Hellas Pastry Shop
2627 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL, 60625
Hellas Pastry Shop Menu
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Address :
2627 W Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL, 60625 - Phone (773) 271-7500
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :8:00 am - 6:00pm
Specialities
- Delivery : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
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Daniel H.
This place still has it down. Judgment of previous review AFFIRMED.
(5)Carter B.
extremely good spinach pies.
(5)Irineo B.
The cookies are delicious. Just like the owner said, the best ever. They have gluten-free cookies as well!
(5)Vanessa R.
I've walked by this place a ton of times whether on the way to HarvestTime or Monti's - yet just recently husband I decided to stop in and see if the amusing signs on the storefront really were legit (e.g. sign says "once you try one, you will be back!"). We were immediately greeted by the happiest man in an otherwise empty store - his cheery demeanor is contagious! Ordered a pound of powdered almond cookies for my family and I ordered several of the gluten free cookies for myself - almond and cherry. The gluten free cookies were fantastic! Crispy on the outside and sweet, and unexpectedly chewy on the inside - loved the flavor of both! Not really a good place to dine in and enjoy your sweets - more of a takeout operation. I guess he is right - we will be back! The other signs point to their famous "spinach pies" - so check those out!
(4)Mary Ann C.
What a hidden gem! We were a bit early for the noon opening of Monti's around the corner, so we stopped in. We were greeted by a friendly woman at the counter (who even gave us free cookies!) and we ordered an array of tasty treats to take home. All the offerings were fantastic that we sampled, especially a chocolate covered baklava. Yummy.
(5)Lila S.
Super good custard pie! The crust was so flaky and the custard inside was delicious- not too sweet but just perfect. I recommend slightly toasting it in a toaster oven when u get home for a crispy, flaky tasty dessert! Their baklava is also really good and packed with lotsa nuts. Their almond cookies with powdered sugar on top are also delicious! The owner is very nice and even gave me a free piece of baklava and a free cookie! He's super super friendly. Next time I go back I want to try their spinach pie which I heard was good! I'll definitely be back...
(5)Han Y.
The owner is very friendly and the cookies are delicious! I tried all the cookies they have at the counter and liked the round almond one the best. It is crisp and crumbly on the outside, cake/ chewy inside, not too sweet, very alomndy. The eclipse sandwich shaped ones are nice too, light and soft cookies. I will come back again for sure.
(5)Hal C.
Extremely sweet (REAL LIFE GREEK YOU CAN TELL) owners. Almost as sweet as the cookies and cakes and whatnot they provide. I'm probably a better man for moving away from this bakery. Really, no body needs as many spinach pies as I was consuming in my time in Lincoln Square. However, I still make the trip here. The sign on the window does not lie. Once you come here, you will be back.
(5)Linda C.
Amazing - the best chocolate éclair I've ever had in my life. Thick, rich, all natural chocolate frosting - delicate, tasty puff pastry - real custard filling like everyone else stopped making 20 years ago. I'm not Greek, but IMO the galactoboureka (sp?) was also the best I've ever had (compared to what I've had in Greek town). Can't wait to go back - it's probably a good thing I don't live close by.
(5)Natalija S.
Honey cookies. Holy crap....I'm...speechless...oh wait no I'm not. The cookies taste like...a child's happy laugh on a beautiful summer's day. If you could taste that, that's what the cookies at this pastry shop would taste like. The baklava is great, the almond cookies are amazing and the honey cookies make me need to reevaluate my life. Wow, just wow. I just want to go in the shop one day and raid the cases of pastries like a raccoon. Well then, I just added something to my bucket list now... Anyway, go here ASAP. Be prepared to taste heaven guys.
(5)michael m.
The honey cookies are addictive and one of the best cookies I've ever had. Spinach pie was great. The male owner is very jolly.
(5)Maria W.
It's a Saturday afternoon and the place is empty! The shelves are literally empty. I'm not sure if that's good or bad business considering they're supposed to be open until 6pm and it's only 3:35 pm.
(2)Kathleen M.
