Ferrara Original

This Italian bakery is worth the price. This is a neighborhood staple. I see more people for their food rather than their sweets. Its a great place to eat and feel like home. Their chicken sandwiches and salads are great. In addition, I believe you can guy their marinara sauce, meat balls and etc.

I really love this place, but today I ordered a beef & sausage sandwich to go, but I didn't get the sausage,

The World's Best Bakery hands down! Moved to Texas and how I miss the delicious cookies. Great memories of my Childhood, remember the days my Grandparents would take me to pick out my fav cookies which were the pistachio and cherry.

This is one of the most authentic and delicious Italian bakery style restaurant in the country. The gnocchi are phenomenal, the sandwiches are fresh, big and fantastic. The food salads are incredible. From lunch to catering, this is a great Italian restaurant

Ferrara Bakery holds a special place in my family's history, my wife's grandpa worked there while he was in high school in the 40s. He still remembers the founding family member Salvatore, who he just called "grandpa". Excellent pastries, and a slice of local history. Highly recommended!

Real Italian pastries and cakes. Had my wife's birthday cake ordered and the flavor and quality were astonishing, this place is now my first go-to place for cake orders. Had also some italian pastry, coffee and some sandwiches that were highly appreciated. They have a selection of main courses too that I haven't tried yes, but by the look and smell I watched from the tables nearby, I would try next time I will be there.

One of my favorite places in this area. Food and coffee are ok, but the main attraction here is of course the sweets. Of you have a sweet tooth, and especially if you like Italian pastry, you're in the right place. Great for families and has very nice decorations highlighting it's very long history since the 1920s.

I usually go to Ferrara for a cup of coffee (which is great), sometimes tea. Sometimes I get a pastry. Sometimes I go for a coffee there even though I don't need it, because the staff are wonderful and their kindness can get me through a tough day like a great cup of coffee would.

I didn't expect to have the best Alfredo sauce of my life at the historical home of a major sweets chain. The ratio of pasta to sauce, and of ingredients within the sauce itself, was perfect. Just enough bread provided to mop up all the remaining sauce, and a side salad to serve as intermission for the heavy taste showed just how thoughtful the folks here are with their menu design. 5/5. Their espresso is rather expensive, but par for course with many other places in Chicago.

I picked up a cake last week and was very disappointed! The cake tasted very old and refrigerator taste. The cake was strawberry but hardly any strawberries in it. I was not greeted when I walked in no one was in line. They had me waiting for a few minutes while 3 girls were in front and didn't acknowledge me. I have been buying cakes from here for along time in fact my parents always bought us our cakes from here as kids. I will not be returning it's not the same service. What a shame place just fell off with the cakes and service!

I took a looong bus ride to Ferrara to get cookies for Christmas Day! 10000% worth it. The pignoli cookies are out of this world.

Can't comment on their savory foods but i can say that their desserts are the BEST. If you're craving cannoli, this is definitely the spot for you. Stopped by in the afternoon not too long before closing and their pre-filled and wrapped cannoli we're still crunchy. They have some sort of magic going on in this place. They also have an assortment of cookies and desserts showcased in their display cases.

I tried a lemony kind of cake-like cookie and their pignoli cookies which were chewy and delicious. They have a refrigerator full of soup, sauces, and meals to heat, and a menu for their savory foods. Definitely have to come back to try their pastas!

Fantastic Thanksgiving Turkey and sides. We took a chance and glad we did. Everything was prepared Little oven time and it was perfect. I'd definitely recommend this place fir your Thanksgiving feast.

I have lived in Chicago for 35 years. I'm embarrassed to say that today was my first time ever here. I was taking some out-of-town clients around and showing the properties and we were around Taylor Street and I saw the reviews on yelp and was ready to give it a shot. I had the hot chicken sandwich and my clients had the classic Ferrara. We washed it down with cappuccinos.

