If I spend more than a week in any single city, it’s highly likely I’ll go out of my way in search of #prettycarbs to fill my kouign amann needs. So, not long after moving to Chicago, I bookmarked Floriole as a must-go. Guess I had a gut feeling it might turn out to be a new favorite in the city.

I’ll be the first to admit that it’s not in the most convenient location in terms of public transit. Had it been winter, I probably wouldn’t have gone as often as I did. But thankfully it was summer in Chicago, and I made every excuse to come gawk at the pastry case.

Right from the entrance you’re greeted with tantalizing smells and a beautiful display of pastries. Whether you’re in the mood for sweet or savory (let’s be real, you should always get both), Floriole has something that will hit cravings you didn’t even know you had. There’s plenty of seating upstairs, but the best seat in the house is the bar stools with a window into the kitchen so you can watch the magic happen. I could sit there all day and watch the perfectly laminated dough go in and perfectly golden pastries come out.