What a lucky find! While pursuing the sandwich list, I glanced across the street and thought, hmmm, that places looks interesting. I pretended I wanted to get a picture of the sandwich place and scampered across. The owner was super friendly and I loved that he had a little handwritten sign up encouraging people to read or review them on Yelp! I liked the confidence. I also liked the selection - not overwhelming, just the right amount of sugar and honey goodness. I really had just come in to look but it was so friendly and inviting that I bought 8 cookies. They looked like a tea cookie but were double and had sprinkles on the end. I took them all home which was really mean to my companions as they were divine. Sorry, I didn't know! I have to go back - if the cookies are that good imagine the pastries!
(5)Laura P.
It sickens me to write this review literally...I'm sick because of the MOLDLY cake they sold! I'm pretty generous with my reviews and usually not very harsh, so for me to write a bad review says a lot. My boyfriend decided to surprise me by picking up some slices of different cakes here. I was so excited (I love cake). I tired small slices of about three. I will say the other two were good, no mold that I saw. But one of the cakes, tasted funny, at first I thought maybe it was just something special they had added to the cake....little did I know. When my boyfriend went to get a piece for himself he saw a huge spot of mold on the other side of the cake that I didn't see while it was in the box. I examined the piece of cake that I was eating.....and yes, there was mold through the whole piece of cake (it was chocolate chocolate or something like that). It seemed to be growing on the bottom layer of cake. I am not just talking a little spot, there was mold through the whole bottom layer of the cake. I didn't notice it at first, since I usually don't carefully examine my newly purchased backed goods. I guess I just assumed that it wouldn't be moldy since it was just bought! And now i am sick for it. I'm sad b/c it seems like a lot of people like this bakery. But if they sold me something that is obviously old and made me sick I will never go back.
(1)Annie P.
I am seriously addicted to the spinach pies. I dream about them. That's how good they are. This bakery has been in the same spot for 50 years and I hope it never leaves. I see all these great Yelp reviews but I never see anyone in there. It would be an absolute shame if they went under, so I'm going to start shouting from the rooftops about this place. Seriously, y'all. The spinach pie. It's just magical. I'm drooling just typing about it.
(5)Lauren F.
I had an amazing first visit to Hellas today and I will definitely be returning in the very near future! Every time I drive down Lawrence I always tell my boyfriend "hey, there's that Greek pastry shop, I have to stop there one day". Well I finally did and I was thoroughly impressed. It is very hard to beat my Yiayia's cookies...but Hellas came pretty close! I bought a couple Kourabiethes (the ones covered in powdered sugar) and a couple of the Amygthalota (almond paste cookies with apricot filling in between), a piece of Baklava, and a big rum ball. The woman who was working (who I later found to be the owner, maybe her and her husband?) gave me a taste of their Melomokarona (or Phoenikia, they're the honey-dipped spiced ones with nuts on top). They were all good but -the almond cookies were extra fabulous, so chewy and tasty-and she even threw an extra in my box :) On top of a little cookie sample she also gave me a taste of their Spanakopita or spinach pie and as soon as I had one bite I told her to pack one of those for the road too! This is the best Spanakopita I have ever had-EVER-in my 27 years of family functions and other greek gatherings. My mom called me just as I was finishing stuffing my face and I said "oh my god I just had the best spanakopita ever!". Her response was....you better not tell your yiayia or your theas that! Hella good.....I'll be back!
(5)William L.
This is a place I remember my yiayia going when I was a kid and I don't think they've lost their touch. I stopped in on a whim to pick up some sweets and I thought about asking if I could just live in a back room and eat bakery for the rest of my life. I started with the usual suspects - kourambiedes and koulourakia. ... .... Sorry, I had to wipe the drool off of the keyboard. Even at the end of the day, the cookies were still fresh and delciious (I ate no less than two of each on the way home). I don't know if they have it year-round, but I highly recommend picking up a loaf of the Greek sweet bread for Easter, tsoureki I think. It has the red egg in it, I know that much. Here's what you do: cut a slice of the bread, toast it up, butter it, grab a couple koulourakia and a hot cup of coffee. There, breakfast of champions!
(5)Iris D.
After tasting Greek Orange cookies at work I found this place. Clean, small, nice personnel. Got a few orange cookies, they're great with coffee. Love baklava and took some home. I prefer pistachio, they use walnuts and it was good but much too sweet. I could not eat it. However I tasted a molasses and honey cookie that was moist and perhaps one of the best cookies I have ever had. I'll be back for those.
(3)David F.
This is only to review the gluten free cookies..........they are freaking yummy if a tad sweet, very little variety and flavors to choose from but solid non the less. Hella is just as sweet as the cookies too, very friendly service.
