Aya Pastry

"The "Aya" in question was originally the head pastry chef at Maple & Ash, and this neighborhood bakery means that now you can get her fantastic baked goods straight from the source. It has everything from wonderfully flaky croissants to pull-apart milk bread to take-and-bake cinnamon rolls that will change your life. Plus, Aya even has a drive-thru so you can roll up in your PJs before heading home to throw those bad boys in the oven." - adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor, nick allen

"The “Aya” in question was originally the head pastry chef at Maple & Ash, and this neighborhood bakery in West Town means that now you can get her fantastic baked goods straight from the source. It has everything from wonderfully flaky croissants, to pull-apart milk bread, to take-and-bake pastries that will change your life. Plus, Aya even has a drive-thru so you can roll up in your PJs before heading home to throw those bad boys in the oven." - veda kilaru, john ringor

"If you enjoy simply staring at croissants, this will be one of your favorites, too. This pastry from West Town bakery Aya has such a golden and glossy shell, it could be mistaken for a knock-off found in a play kitchen. But there’s nothing plastic about the taste—it has a pleasant chew to go with its balance of butter and salt that’s not surprising but never dull. When you want a textbook enjoyable pastry, look no further. " - john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen

"The court’s order only pertains to Etta Bucktown, meaning Pisor remains at Aya Pastry." - Ashok Selvam

"Aya Pastry was a rare pandemic success story. While Chicagoans anxiously navigated the early days of COVID, the desire for comfort foods increased, and baker Aya Fukai — who rose through Chicago’s culinary ranks using her imagination and creativity as pastry chef at highly profitable Gold Coast hot spot Maple & Ash — was there with her baked goods: Fukai took inspiration from a variety of sources, including Girl Scout Cookies, which pushed her to create a supercharged doughnut, a decadent treat that looks like a Samoa cookie. Coffeehouses around town turned to Aya to supply pastries, and the bakery’s wholesale operation boomed, counting more than 50 clients including large grocery stores like Dom’s Kitchen & Market and independent coffee shops like Gaslight Coffee Roasters." - Ashok Selvam