On Thursday, Sept. 19, Hewn Bread, a popular, independent, woman-owned bakery, opened a third location at 894 Green Bay Road in Winnetka, Illinois after eleven years of success at the Evanston, Illinois location and one year at the Libertyville, Illinois storefront. Recognized by Food Network and Food & Wine magazine as one of the best bakeries in America, Hewn offers a tasty new choice to the Hubbard Woods restaurant scene.

Whether you’re looking for a warm loaf of bread, a fresh pastry, or a delicious sandwich, Hewn has it all. The bakery serves an impressive 24 types of breads, 23 types of pastries, and 21 types of sandwiches, not to mention daily breads and seasonal specials. Even though delicious breakfast spots Once Upon A Bagel and Towne & Oak are right down the street, the variety and quality of Hewn’s goods make it unbeatable.  

While I have been to the Evanston location before and my family regularly buys their bread, I was excited to try different items on their menu and see how the new location measures up.

When I walked in, I was immediately struck by the clean, industrial design of the shop. Combining wood walls with the red light fixtures, white tiled counters, and black metal shelves fit perfectly with the rustic vibe of the store.

Since lines regularly form out of the door on weekends, a stanchion is placed in front of the checkout counter, eagerly awaiting the arrival of customers. In addition to the charming visuals and organization, the smell of freshly baked bread and coffee fills the space, helping to add to the coziness of the store.

To the left of the door is a full, glass pastry case and a bread shelf mounted to the wall. The large menu was initially daunting, but the clear display allowed me to see my options and helped me narrow my choices. After serious consideration, I landed on the classic chocolate croissant.

Though I was initially skeptical considering my all-time favorite croissant from Towne & Oak is right across the street, Hewn’s chocolate croissant was better than I could have imagined and quickly cemented itself as one of my new favorites. It was both flakey and warm and also wasn’t too messy. The croissant had the perfect balance of butteriness and chocolate, an equilibrium that is hard to accomplish.

I also purchased a mini monkey bread and an iced oat milk latte on top of the croissant. The monkey bread was exquisite. Instead of being a large loaf, the bread was muffin-shaped. The bread was cinnamony, ideal for the fall season, and delicious when dipped in coffee. Since the bread is so easy to pull apart, it works well for sharing with a friend.

While Hewn is not necessarily known for their coffee, they should be. The espresso was slightly bitter, though it complimented the creaminess of the oat milk very nicely. The latte went well with both pastries and satisfied my sweet-savory craving. Even though I have recently been getting my coffee from Tala Coffee Roasters since it is so close to the Winnetka Campus, I will definitely be making the drive to Hewn more often.

The pastries and drinks were not cheap, with each pastry averaging around $5 and each drink around $4. The steep cost was initially jarring; however, the high quality and freshly baked and brewed deliciousness of the confections justified every penny.

Though both the baked goods and ambiance were amazing, I was disappointed by the limited seating. While there is a bench to sit on when you wait for a drink, there are no tables inside the store. I understand that bread lends itself to being taken home, but I wish there was still somewhere to sit and enjoy a sandwich or pastry in the store, or a place to do homework. 

The bakery is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and is closed Mondays. I can definitely picture myself picking a snack up to bring back home to fuel my studying. 

Hewn is a great addition to the area and I cannot wait to return to the shop to try something new.