Featuring Lost Larson & Begyle Brewing
It’s winter in Chicago with no shortage of sub-zero temps and snow. Not only is this the time that our local shops need us more than ever, we as consumers also need to find some way to entertain ourselves. I decided to justify my joy of all things carbs by doing a weekly roundup exploring the city’s pastry game with a co-pilot of a nearby brewery.
This week, I ran up to the Andersonville location of Lost Larson. This sweet little spot is the baby of Pastry Chef Bobby Schaffer, who used to work at the three-star Michelin restaurant Grace. Within the last month, the newly opened second location in Wicker Park made headlines by selling out on the first day. I can see the charm here – and can’t wait until I’m able to eat a cinnamon roll (made with croissant dough and a citrus cream cheese frosting) inside with a hot cup of coffee. Looking through the glass window at their beautifully crafted pastries gave me a sense of Zen. I highly recommend the cinnamon roll and croissant (microwaved for 10 seconds) to get the best of their savory and sweet offerings. Everything was delicious – but here’s my ranking of the spread leading with most favorite: Cinnamon Roll, Croissant, Spinach & Feta Danish, Cheddar and Kale Scone, Afternoon Tea Bun.
Eight minutes down the road is Begyle Brewing, one of malt row’s stretch of offerings. Home of the stouty beers (as said on a Ravenswood tour I took once), this crew is so enjoyable for many reasons. Anyone that follows me on social media knows I am 100% obsessed with dogs, and this place is always packed with them. Secondly, they took a gold at GABF in 2019 for their Barrel Aged Imperial Pajamas (oatmeal stout). This particular offering is not only delicious, but the availability and price point can’t be matched. If you walk into a local liquor store and see it on the shelf, it’s a solid find for these cold nights. The 2020 lineup doesn’t disappoint with some fun variants (Maple Cinnamon, Vanilla, Rye BA). All four are available in a mixed four pack on their webstore. They currently have curbside pickup with some fun deals– I snagged the 2 for $10 bombers of their Double IPAs Quagmire and It Had to be Citra. Last but not least, there’s a candy and beer pairing on the store as a collaboration with Amy’s Candy Bar for V-day!
I opened a twitter post on where to visit next, so stay tuned to see if your pick is featured! We have Valentine’s Day coming up and Fat Tuesday (paczki time!) with plenty of places offering sweets galore. Let me know what you’re drinking and enjoying for either or!
