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Loba Pastry + Coffee - North Center

Loba Pastry + Coffee - North Center
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  • Loba Pastry + Coffee - North Center

    Post #1 - February 10th, 2016, 12:15 pm
    Post #1 - February 10th, 2016, 12:15 pm Post #1 - February 10th, 2016, 12:15 pm
    Hey guys, my name is Coyote, and my partner Val and I have re-opened a pastry shop in the Bad Wolf space! She was baking at Bad Wolf prior to Jonathan Ory's departure...we're sort of a continuation of Bad Wolf, and sort of building our own thing at the same time. Still baking adventurous pastries in-house in limited quantities (think black sesame buns, cardamom-chocolate muffins, ham + cheese Kouign-Amanns), but with an expanded beverage program. We're stocking coffee from two excellent Bay Area roasters, Sightglass and Supersonic. We also have a growing collection of single-estate teas from NYC's In Pursuit of Tea...we want to be a destination for people to learn about and enjoy tea. We've also made the space slightly more accommodating with the addition of chairs(!), wi-fi, and a number of caffeine-free tisanes. Great conversation, as always. Same enormous sound system. We are very proud of our space, drop by and let us know what you think!

    3422 N Lincoln Ave
    Chicago, IL 60657
    (773) 456-9266
  • Post #2 - February 10th, 2016, 1:01 pm
    Post #2 - February 10th, 2016, 1:01 pm Post #2 - February 10th, 2016, 1:01 pm
    coyotedg wrote:Hey guys, my name is Coyote, and my partner Val and I have re-opened a pastry shop in the Bad Wolf space! She was baking at Bad Wolf prior to Jonathan Ory's departure...we're sort of a continuation of Bad Wolf, and sort of building our own thing at the same time. Still baking adventurous pastries in-house in limited quantities (think black sesame buns, cardamom-chocolate muffins, ham + cheese Kouign-Amanns), but with an expanded beverage program. We're stocking coffee from two excellent Bay Area roasters, Sightglass and Supersonic. We also have a growing collection of single-estate teas from NYC's In Pursuit of Tea...we want to be a destination for people to learn about and enjoy tea. We've also made the space slightly more accommodating with the addition of chairs(!), wi-fi, and a number of caffeine-free tisanes. Great conversation, as always. Same enormous sound system. We are very proud of our space, drop by and let us know what you think!

    Hi Coyote,

    Thanks, for the information. I might have missed it - is the shop still called Bad Wolf? Wolves, Coyotes . . . this might get confusing! :lol:

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #3 - February 10th, 2016, 1:21 pm
    Post #3 - February 10th, 2016, 1:21 pm Post #3 - February 10th, 2016, 1:21 pm
    Ahaha, yeah I suppose I should clarify that. We are called Loba Pastry + Coffee.
  • Post #4 - February 10th, 2016, 1:40 pm
    Post #4 - February 10th, 2016, 1:40 pm Post #4 - February 10th, 2016, 1:40 pm
    Ok, cool. We started a new thread here with your post.

    Thanks!

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #5 - February 10th, 2016, 1:53 pm
    Post #5 - February 10th, 2016, 1:53 pm Post #5 - February 10th, 2016, 1:53 pm
    Thought I read somewhere that "Loba" in Spanish meant a female wolf, so with Val's previous experience with Jonathan, that seems like a likely renaming of the establishment.
  • Post #6 - February 10th, 2016, 2:15 pm
    Post #6 - February 10th, 2016, 2:15 pm Post #6 - February 10th, 2016, 2:15 pm
    Loba Pastry + Coffee has a website:
    lobapastry.com
    and a
    Facebook page

    Hours: 7am-3pm - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri
    8am-4pm - Sat, Sun
    Closed Tuesday
  • Post #7 - February 10th, 2016, 3:38 pm
    Post #7 - February 10th, 2016, 3:38 pm Post #7 - February 10th, 2016, 3:38 pm
    coyotedg wrote:Ahaha, yeah I suppose I should clarify that. We are called Loba Pastry + Coffee.


    hey coyote: i cant buy glasses from you any more since i no longer wear them; so it's great that i'll be able to buy your pastries. very exciting- joan h.
  • Post #8 - February 11th, 2016, 8:59 am
    Post #8 - February 11th, 2016, 8:59 am Post #8 - February 11th, 2016, 8:59 am
    Stopped in this morning to Loba. The first thing you would notice if you had been a Bad Wolf fan is that the space seems a bit more inviting. There is still a communal table, but now it is has chairs. The vibe just seems a bit lighter; I liked both the old Bad Wolf feel and the new Loba feel (truth be told, there isn't a ton of difference but it does feel a little softer at least to me). Additionally, the ordering experience is a bit more welcoming; there are significantly more options to drink with teas and hot chocolates and the pastries are on plates and labeled with names and prices instead of on the rack behind Jonathan.