(4)August B.
On Miracle Mile or as others call it Lawrence Ave. Nice place, just simple food with a friendly service. It's fresh and they care. Worth giving your money, time and business to someone that cares. It's great! My new favorite...their four dollar spanokopita
(5)Bill M.
I have noticed Hellas Pastry Shop for years, and I finally stopped in on Monday as I had a few minutes to kill while waiting for my sandwich to be prepared next door. I ordered a piece of the triangular baklava and a big rectangular slab of the custard pastry (I think it is the galaktoboureko) to go. Each piece was $3 and the manager did not charge me any sales tax. It looks like there is a $10 minimum for a credit card order. Both Greek treats were very yummy, and the custard pastry was so large that I did not mind sharing with my friend. I hear the spinach pie is da bomb, so I might have to come back here soon.
(4)jen t.
The people in this shop are so nice and friendly. Their bakery is delicious. You can get everything from those yummy powdered sugar cookies to amazing feta cheese pies (I forgot the name). The only issue I have with this place is it is closed a lot. I think they close down fro 2 months of something in the summer to go on vacation. They really need to put up a sign or something. One summer I kept stopping by until someone from the neighborhood told me they were on vacation for a while. My advice would be to phone first and if they are open it's worth the trip.
(4)Hillary M.
My boyfriend and I are HUGE fans of the honey cookies. I've taken a box to family gatherings on several occasions and they always get great reviews. I also have a soft spot for the napoleons and the spinach pies. So good!
(5)Kim M.
Stumbled upon this little gem when making the trek into Harvesttime Foods for a specialty item I can't get anywhere else. I was overdue for lunch and thought, "hmm, maybe this tiny Greek bakery can knock the edge off for me with a homemade spinach pie." Yes. It did, and did it oh, so well. The spinach pie was more of a grab and go lunch item, almost burrito-esque, the crust was not the typical flaky phyllo, but PERFECT to take & eat on the go. If you are expecting a traditional spinach pie, you *might* be disappointed, but I wasn't. It was still fabulously delicious, and a much better format on the run. The man working the counter was sweeter than the baklava (and that is sweet!) He was courteous and amicable, made conversation, and taught me a few things about the baked goods in the case. Grape juice cookies? Who knew? I went home with a bunch of pastries as well, and I must concur with yelpers before me that the honey cookies rock! I was also impressed that there was a small handwritten index card taped to the case inviting you to read their yelp reviews and add your own. They KNOW they are doing it right. I can't wait to come back, and I WILL be back for the seasonal Easter bread. I was told they even bake it with the lucky red egg in it! I haven't seen that since my childhood.
(5)Patrick M.
Just stopped in while passing by and tried a few items. Apricot cookies were amazing and loved the spinach pie.
(5)Deborah D.
The spinach pie, custard pie and honey cookies are absolutely delicious - so much better than I could ever make them from scratch. I buy and serve these pastries on a regular basis, and will continue to do so.
(5)Nektaria R.
Turn up the Greek music in the background. Add a great Greek accent and a couple of boxes of sweets. By the end of the night, he says, everyone will say: "this is the best baklava I have ever had!" He wasn't lying! It was sweet and juicy and crispy and just perfect. I also got a few laughs from the party guest as I imitated his accent and mannerism. "This is the best baklava I have ever had!" I also got a box of the kourambiethes which looked perfect but since they were a hostess gift, I did not sample but I am craving so I'm probably going to drop by there later. I've gotten the custard pie (galaktoboureko), spinach pie and the bougatsa and they were fabulous. If you want authentic Greek pastries, Hellas is the place.
(5)Jocelynne G.
The almond sugar-powdered cookies and macaroons are so yumm.... I'm definitely coming back to pick up a box of cookies for my next family get together. The owner was so nice he even gave us extra cookies to eat while we waited for him to pack us a box!
(5)Anastacia B.
