Manna Bakehouse (FKA Tel Aviv Bakery) — Restaurant in Rogers Park Township

I admit I'm a little biased because of the name of the bakery--uh, yeah, that's where I'm from (the city, not the bakery); however, I won't let that influence my judgement or impartiality: This place rocks. Forget all those overpriced, pretentious bakeries that serve lattes and espressos and charge you an arm and a leg for what can only be described as wannabe European baked goods. (Not in all instances, of course--there are some very good coffee shops and bakeries out there, but they are few and far between.) Go here for the real thing--excellent pastries and breads, cookies and rolls for half of what you would be forking out at one of those fancy-shmancy coffee houses, bakeries, or popular cupcake joints. Not the place for sitting down or getting some work done on your computer (or ordering a cupper), but definitely the place for getting wonderful baked goods at an unassuming, real bakery that is suggestive of another era in some faraway place. Oh, and it's Kosher (and Pareve), so please don't come in with food from outside. Be respectful. "מזכיר כל כך את הקונדיטוריות הקטנות בתל אביב של פעם--מישהו זוכר את "עגתי בדיזנגוף (פינת יודפת אם זכרוני אינו מטעה אותי) וכן קונדיטוריות קטנות אחרות לפני בוא עידן בתי הקפה הפלצנים והיקרים? זוהי אכן מאפיה קטנה וחסרת יומרות, בהחלט לא מעוצבת (ואף לא מרשימה במיוחד!) אשר כולה בטעם של פעם (תרתי משמע), עם מאפים נפלאים ואווירה טובה וניחוח שמעורר געגועים למשהו שהולך ונעלם בעולם החומרני כל כך של ימינו... כשר למהדרין לכל שומרי...

Part of me loves that I discovered this bakery because the pastries here are perfection- I simply cannot think of any flaws for the baked goods from Tel-Aviv. Another part of me stresses over my discovery of Tel-Aviv because I have no self control around their pastries. Hell, even if I’m not around their pastries, I’ll make the 15 mile drive from my place to Tel-Aviv just to satisfy my craving. High gas prices? Who cares? The ROI on purchasing Tel-Aviv pastries cannot be explained with material things like money. Plus, the employees are always friendly, and patient while I blankly stare at pastries. Please treat yourself to a...

This place used to just be simple and people liked it like that where they had chocolate donuts with sprinkles, and chocolate donuts and vanilla and they used to have cookies where u can buy some by pound or half a pound, now they are doing too much they put graham crackers on the chocolate donuts and put really odd things on their donuts like who does that and have no cookies where u can buy by the pound or a half pound I really do wish this new ownership knew what they were doing because this place was the spot for me to get my donuts and cookies now it’s...