    Had a coffee and two of the three pastries available (I did not have a tasty looking pepita bar). The coffee was very nice, and while I was offered cream and sugar (which are out on a side table), I didn't think the coffee needed either. Very nice blend. The first pastry I tried was an Orange Blossom Robbie. I had never heard of this type of pastry before; it looks like a very small bundt cake or a cruller. It had a nice glaze and a great orange and somewhat herby flavor. My only quibble with it was it was quite moist and a little doughy on the inside, tasting to me like it was almost under baked. I'm not sure if that is the intended texture and I would definitely try it again but it perplexed me a bit. The chocolate cardamom muffin was a definite hit. Good chocolate flavor with subtle cardamom, very light in texture with little pockets of melty chocolate chips throughout. This is a definite winner, pleasantly sweet and balanced well with the coffee.

    All in all, a very positive experience for a first visit and I definitely will return. I hope they are able to get a following like Bad Wolf; I was the only person in there for the entire time of my visit this morning a bit before 8.
  • Post #9 - February 11th, 2016, 10:35 am
    Post #9 - February 11th, 2016, 10:35 am Post #9 - February 11th, 2016, 10:35 am
    Coyote, I bought a pair of Westward Leaning sunglasses from you at Labrabbit. Unfortunately, I lost them. :(
  • Post #10 - February 11th, 2016, 7:58 pm
    Post #10 - February 11th, 2016, 7:58 pm Post #10 - February 11th, 2016, 7:58 pm
    Northcenter Joe wrote:The first pastry I tried was an Orange Blossom Robbie. I had never heard of this type of pastry before; it looks like a very small bundt cake or a cruller. It had a nice glaze and a great orange and somewhat herby flavor. My only quibble with it was it was quite moist and a little doughy on the inside, tasting to me like it was almost under baked. I'm not sure if that is the intended texture and I would definitely try it again but it perplexed me a bit.


    Thanks for the feedback, Joe! Yeah, the "Robbie" is really unique...we sort of invented it, and it sounds like yours was correctly executed. It's made of organic buckwheat flour and baked in a small Bundt pan. It's intended to have a slightly crispy exterior, with a very moist interior, texturally like a cross between a custard and pastel de tres leches. The glaze is made with orange flower water. We named it after our crazy landlord.
  • Post #11 - February 11th, 2016, 9:35 pm
    Post #11 - February 11th, 2016, 9:35 pm Post #11 - February 11th, 2016, 9:35 pm
    I've been a few time since I live nearby and loved Bad Wolf. The coffee is just as good and the pastries are still phenomenal. Val is doing more savory stuff than Jonathan did and everything I've tried has been great, especially the pepita bars and sesame rolls. Love the tea and the chairs too.
  • Post #12 - April 22nd, 2016, 3:02 pm
    Post #12 - April 22nd, 2016, 3:02 pm Post #12 - April 22nd, 2016, 3:02 pm
    Stopped in today and had a lovely experience. I got some pastries and a tea. I had never been in before, so I can't compare, but the service was good and the pastries were tasty. They had black sesame buns, pimiento cheddar biscuits, and something that looked like a jam streusel bar.
    Leek

    SAVING ONE DOG may not change the world,
    but it CHANGES THE WORLD for that one dog.
    American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog. http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org
  • Post #13 - May 14th, 2016, 9:29 pm
    Post #13 - May 14th, 2016, 9:29 pm Post #13 - May 14th, 2016, 9:29 pm
    Stopped in today. Savory herb biscuit was very good, and the cajeta canele was excellent. I'll be back.
  • Post #14 - May 15th, 2016, 10:59 am
    Post #14 - May 15th, 2016, 10:59 am Post #14 - May 15th, 2016, 10:59 am
    ... and I was back this morning. Available options this time included the cheese kouign amann and the orange blossom robbie. While both were good, I'll be going back for the cajeta canele in the future. My personal taste views the cajeta variation as an improvement over the already-excellent original, while I was wishing I had an original KA while eating the cheese version.
    Last edited by Chicago Hokie on May 16th, 2016, 9:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
  • Post #15 - May 16th, 2016, 8:58 am
    Post #15 - May 16th, 2016, 8:58 am Post #15 - May 16th, 2016, 8:58 am
    Chicago Hokie wrote:... and I was back this morning.