We happened to accidentally need a place to kill time and my sister texted me-"at Greek bakery at corner of Lawrence and Talman". Hmmm really? Yeah just ignore my wanting a cocktail delight. Well I was in for another kind of delight! On my master plan maybe at number 12 or so is to make a baklava. After having a piece of it here at Hella's I think I can take it off the list and fill that blank with something more worth my time because these folks have it DOWN. There is nothing more disappointing then coveting a plate of sweet goodness and then you taste it and it ruins your day (I like to go to extremes). NOT HERE- pure walnutty goodness layered with phyllo to make the perfect dessert. I was so inspired I wanted to get some to take with me for my crew the next day but we had dinner reservations and it was 97' in the car. Not a good combo. But I will be back and I will try their spinach pie and other delights as well. Super friendly owners and neighborhood place makes me want to shout from the rooftops!
(4)Sarah C.
Good but most of our cookies and our cake was dry. Hubby used to live right next door and says that's not typical. Orange clove cookies had good flavor, so I'll try again.
(3)Dennis C.
Very Delicious and filling spinach pies!! I have had several and they are good. I also sampled a few bakery items and enjoyed those as well: a cake slice, a Greek honey cookie and a couple others. Will I go back? Yes! Will I order more spinach piesand enjoy them? YES!!
(4)Noel S.
After seeing this Pastry shop on abc7 news last night, and driving by it every day on my way home, I decided it was time to stop in and try this Greek bakery. I am soooo glad I did. Upon entering, we were greeted by the extremely nice owners who let me sample anything and answer any questions we had. She described the various pastries available and encouraged us to let her know how we liked everything. We had a spinach pie, which was incredible-so rich and flavorful, full of the perfect blend of spinach and onions, ricotta and mozzarella cheese all wrapped in phyllo dough. We happened to be there just in time for a fresh batch out of the oven. We also ordered the honey cake, which was moist and delicious, as well as the honey cookies and the almond apricot macaroons. Everything we tried was fresh and delicious, and I can tell the owners put so much passion behind their baking. I look forward to going back and intend on making this a regular stop!
(5)D P.
Wow... best cookies... ever... the honey cookies are even vegan!!! (Not a big deal for me, but half my coworkers are vegan- nice that I can get them delicious treats from a great place!)
(5)Jack P.
This is not a busy bakery, and that is precisely why I like it. When Mr. I-rarely-do-desserts has guests for dinner, I like to stop here and get a variety of Greek cookies and pastries which go beyond the usual Greek baklava and honey cake. But make no mistake, I love those, especially the honey cookies. There are individual pastries like creme-filled Napoleons, and Carrot Cake. So you can pick up a "pastry flight" and please everyone. Today, stopped here for a dozen Greek cookies for $8.00. Never a line. Always a good value. The baker guy is nice, too.
(5)April P.
Close to closing time, and wanted to run in and pick up some of my favorite Greek cookies. Figured it was your typical Greek bakery, but was delightfully corrected that they are a better bakery than most. The test: after the cookies were exposed and left out for a whole week, they were still moist and full of flavor. They remained perfectly intact. Believe me, it was no intention to leave them out, but I am very glad that I did. pound of my favorite kourabiethes ran $5. They were about double the size than all the other ones that I've had and were rich, but still crumbled nicely without being dry. Parking is a little hard in the area, but well worth it to get these great treats! Service was great, the owner was behind the counter was a really nice gentleman who shows pride in his store! Love the mom and pop businesses!
(5)Dennis L.
Delicious Greek Pastries! I stopped by Hellas to bring home a surprise for my wife. We went to Greece while on our Honeymoon, and we had the opportunity to enjoy some excellent Greek pastries while there. I purchased about 4 different items (don't ask me what they were called), and all of them were excellent! You could taste the love and quality ingredients that went into making them. I will certainly return in the future.
(5)Sparty S.
