Del Sur Bakery
Bakery · Ravenswood ·
Filipino pastries, croissants, Basque cake, coffee & tea
Filipino pastries, croissants, Basque cake, coffee & tea
"Dominating daytime in Lincoln Square, this bakery turns out Filipino-influenced pastries." - Lauren Brocato
"Chicagoans don’t usually line up for anything short of a breakfast sandwich, but Del Sur is a rare exception. The Filipino American bake shop became an instant phenomenon when it opened in March . Customers formed lines that snaked down the street before the doors even opened each morning. The crush resulted in a one-of-each-pastry policy , which hasn’t deterred fans from seeking out Justin Lerias’s technically flawless Filipino flavor-blasted Viennoiseries. Meticulously laminated croissants are stuffed with juicy longganisa, slender turon Danishes — a playful nod to the classic Pinoy snack — layer caramelized banana jam with sweet vanilla flan, and calamansi chamomile buns cradle a bright, citrus curd. Even the chocolate chip cookies are a surprise, made with toasted wild rice dough and two types of chocolate, then finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Every item at Del Sur is a surprising twist on tradition, setting a new standard for what a Chicago bakery can be." - Jeffy Mai
"One of Chicago’s buzziest 2025 openings, this small bakery draws steady lines from morning to midday under pastry chef Justin Lerias, who blends Filipino heritage with classic baking for deeply creative laminated treats. It’s worth braving the wait for calamansi chamomile buns and pandan Basque cakes that showcase bright flavors and an imaginative spirit. The calamansi chamomile bun is a cross between a croissant and a muffin, built from delicate laminated dough filled with a tart curd; a dusting of sugar adds sweetness that balances the citrus. Buttery pandan Basque cake is dense but moist, crowned with pandan cream and a seasonal jam; each bite is rich and satisfying, with the sweet, silky cream lending depth. The flaky longganisa croissant is an umami-packed delight, its crispy, crackling layers encasing Filipino sausage and finished with a soy-caramel glaze, egg yolk curls, and green scallions. While lines have eased since opening, you’ll likely still wait; on a recent Saturday at 11:30 a.m., our visit took about 30 minutes from start to finish. According to Lerias, the most popular pastries—led by the longganisa croissant—typically start selling out around 10 a.m., and most items are gone by 1 p.m. or 2 p.m." - Jeffy Mai
"The longanisa croissant at this takeout-only bakery is a cross-cultural marvel of Filipino flavors and French pastry. Like nearly everything else we tried at Del Sur in Lincoln Square (we did, in fact, order one of everything), each bite warranted a few mandatory seconds of reverent silence. Their ube oatmeal cream pie or hamonada hand pie with chili jam have an impressive not-too-sweet, not-too-salty balance. And all of the croissants, with unique flavors like toasted rice or pumpkin seed, could have their honeycomb structure and flaky shell featured in Lamination Magazine. Just know that a visit requires dedication—show up way before their 8am opening, or expect a long wait in line." - adrian kane, john ringor, nick allen, adrian kane, nick allen, nick allen, john ringor, john ringor, nick allen, john ringor, nick allen, nick allen, nick allen, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, adrian kane, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor, john ringor
"Opened in March, the Ravenswood bakery's Filipino baked goods "have skyrocketed in popularity," drawing lines where customers "can routinely expect to wait up to two hours." Early controversies included profanity-laced online remarks from customers who couldn’t secure a sought-after pastry, rumors that the bakery was paying people to wait in line or paying content creators for posts, and incidents like a customer berating an employee over a one-of-each-pastry limit put in place to help ensure more people can enjoy them. "You can tell if they’ve never worked in a service job before," says Lerias. Lerias notes "There are repercussions of being too popular" and — "for the record" — he "doesn’t think folks should wait two hours for a pastry, either." He addressed long waits in an Instagram post on April 12 that read: "This space is meant for everyone—both customers and employees—to feel safe and valued. We will always welcome feedback and concerns, but ask that they be shared with kindness and respect." The bakery posts updates throughout the day on available pastries, has signage detailing the one-of-each-pastry policy and asks customers to check with employees before taking videos or photos, and Lerias is blunt about boundaries: "We can’t keep letting customers get away with shitty behavior," and "This whole narrative of 'the customer is always right,' I don’t subscribe to it." - Lisa Shames