Bleeding Heart Bakery & Cafe Opens on Monday

Bleeding Heart Bakery & Cafe is opening on Monday August 22 at 6 a.m. adjacent to Roots Handmade Pizza. Although Bleeding Heart Bakery has been around since 2004, the new bakery and cafe will expand far beyond anything they do in their current storefront operations (which will remain in Roscoe Village, Oak Park and soon Elmhurst), serving not only their famous cakes and pastries but brunch as well. Michelle and Vinny Garcia (Bleeding Heart) have partnered with Greg Mohr and Scott Weiner (Roots, Fifty/50) on this venture to take it to the next level. The bakery and cafe will seat 110 inside, 24 on the patio and an upstairs used for additional seating and private parties is in the works.

The space is a hybrid of diner meets punk rock in typical Bleeding Heart style. Tattoo-like murals adorn the walls and bright colored chairs and booths add a pop of color again the exposed brick walls. A storefront studio window will give patrons a look at Vinny and Michelle designing and decorating cakes, and the entire kitchen will be glassed-in so patrons can see the pastry making and bread baking that goes on behind the scenes.

Baked goods are available for both sit-down and takeout and will include an array of pastries, doughnuts, cookies, cream puffs, milkshakes, candy bars, cakes and more. A full coffee and tea bar will also be available serving Alterra coffee and espresso, Rare Tea Cellars tea and nine flavors of Italian soda made in-house. Twelve varieties of freshly baked bread will also be available for patrons or wholesale business.

The brunch menu is a take on American-diner style food with the Bleeding Heart signature twist. Expect the continued use of organic and seasonal ingredients like they do with their pastries. Some menu items include: The southern fried chicken and waffle with organic boneless chicken breast atop a vanilla bean and bacon waffle and chipotle maple bacon butter; crunchy cinnamon swirl french toast topped with housemade caramel corn and whipped cream; and vegan S'mores, dark chocolate pancakes with vegan marshmallow cream and coconut ganache,topped with graham cracker crumbles. You can peruse the whole brunch menu below.

The cafe will be open Monday-Thursday 7 a.m.-4 p.m. with the bakery open 6 a.m.- 9 p.m. On Fridays the bakery and cafe will open at 7 a.m. and will stay open straight through until Sunday at 4 p.m. for the cafe and 6 a.m.-9 p.m. for the bakery to satisfy the 63 hours of cravings you may have for everything Bleeding Heart during every waking (and non-waking) hour of the weekend.

Bleeding Heart Bakery & Cafe Brunch Menu