Pekara Bakery And Bistro

Pekara Bakery & Bistro has some delicious food, but pricing on certain items feels a bit high. I had the bacon, egg, and cheese bagel, which was tasty, but at $15 after tax, it didn’t feel worth the price—especially with a $2 upcharge for egg. That’s a bit excessive.

On the other hand, the smoked salmon bagel was absolutely delicious and worth every penny. No complaints there.

Overall, the food is great, but some items are overpriced. If the bacon, egg, and cheese bagel were a bit cheaper, this would easily be a 9 or 9.2 out of 10. As it stands, I’d rate it a solid 8.5/10—definitely worth a visit, but be mindful of the prices.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Menu seemed great, advertised local and fresh foods but all dishes did not reflect that. The best item was the quiche, it was authentic and fresh. The sandwich used canned ingredients (peppers). The bagel was advertised as made fresh daily but did not taste as if it was. It was very chewy and cold.

Overall mid food, not as fresh as advertised. the quiche is the freshest item, should try that.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Roasted Red Pepper, Sandwich, Tomato Soup

The food was pricey and disappointing. Wouldn’t have minded $50 brunch for 3 if bread (bagels) was fresh, eggs weren’t overcooked and salmon wasn’t fishy tasting. The inside is open and welcoming, but our table was dirty as we sat down. Generally underwhelming and likely won’t go back.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 3

Nice breakfast.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

This bistro used to be my favorite spot in town several years back. I recently stopped by for a light lunch and a coffee, but unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations. I ordered a sandwich and tomato soup, and I found the bread to be excessively dense, which overshadowed the nearly absent cheese. The tomato soup was mediocre and lacked any distinctive flavor. While the food prices were considerably elevated, the coffee remained reasonably priced. I can confidently say that this is no longer my preferred dining location, and I do not anticipate returning anytime soon.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Sandwich

We had the Vegan Hummus sandwich, oat milk latte, and vegan elderberry tart.

Standout in Champaign. So good.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Too expensive for what it offers. The only thing I enjoyed was their matcha and the ambiance of the place. We ordered a Pekara breakfast and a bagel sandwich. The bread on both orders was unfortunately hard and not fresh, the bacon was also not fresh (it tasted like it had been sitting done), and the bagel sandwich only had 2 slices of bacon in it, which I thought was little for the bagel’s size and price. Additionally, the customer service was not friendly or welcoming at all. I expected better from a local bakery shop.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 1

Service: 1

We are huge fans of Pekara.
The roasted red pepper soup, the breads, pastries, and desserts are wonderful.
We have had many great meals here but still have a large portion of the menu yet to explore.
We also enjoy espresso drinks outside and quiche and desserts to take home.
We especially love the convenient location.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Focaccia, Bagels and Spreads, Roasted Red Pepper, Salad, Sandwich, Tomato Soup, Build Your Own Breakfast

Love the food! Don't love the ordering options online. You can't request any adjustments to sandwiches (i.e., no onion) and, when you phone them to order so you can request such a thing, the employees get annoyed and tell you to order online. Again, love the food! Just hope there can be adjustment to the website ordering system and/or the annoyance level of the employees when you need to call to request an order be a particular way - especially given that you are paying a fair price!

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 3

Recommended dishes: Sandwich

If you order online make sure you check every item before leaving, they probably made it incorrectly. You're better off just ordering when you get there, then they might get it right.

Having lived next to Pekara Bakery for two years, I never thought to step inside because of its low-key exterior. However, when a local friend suggested meeting there, I decided to give it a try—and I’m so glad I did!

The atmosphere inside is cozy and welcoming, a stark contrast to its modest exterior. I was blown away by the quality of the food and drinks. The sandwich I had was absolutely delicious, with fresh ingredients and great flavors. The coffee was equally impressive—rich and flavorful, exactly what I needed. I was also pleasantly surprised by their excellent kombucha collection, which added a refreshing twist to my meal.

Pekara Bakery is truly a hidden gem in the area. I regret not discovering it sooner, but now that I have, it’s definitely going to be a regular spot for me. Highly recommend to anyone in the neighborhood or passing through!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Having lived next to Pekara Bakery for two years, I never thought to step inside because of its low-key exterior. However, when a local friend suggested meeting there, I decided to give it a try—and I’m so glad I did!

The atmosphere inside is cozy and welcoming, a stark contrast to its modest exterior. I was blown away by the quality of the food and drinks. The sandwich I had was absolutely delicious, with fresh ingredients and great flavors. The coffee was equally impressive—rich and flavorful, exactly what I needed. I was also pleasantly surprised by their excellent kombucha collection, which added a refreshing twist to my meal.

Pekara Bakery is truly a hidden gem in the area. I regret not discovering it sooner, but now that I have, it’s definitely going to be a regular spot for me. Highly recommend to anyone in the neighborhood or passing through!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I have no idea why when you order food to go. It’s not the same as when you’re there. It seems to be a difficulty with a lot of places, but this is not a cheap meal. You barely got one strawberry absolutely no candy pecans on the spinach salad. It’s like three ingredients. Why don’t people check the stuff or why are you at a disadvantage if you take your food to go? ESpecially, when you drive a ways

Coffee was very good, and the food smelled, looked, and tasted amazing (though I only got to try a pastry).

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4