I wish I had the space for some tiramisu or some of the other incredibly delicious looking deserts. They had stuffed pepper as a special and I saw some other people ordered that and it had my mouth watering from two tables over. When my family comes in from out of town I will be bringing them here immediately. Classic feel. It was as if I stepped back in time 50 years

Their pastry offerings disappoint. I tried the cannoli, which was not great, and a chocolate eclair. The eclair had a ganache that was covered in condensation, suggesting it had been sitting a while. That sentiment was confirmed when I noticed mold on the pastry. I tried the other, non-moldy part and it was just very disappointing. The filling tasted weird, like it had picked up the taste of some non-dessert around it but was somehow tasteless at the same time, and the pastry itself was soggy. Perhaps they are better known for their non-bakery items?

Stopped in here for lunch with 7 of my coworkers, and they really did a great job serving everything in a timely manner. We sat outside as there aren't any tables inside for parties larger than four, but it was a nice day and it's a covered area, so it worked out nicely. I had the Ferrara Special sandwich with hot peppers, and others ordered the lasagna, the meatball sub, and the gnocchi.

Everyone had great things to say about the food. I really enjoyed the sub, it was a little different since it had italian dressing instead of oil and vinegar that is usually on similar subs, but it was good and juicy, which is how I like it. I wish now I would have tried some of the bakery items because they did look good! Overall a great little spot to grab some food and treats.

This is a bakery with a nice cookie selection. I'm careful now because I've been diagnosed with diabetes. I've enjoyed the lasagna, lentil soup, fazole soup, and sandwiches. My coworkers always buy the candies.

New to Chicago from NYC, I discovered this place a month ago while searching for a good cannoli spot. Boy did they deliver! Great cannolis! But also, their soups are in credible. Love the Minestrone and pasta fagioli. Mom says the chicken pastina is better than homemade. Love the caprese sandwich, too. Gnocchi with vodka sauce--so decadent. But thus far, my favorite item is the cheese pizza with giardiniera! Oh my goodness. It's life changing. The crust! The sauce! The giardiniera! GET IN THERE!

Ferrara Bakery's charming long history in Chicago adds to its authentic Italian appeal. I picked up lasagna with added meatballs, tiramisu and cannoli for lunch. Portions were individually sized, but they can also split with another person if not very hungry. The order came with a side garden salad with a fantastic creamy Italian dressing. Lasagna and meatballs probably had Asiago, Romano, or Sharp Parmesan that added a pungent cheese profile, but I can also see people having split opinions about this.

It made it more distinguished from the typical frozen version. To finish off the meal, the desserts tasted fresh and indulgent - my preference is less sweetness and a lighter touch, but these were very good. The strong expresso and nutty, pistachio flavors really stood out in the tiramisu and cannoli.

Passed by this place this morning and it caught my attention. I was hungry for a sandwich and figured I'd give this place a shot. Walking in felt like walking into a conveince store at first when you see the two fridges filled with to go entrees and refreshments. Then you look over to your right and you see that it's a place that the owners wanted to feel like home.

The decor and color palette invokes Italy and the Mediterranean. It gave off a tiny feeling of being in a completely different country. Obviously when you look out the window you're greeted with a vibrant mural and plenty of cars. I ended up getting the Caprese sandwich and thought it was a good simple sandwich. The mozzarella was cut thick just like the tomato and there was a very subtle pesto drizzled over the two ingredients, sandwiched between a very well crafted french bread.

It wasn't snazzy and it wouldn't blow your beret off but it was still good. I'm looking forward to trying their pastries and coffee. Maybe even some of their prepacked meals.

I ordered a 10 chocolate sponge cake with cannoli filling for $48 for a dear friend's last day at work. No sponge cake, just regular cake that was really cold and wet and almost soggy. The whipped cream and cannoli filling was not cold, just the cake. I suspect the cake layers were frozen and defrosted, so that the melted ice crystals then made cake wet, not moist like a good cake should taste.

Besides being really cold, the cake was tasteless. And what about the sponge cake that I ordered? I also bought 2 lbs of Italian style cookies, which had very poor taste, like baking powder. I am really disappointed. I think this bakery is mass producing its cakes and cookies and has lost any focus on quality.

Great bakery and cafe is what Ferrara is. My pa grew up not far from Ferrara on the old Westside so I've been pretty familiar with it all my life. This is still good family neighborhood even with all the gentrifying and a throwback to yesteryear. Ferrara Bakery has managed to fit right in with the ever changing neighborhood for over a hundred years.