I am a bonified sweet tooth. It's ridiculous how much I enjoy sweets. Which is why it's not unlikely you will find me searching random bakeries on Yelp out of boredom. Which is what I did today, and my search led me Hella Bakery. I'm usually skeptical of an overall 5 star review of any given place. I mean, not everyone that has gone could have possibly enjoyed everything, there has to be something that the place did wrong. Not here. If Yelp gave out 10 stars, that's what I would rate Hellas Pastry Shop. When I walked in, I was greeted by who I think is the owner, a very jolly Greek man. He made me feel like I just walked into a family member's house on Greek Easter for dinner. Like we were long lost friends. I went with everyone else's suggestions on here, and got the honey cookies and a spinach pie. The honey cookies.... are.... un-be-liev-able. I swear while I was eating it, I was wondering how anyone could have mastered a more perfect cookie. The texture... the taste.... all perfection. I ordered 3, and while he was wrapping them up, he dropped one on the tray of spinach pies, and then threw that one in on the house. Seriously? These things are so good, he could have dropped it on the floor and I still would have paid for it... AND eaten it! Just a warning.... you will eat all of these cookies, so if you buy 10, don't expect them to last you very long. They go down very very easily. The spinach pie? The crust was substantial, buttery, delicious. It was stuffed with the perfect ratio of cheese and spinach. Agreed that it's not the typical flaky texture of the spinach pie you've always known, but you'll always compare your future spinach pies to this one. They do have a credit card minimum, and usually that would have irritated me but I was mesmerized by the whole experience that I didn't even care. My total came to 6.15 and I only had 5 and some change on me. I was about to grab a few other things to get me to 10, but this guy took my 5.50 and told me to pay him more next time (which he was very confident I would be back)! How awesome is that! Can you think of a better possible first time experience?!
(5)Nancy S.
I walked into the aroma of honey and cinnamon and fell in love then and there. The honey cookies were just out of the oven, the spinach pie was still hot, and the baklava , pans and pans of it, was just waiting in the display case. It was a quiet time so I could ask questions and enjoy the answers. Everything was delicious and nothing tasted quite the same as anything else (like in some bakeries). I walked out with enough for me and plenty to share with neighbors in my building.
(5)George A.
Support your local bakeries!!!! The owners are very welcoming and have excellent Greek sweets that all people can enjoy.
(4)Rebecca H.
Forget the cutesy pink and white and baby blue cupcake shops, if you want real sweets made with authentic passed-down recipes go to Hellas. They have the best koulourakia I have tasted in my entire life. The typical Greek pastries with honey, sugar, and almonds are all done to perfection. Stop in for a quick snack and take a box home for the family. Every week.
(5)B C.
The baker who runs this place will make your day. Every time I walk in he gives a genuinely friendly greeting. He lets you take your time, ask him questions about your options, and even do a quick Greek language lesson. This is a great place to pick up desserts after grabbing the rest of your groceries across the street at Harvestime.
(5)Megan B.
I had an amazing first visit last year, and hope to return some time in the near future. My friends and I went in on a whim, but the owner swayed us with some free cookies. As a result we bought at least a pound of them. I don't know what they were called, but they were perfectly sweetened with honey, yet slightly savory with sesame seeds. They had a unique cakey texture - normally cookies like this are too dry. I've been to a few Greek bakeries in Greektown where I used to work, and have yet to find a cookie quite as good. What a gem! We all need to support "little guys" like this!
(5)Char Y.
We came on a weekday and LOVED the selections! We had one of everything and they were absolutely MOIST and DELICIOUS! They are much better than the greek pastries we had before, and so much cheaper!
(4)Richard B.
Yum! I've been here twice so far and both times the owner has been super friendly. They have this pastry... it's like 2 almond flavored cookies (taste like marzipan!) with sliced almonds on the outside with an apricot filling sandwiched in between. So delicious. I bought 4 yesterday. Their powdered cookies are also great. Both of my visits the owner has included a free cookie. Try it!
(5)Elbo O.
Claire & I stopped in today on our way to girly brunch. The owner greeted us with neighborhood warmth. When she found out it was our first visit, she gave us a free sample of honey cookies. She made a point to mention their products are made without preservatives, fresh daily. The spinach and feta pies are large and delicious, the baklava comes in two varieties. We can't wait to try more. Don't be put off by the simplicity of the offerings - be assured they will not be trying to selling you day old pastries because I don't think they overproduce.
(5)Amanda S.
I've been to bakeries all over this city lately because I'm pregnant, and, wait, that has nothing to do with it. But this place is tops. The atmosphere is like an SNL skit waiting to happen, but the cookies are fantastic. The ones with the apricot filling are my favorite.
(5)Jennifer R.
I would have given more stars had I had an opportunity to actually taste the cookies I was craving. I called yesterday about 4:45 pm and asked what time they closed. He said 7:00 pm. We headed there around 5:30 pm and arrived at 6:15 pm only to find it closed. My husband and I used to live in Greece and on our way I told him that it wouldn't surprise me if they were closed (very typical in Greece for businesses to close when they feel like it). If you planned on closing early, I would have appreciated someone telling me that when I called so we didn't waste our time going up north.