    Thank you - I really mean this - for the update. When someone makes a return visit to a place, an update for something different - a new item, an experience different from previously, etc. - can be really helpful.
  • Post #16 - August 7th, 2016, 10:41 am
    Post #16 - August 7th, 2016, 10:41 am Post #16 - August 7th, 2016, 10:41 am
    I stopped at Loba earlier this morning and got three of the five available pastries. (I did not get the ham and cheese kouign amann and I forget what the other one was.) Here are photos:

    Two-cheese kouign amann:
    Image

    Cajete (goat milk) canele:
    Image

    Danish:
    Image

    They no longer make the sweet (no cheese) versions of the caneles and kouign amanns like Jonathan Ory made at Bad Wolf. Those who enjoy cheese-based pastries may be satisfied, while those who prefer sweeter pastries may dearly miss Jonathan's decadent versions.
    Last edited by nsxtasy on June 30th, 2017, 1:56 pm, edited 2 times in total.
  • Post #17 - June 30th, 2017, 12:40 pm
    Post #17 - June 30th, 2017, 12:40 pm Post #17 - June 30th, 2017, 12:40 pm
    Loba has been putting out great stuff lately and Val has started offering a few loaves of bread on Fridays and the weekends. Also the city was putting one of those in-the-street People Spots up in front this morning, so that should be nice for the summer/fall.
  • Post #18 - July 6th, 2017, 12:52 pm
    Post #18 - July 6th, 2017, 12:52 pm Post #18 - July 6th, 2017, 12:52 pm
    I was browsing Soundcloud and ran across this British-made food podcast The Menu produced by Monocle 24 (an internet radio channel) which happened to have an episode by Alison Cuddy and Coyote DeGroot about food places on Irving Park Road. I could not find it posted anywhere on LTHF so include it here:

    https://soundcloud.com/monocle-24-the-m ... nu-food-16

    Includes discussion on Sabatino's, Smalls and Resi's Bierstube
  • Post #19 - May 6th, 2018, 8:41 am
    Post #19 - May 6th, 2018, 8:41 am Post #19 - May 6th, 2018, 8:41 am
    I finally went.

    I decided to meet someone there because it was close to another appointment.

    I am glad I went. It was late afternoon so there were only three things on offer. I asked the person waiting on me what was her favorite. She said it was the item they had in greatest abundance. That item was a pineapple sourdough muffin (sorry no pics). I must have had an odd look on my face. She chimed in quickly that the others were by no means slouches but I asked her for her favorite. She was right. There was no discernable sour in the muffin. The crumb was tender. The pineapple was sweet without having been roasted.

    I also had a 6 oz flat white that was lovely.

    As GWiv would say, Loba Pastry + Coffee, "count me a fan."

    PS There is seating. There is wifi. She is not offering a public restroom. This made me wonder if that is why Bad Wolf decided on no seating in the first place.
    Ava-"If you get down and out, just get in the kitchen and bake a cake."- Jean Strickland

    Horto In Urbs- Falling in love with Urban Vegetable Gardening
  • Post #20 - May 10th, 2018, 1:16 am
    Post #20 - May 10th, 2018, 1:16 am Post #20 - May 10th, 2018, 1:16 am
    pairs4life wrote:PS There is seating. There is wifi. She is not offering a public restroom. This made me wonder if that is why Bad Wolf decided on no seating in the first place.


    Prior to Bad Wolf, when Jonathan Ory was in NY, he was a regular at Abraço, a small, standing-room only coffee shop. His experiences there influenced the layout of Bad Wolf. Abraço has since moved to a larger space.

    http://ccs.jennchen.com/2013/07/10/sip-and-read-an-interview-with-jonathan-ory-bad-wolf-coffee/

    http://www.apartamentosennuevayork.org/coffee-u/abraco1/

    http://nymag.com/restaurants/reviews/underground/41269/



    A recent online feature starts off by touching upon the absence of chairs at Bad Wolf before going into detail about Loba.

    http://www.lottieanddoof.com/2018/04/lo ... ry-coffee/

    Tim Mazurek wrote:There were never any chairs at Bad Wolf Coffee, a beloved Chicago coffee shop known for its stellar pastries. You don’t think much about chairs until they aren’t there. There was a table customers could stand at, but the message was clear—don’t linger.


