Hewn

At Hewn, you don’t ask for ‘the sourdough’ loaf. That’s not how it works. All bread loafs at Hewn are naturally fermented so they are ALL sourdough by default. The bread variety is extensive and change on a daily rotation by week. Every single loaf I have had of they many times I have visited has been excellent. Their pastries are limited in scope but also really good! (But you go there absolutely for the bread!)

I grew up in Europe and Hewn is the closest to what I remember from my childhood. I can just eat the bread with nothing on it. It's so delicious. The croissants are equally divine. Make sure you enjoy them fresh to get the crunchy skin - you can easily compare to croissants in Paris. And these are just my personal favorites. Make sure you stop in and just enjoy.

Stopped by for bread, bagel, and some other treats on the way out of town after getting a rave recommendation. The bread just wasn't that good - the flavor was there but the texture was denser than I like and a bit dry. Pastry was good, bagel was decent. Everything was fantastically expensive (especially the bread, which comes in a small loaf). Probably would not come again.

Those of us who love Bread appreciate the quality of the breads that these talented bakers produce. There is a great selection of breads, as well as desserts and everything that is made here is of the finest ingredients. All of the flour is organic purchased from selected providers and ground to Hewn's own specifications. In my experience the great taste and overall goodness is unmatched. I am especially impressed by their Ciabatta. It's a very large loaf with a crunchy crust with terrific moist innards sporting plenty of holes. It's chewy, as you would expect from the high gluten content. Often it is still warm from the oven and keeps well for a couple of days without refrigeration, although freezing all that you cannot eat within a day is highly recommended. It's the best of it's type that I have ever eaten, resembling the best of the bread I have eaten in Eastern Europe. I recommend Hewn Bakery in Evanston without any reservations.