(1)Jaime M.
I live in the neighborhood and have been going to Hellas since before they were featured on TV. Their high-quality of goods, friendliness and down-to-earth attitude is now as it has always been. I don't know what else to say that the other reviews have not yet mentioned. The Spanakopita is amazing, so is everything else. This place is authentic, refreshing, genuine. There's a lot of love baked in there with the spinach, the ricotta, the almonds, honey, apricots and all the other top quality ingredients that they use. Go there for the taste, come back for the love.
(5)Lina P.
The best cookies in the word! Tula, the owner is always very warm, nice and helpful. Highly recommended!!
(5)Michael S.
What a find!! We went into Hella's despite its hum-drum appearance from the outside. Friendly person that helped us and recommended the spinach pie, as it had just come out of the oven. My partner had that, while I had the custard pie. Both were amazing. Not too much sugar, flaky crust and buttery goodness. This will definitely be on the regular visit list!
(5)Emma M.
I had such a wonderful experience here! I came in early like 8ish and the owner was there alone. He was so helpful and let me try the pastries before packing them all up. He was like, "You like Greek? You get these cookies." He also gave me a little history lesson on the shop. It's been there for 46 years and he's the third Greek owner. I walked out with 30 kourambiedes and 15 of some other really Greek cookie. I can't wait for my family & friends to try them! I will definitely be coming back.
(5)deb s.
I came in here one day on a whim with my Greek boyfriend - good baklava & kourambiedes. These cookies were very moist and sugary. yum! I need to find time to go again to get some more yummy pastries. - update, went back here again and the owner remembered us and gave us a couple of extra cookies with our purchases! they also have spinach pies and some other goodness for those of you to check out trying to get your pastry fix...
(5)Mike F.
Excellent pastry (especially Greek pastries like baklava). The place isn't very fancy but that works for me. Often instead of pastry I'll get some of the spinach or cheese pies which are... oh, so good.
(5)Monica F.
I stopped in here today just to check things out and I ended up walking out with a box of pastries. I am so glad to have found this place! The man behind the counter (the owner, I assume) was very friendly. I just ate the honey sweet flaky custard thing (I have no idea what its called) and it was delicious. As I turned around to leave the shop, he said, "you want a greek cookie? have a cookie," so I did. What hospitality!
(5)Randall B.
Get the spanakopita; it's perfect. Reminds me of Greece.
(5)Ebru Y.
My mom dragged me in here today after shopping at Harvestime right across the street. We actually went in for something sweet but ended up getting the cheese and spinach pies and we both fell in love. The shop itself smells of delicious pastries, however it's pretty small, there isn't really any place to sit inside and enjoy your pastries. Of course that doesn't change our opinion about this place, they make the best spinach pies! And prices are pretty good. Next time we'll get some biscottis too, they looked very toasted and yummy!
(5)Katie R.
I've spent a lot of time in Greece and can say the spanakopita is the best I've tasted outside the country. Just like you would find there! The honey cookies are outstanding. I buy a dozen a week and the owner always throws in a few extra. I call it a Greek Dozen! A wonderful family run shop that is the real deal.
(5)Emp P.
Stopped in on a whim after grocery shopping across the street, and was quite blown away by the cookies and by the cordial service. The owner gave us some honey cookies and some deliciously chewy almond cookies to sample, and I came home with chocolate baklava (how decadent is that?), bourgatsa (sp?), and a lovely, flaky spinach pie. I also loved the feel of this place, it really seemed like a friendly, old-fashioned, good old family-owned business where they put a lot of love into what they make. Highly recommended.
(5)Casey M.
I walked into Hellas Pastry Shop on a cold day in December and was pleasantly greeted by Tula, the owner. I knew once I walked into the store, I had to try their famous spinach pies. There are signs all over the windows advertising them as "the best." I ordered two pies and noticed he threw about three extra cookies in the bag. When I got home I realized that he had thrown those cookies in for free. Nice! The cookies were flaky sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles on them. They were good and sweet, but I really wanted to get into the spinach pies though. The pies were fresh, flaky and flavorful. The pie consisted of a buttery flaky fillo dough and a savory and salty spinach and cheese mixture in the center. I ate the first pie in about a minute. Delicious! I wanted to save the other pie for later, but I devoured that one in half the time it took the first pie. This bakery is great and if they are closed you can pick up Hellas' Spinach Pies in the hot case at HarvesTime across the street.