    (May 2023 edit: updated first two links to point to Internet Archive)
    --
    edc
    Last edited by edc on May 27th, 2023, 11:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
  • Post #21 - August 4th, 2021, 12:22 am
    Post #21 - August 4th, 2021, 12:22 am Post #21 - August 4th, 2021, 12:22 am
    Loba announced that its last day at 3422 N. Lincoln is Wednesday, August 11. It is moving to 1800 W. Addison, opening day TBD.

    http://www.lobapastry.com/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/CSE8x6aLexE/

    --
    edc
  • Post #22 - August 10th, 2022, 6:47 pm
    Post #22 - August 10th, 2022, 6:47 pm Post #22 - August 10th, 2022, 6:47 pm
    Loba Pastry + Cafe Turns To Crowdfunded Loans To Open New Roscoe Village Location.
    https://blockclubchicago.org/2022/08/10 ... -location/
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #23 - May 27th, 2023, 3:21 pm
    Post #23 - May 27th, 2023, 3:21 pm Post #23 - May 27th, 2023, 3:21 pm
    Loba Pastry has re-opened at Addison/Ravenswood. Current hours are 9a-2p, Sat-Mon.
    Image

    Source: lobapastry Instagram stories
    --
    edc
  • Post #24 - May 27th, 2023, 7:29 pm
    Post #24 - May 27th, 2023, 7:29 pm Post #24 - May 27th, 2023, 7:29 pm
    Thanks edc! I passed this place today and was wondering what it is.
  • Post #25 - June 14th, 2023, 5:59 pm
    Post #25 - June 14th, 2023, 5:59 pm Post #25 - June 14th, 2023, 5:59 pm
    There's a touching (and even heartbreaking) article written by the owner and driving force behind Loba Pastry + Coffee:

    What Happens When Crowdfunding Isn’t Enough? (eater.com)
  • Post #26 - June 14th, 2023, 9:22 pm
    Post #26 - June 14th, 2023, 9:22 pm Post #26 - June 14th, 2023, 9:22 pm
    nsxtasy wrote:There's a touching (and even heartbreaking) article written by the owner and driving force behind Loba Pastry + Coffee:

    What Happens When Crowdfunding Isn’t Enough? (eater.com)


    Great read. Thanks for sharing it. I’ll have to stop by soon.
  • Post #27 - August 15th, 2023, 12:22 pm
    Post #27 - August 15th, 2023, 12:22 pm Post #27 - August 15th, 2023, 12:22 pm
    Valeria Socorro Velazquez Lindsten couldn't get a bank loan to finance her bakery Loba Pastry, so she turned to regulation crowdfunding via Honeycomb Credit.

    https://interactive.wttw.com/playlist/2 ... omb-credit
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #28 - November 3rd, 2023, 6:26 pm
    Post #28 - November 3rd, 2023, 6:26 pm Post #28 - November 3rd, 2023, 6:26 pm
    I visited this morning for the first time in the new space. Business was brisk shortly after 8:00AM with more patrons than seats by 8:30AM. It had been a while since I visited the previous location, so I don't know how the pastries have evolved over the years.

    I really enjoyed the sourdough pumpkin muffin, pepita bar, and buckwheat scone. Each had a kind of "healthy" quality to it - flavorful but not rich. My wife and I have been kind of touring the bakeries in and around the neighborhood over the past couple months. While we've enjoyed many delicious croissants and morning buns, there is sameness to a lot of the bakeries. Loba is refreshingly different with unique pastries that were satisfying and delicious all the same.

    So happy to see Loba back on its feet after some trying times!
  • Post #29 - December 2nd, 2023, 10:50 am
    Post #29 - December 2nd, 2023, 10:50 am Post #29 - December 2nd, 2023, 10:50 am
    my first visit to the new Loba location was very disappointing. I'd been really excited to try the pastry called Emma or Emmy having seen pics of it. I took one home and tried to eat it but it was so burnt that only the very center was edible. I am used to canele being very very brown. browning is how you get the most flavor from pastries, but black, and hard isnt the same thing...
  • Post #30 - December 2nd, 2023, 7:10 pm
    Post #30 - December 2nd, 2023, 7:10 pm Post #30 - December 2nd, 2023, 7:10 pm
    I was there yesterday and had a brilliant pineapple-butterscotch muffin.
    "In pursuit of joys untasted"
    from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata

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