-sweet espresso cornflake cookies. Every crumb in the sweet and savory scones crumbles just right, and every pastry is made up of layers flakier than a Spirit Airlines schedule.

Kasama functions as a walk-in-only cafe in the mornings—and that’s when you can get excellent pastries. The ham and cheese danish is a good example of what makes them so perfect, with salty serrano ham and raclette fondue on top of a light and flaky pastry that’s topped with sugar. The person in charge of the baked goods is the former pastry chef from Oriole, so it’s not surprising that the berry creme fraiche cheesecake is lighter than a two-year-old’s conscience.

Lost Larson gets bragging rights not just because they take the extra step to mill their own flour, but also because they make incredible breads, sandwiches, and pastries. The pastry case is stuffed with what looks like all 10 weeks’ worth of The Great British Baking Show’s technical challenges. There are tarts, buns, and plenty of croissants and scones. The must-order is an airy afternoon bun—the Earl Grey and citrus sugar on top will inadvertently cause you to start calling cookies “biscuits.”

This West Town bakery is where you’ll find the baking operation that supplies bread to The Publican and Publican Quality Meats, along with a small storefront that has all sorts of pastries and loaves. Fantastic things like earthy buckwheat chocolate croissants and gruyere brioche buns are available on a rolling basis starting at 7am, and fresh bread (like a tangy sourdough that’s crustier than Statler and Waldorf) makes an appearance at 9am.

Inside this dentist's office-turned-bakery is the best key lime pie in the city, made better than the rest by the addition of strawberries and basil. Get a whole one, or try it in a pie flight and decide whether you like the lemon espresso or cucumber, mango, and chili lime versions better. Cakes, cookies, quiches, and banana pudding are on the menu too. Warm dishes like chicken pot pie are available after 11am, made even warmer by the friendliest conversations you’ll ever have with strangers.

The rotating menu at Mindy’s reads like an Encyclopedia of Bread, with everything from donuts to pot pies—but standouts include a mortadella and giardiniera turnover and a honey, brie, and apricot jam danish. This Wicker Park bakery also happens to have one of the best bagels in Chicago. Unfortunately, because everyone shares our opinion, the small space is usually crowded. There are only a couple of window seats, so be prepared to eat over the steering wheel and catch some crumbs in the car.

This cash-only bakery has been in Chinatown for over 40 years, and there is no better place in the city for soft and fluffy baked BBQ pork buns, sesame balls, and egg tarts with flaky crusts that will stick to your lips if you don’t check the mirror after inhaling one. The sponge cakes are airy, and the strawberry version is the perfect balance of just sweet enough without being cloying. Everything is made fresh, and anything from the pastry case is well worth the hassle of stopping at an ATM.

This iconic Chicago bakery in Greater Grand Crossing makes cakes sweeter than the declarations of love from your kindergarten-era crush. The counter-service shop is small, but the menu is long—besides cheesecake, pies, and cupcakes, there’s a variety of cakes available by the slice. The real standout is the classic caramel. Like all the cakes here, it’s made with precise, light, open crumb layers that look like they were stacked and frosted by an architect.

Everyone at Loba—from the baristas, to the bakers visible in the windowed kitchen, to the people inhaling pineapple sourdough muffins—seems to have one thing in common: A deep and abiding love for the pastries here. This minimalist coffee shop/small-batch bakery has unconventional flavor combinations (white chocolate curry scones for example), and unique creations, like a crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside, sesame-topped, oat-based baked custard.