Excellent made in house bakery goods and Italian pastry specialties. Great cannoli! Everything is made in house from the pastries to soups, sandwiches, and pizza. You don't have to order a whole pie as the have a square piece they cut into four smaller slices and heat for you. It's a solid Chicago style tavern cut pizza and a great light snack. I'm a fan of their Lent pepper 'n' egg sandwiches.

True Chicago style. I believe they use Turano bread but I may be wrong. On take out orders they wrap the bags very nicely with a special paper bag fold that literally locks up the bag so your purchases don't fly all over the place. Then they hand it to you the way it should be carried. It's little thoughtful things like this that make them special.

They care about service and their customers. They also do a nice espresso and cappuccino here too. It's nice to eat inside a true historic landmark just as people did for decades. The small two top cafes tables tucked against the front picture window over looking Taylor Street give it that back in the day urban feel. You watch the customers park in front and swagger in like they own the joint and you just know their majority neighborhood folks who've been coming in for generations.

The decor and painted walls tell a story and are reminiscent of the few old school joints left peppered around the city. I'm pretty sure the man who started it all, Nello Ferrara along with family also started Ferrara Pan Candy Co. off the Eisenhower expressway. They're famous for 'lemon heads', red hots', 'atomic fireballs', and more. It's a great stop on your travels especially if you're doing a tour of cool old urban hot spots. 100 years plus and counting.

The ferrara bakery is really great to have in the area. I love that they have low price high quality coffee ($1.62 for a 12oz brew) and a huge assortment of baked goods. I love their raspberry filled butter cookie the raspberry contrasts well with the rich butter. I also got the eclair which i didn't love. It tasted fresh but it was a bit too sweet and heavy on the stomach.

I 100x recommend their cannoli and tiramisu. They've got "Chicago's best cannoli" on their coffee sleeves and I definitely agree. Always fresh, sweet and tangy filling and lots of flavor!

I've been eating these cakes for as long as I can remember! My father grew up in the neighborhood and Ferraras has been a family favorite for generations. My kids love the cannolis and pizza. Will always come back. Thank you for the sweets!

I'm totally in love with this establishment I've had a salad, a sub sandwich and now the rigatoni with the vodka sauce! I give it a 10! I recently rediscover this beautiful family restaurant. Today I ordered my favorite sandwich and I requested hot peppers on my sandwich, she didn't put the peppers on my sandwich. The last time it was my cannoli.

If you can't understand what I'm saying why not ask me to repeat myself. I hate returning to my job to find that my food isn't right or I didn't get what I purchased. I'm not returning, I think he needs to replace her.

Ferrara bakery was my favorite place to go for salads. Being a popular establishment you will think the staff would wash all vegetables and greens before preparing people meals. Well that doesn't seems to be the case. Today, I found live bug in my salad. well the bug found me. This is the most disgusting and disappointing thing ever!

Sfogliatella was bomb. This was exactly what I was craving. I also had two lemon ricotta cookies that were okay, didn't taste like too much. But the sfogliatella made up for it I'll definitely come back to try more!

Well, you can't say this very often: for lunch I had a beef and a slice of tasty Italian pie! Original Ferrara is old-school.and that's just the way most of the locals I saw there today like it. Prices are fair and portions are even more fair; I spent about $8 today for that beef, dipped, and a slice of the Ferrara's Original Cake. I thought the cake was only OK--lots of layers, but nothing special in terms of flavor--but the beef made me happy and that thing was dipped JUST right.

Thanks to the woman behind the counter for the recommendation! Plenty of seating here, too, and there were cops everywhere when I walked inside, dining at a table near the door. Cheap, tasty, the cop seal of approval, friendly staff? Count me in.

I never realize this bakery was still open for business. My parents were married in the 40s and got their cake from the bakery delivered from Chicago to Milwaukee. They were famous for their tall tower cakes. Some were 6 feet tall including my parents, who had to stand on a ladder to cut it! They were the most special cakes I've ever seen in my life. And now I finally got there and was told they still have the same cake today. It was a very special trip and worth it