Authentic French Pastries at Vanille Patisserie in Chicago
Thank you Vanille Patisserie for hosting us. All opinions are my own.
While I was in Chicago a couple weeks ago I had the chance to stop by and check out a pastry shop that was new to me– Vanille Patisserie. There are three locations, but we decided on the one in Lincoln Park. It was a beautiful pastry shop to say the very least, I was completely amazed.
Vanille brings authentic French pastry to Chicago with its wide variety of French desserts and pastries including macarons, entremets, customized cakes, freshly baked croissants, tarts, and so much more. You will definitely be able to find what you are looking for in terms of French pastry at Vanille. There are even handmade chocolates, candies, and creations you can savor as well.
I was amazed right when I walked in because the style of the pastry shop itself was very beautiful, vintage, and you can tell had some French influences. There was a very warm and welcoming vibe that I really appreciated. There is a large sitting area in the center of the pastry shop so you can enjoy your pastries right inside. I loved the decor. There were flowers at the table and a variety of wall art that really enhanced the ambience of the shop. It was very nice and thoughtful.
There is a special room attached to the pastry shop that you can actually book and have afternoon tea with your friends– how cute is this concept? I would totally plan something like that there. They offer a menu of Benjamin’s teas, signature Vanille pastries, scones, and finger sandwiches for each person so you can make it a really enjoyable experience.
The room itself is absolutely gorgeous. There is a beautiful chandelier, vintage styled chairs, a large wooden table, and a large mirror. On the other side there is a glass barrier so you can see through to the pastry shop, it is really something special. They can even accommodate dietary restrictions including gluten-free and vegetarian options. More information about afternoon tea here.
You will find a variety of different pastries in the large display at the front of Vanille. Everything looked absolutely beautiful I almost didn’t want to eat anything too afraid to ruin the tiny works of art. I think what really captured my attention were the entremets. I have never seen pastries as gorgeous as these. You can tell how much thought and detail goes into each one, it is truly mind-blowing. The creativity really shines through in these because there is such a large variety of them and each one looks different from the next.
I decided to try the Emotion Chocolate entremet. It is a chocolate and hazelnut masterpiece. It features a chocolate hazelnut praline mousse, milk chocolate hazelnut praline crisp, chocolate biscuit, 64% chocolate disc, milk chocolate cream, and dark chocolate crémeux. I can’t even begin to tell you how delicious this one. It was very rich and delightful and my tastebuds were thoroughly satisfied with this one. I love the layers upon layers in this entremet, it was visually appealing to me and that’s why I chose it. Like a tower of goodness.
Vanille offers Stud Muffins which are not only as good as they sound, but they are as good as they look too! These are Vanille’s favorite cakes topped with their signature macarons. I tried the Evan Stud Muffin and I was blown away. To be honest, I was not even expecting there to be a filing inside– it was perfection! The Evan Stud Muffin is a chocolate cake that is filled with decadent chocolate ganache, topped with buttercream, dipped in ganache and crowned with a chocolate macaron. Two words: Chocolate Overload. This was my favorite by far. It was so rich and decadent, so creamy, so delicious. The chocolate was not overpowering at all, it was crafted so perfectly I can’t say enough about it.
The last thing I tried were everyone’s favorite French pastries: macarons. These colorful pastries light up the entire display and with so many flavors to choose from, you can’t go wrong. The macarons have a creamy center and a slightly crunchy meringue shell that really holds their shape even when left at room temperature. I wasn’t sure which flavors I wanted to try they all looked so pretty! I was able to choose a variety and my top favorites of the bunch were: chocolate (duh!), Nutella, coconut, red velvet, and green tea– so good. The other flavors were really good too but those were my top! Macarons are always so fun, I think. You can’t go wrong and they make a perfect gift for your loved ones when returning home from your visit.
The pastries are packed carefully and beautifully with a delicate touch to ensure your pastries are safe and secure. They also have an online store and offer nationwide shipping, so you can enjoy some pastries in the comfort of your home, too.
If you are in Chicago though, I do highly recommend you stop by and try some of their pastries. You will not regret it. I absolutely loved our experience there and the pastries were beyond delicious. There are three locations in Chicago you can visit.
Lincoln Park 2108 N Clark St Chicago, IL 60614
Chicago French Market 131 N. Clinton St Chicago, IL 60661
Lakeview 3243 N. Broadway Chicago, IL 60657