"Pastry competition is fierce in Wicker Park, and classical French heavyweight Alliance Bakery is easily among the top contenders. Experts at both flavor and aesthetics, its bakers whip up elegant cakes, immaculate macarons, flaky croissants, and much more. In 2023, owner and veteran pastry chef Peter Rios expanded Alliance to a second outpost in West Town." - Ashok Selvam, Naomi Waxman