Umaga Bakehouse

This bright Albany Park bakery has an Apple store minimalism with a tad more burnt orange. But instead of selling laptops that pester you about updating your iOS, the shelves are stocked with incredible Filipino baked goods. Ensaymadas are light and buttery (the almond one is our favorite), and their lightly sweet pandesal is notably fluffy. We usually go for some non-bread stuff too, like flaky chicken empanadas, or refrigerated, heat-at-home dishes like rich and vinegary dinuguan. Since seating is limited, treat Umaga like a grab-and-go operation, but don’t be surprised if you’ve already finished a handful of mini pineapple rolls in between paying and getting to your car.

photo credit: J and L Photography

photo credit: J and L Photography

photo credit: J and L Photography

photo credit: J and L Photography