(5)Erin B.
Amazing traditional Greek pastries and very friendly service. I've never walked out without being offered a free tidbit like one of their to-die-for melomakarona. Stop in and be converted!
(5)Amanda R.
I needed a treat for my boyfriend and came across Hellas Pastry Shop on Yelp. The location was perfect as it was on my way home from work so I decided to give it a try. I will definitely agree with the other reviews that gave them 5 stars! The owner is really nice and helped me pick out some cookies that were delicious!! He even "forced" me to try one :) The prices are also really good. I got 8 cookies for $5. I highly suggest stopping by!
(5)Brian M.
Meant to stop by many times on the way home from work, but only did this year. Now I can't pass it by!!!! The honey cookies are soooooooo wonderful I even packed them with me on a 5 hour drive to give to my sister for her birthday!!!! MAKE SURE that you take double if you do something like this......only half ever make it to their intended destination. I haven't tried much else yet, but I am sure that I will and will be pleased.
(5)Marjorie D.
A wonderful neighborhood gem. Everything is delicious, and the people are nice. Last week I arrived apparently just after closing and was standing forlornly at the door, and the owner saw me from across the street and came and opened up quickly just for me. And, when I opened the box later at home, I discovered he threw in an extra piece of cake! The spinach pies, honey cookies (not sure what the actual name is) and baklava are favorites, but you won't go wrong with anything.
(5)Steve P.
in a word, wow. went there today with the mom-in-law, and was completely impressed with the lady behind the counter; sweet and makes the BEST everything. first time there and will return. thanks for taking care of us so well.
(5)Loosh M.
This is a good place, and I live like 3 blocks away which is a definite plus. The owner is really friendly and helpful. The pastries and the spinach cheese cakes are really good, and they have a huge selection of baclava. I'm not Greek but it seems really authentic. The only thing is that it's really overpriced. Every item costs $3-4, and you don't know that until he rings it up. It's good but not THAT good to be able to justify paying that casually for a pastry. Somewhere you go for a special occasion, perhaps. 4 stars minus 1 star for price.
(3)Ben D.
The cookies were great and the service was even better!
(5)Steven W.
while i am a huge foodie, i must admit my stars should be taken lightly here since i really do not have much experience with Greek cookies... however, this place gets five stars for being SO NICE... i came in here a few weeks ago with like TWO DOLLARS to my name, and was just kinda browsing.. i even told the nice guy behind the counter "i've only got 2 bucks, so i may just be looking today, ha ha"... he said he'd happily give me some melomokarona cookies (2 dollars worth)... i assumed i'd get maybe 2 cookies or so... didn't really matter... he was nice. i got home and had like 6 cookies in there! and they were SO GOOD! practically melted in my mouth, pleasantly sweet but not TOO sweet, and just great... went back for more today. if you've never tried these traditional Greek cookies, stop here for a couple... honestly, you'll be back for more.
(5)Natalija S.
Honey cookies. Holy crap....I'm...speechless...oh wait no I'm not. The cookies taste like...a child's happy laugh on a beautiful summer's day. If you could taste that, that's what the cookies at this pastry shop would taste like. The baklava is great, the almond cookies are amazing and the honey cookies make me need to reevaluate my life. Wow, just wow. I just want to go in the shop one day and raid the cases of pastries like a raccoon. Well then, I just added something to my bucket list now... Anyway, go here ASAP. Be prepared to taste heaven guys.
(5)michael m.
The honey cookies are addictive and one of the best cookies I've ever had. Spinach pie was great. The male owner is very jolly.
(5)Maria W.
It's a Saturday afternoon and the place is empty! The shelves are literally empty. I'm not sure if that's good or bad business considering they're supposed to be open until 6pm and it's only 3:35 pm.
(2)Kathleen M.
What a lucky find! While pursuing the sandwich list, I glanced across the street and thought, hmmm, that places looks interesting. I pretended I wanted to get a picture of the sandwich place and scampered across. The owner was super friendly and I loved that he had a little handwritten sign up encouraging people to read or review them on Yelp! I liked the confidence. I also liked the selection - not overwhelming, just the right amount of sugar and honey goodness. I really had just come in to look but it was so friendly and inviting that I bought 8 cookies. They looked like a tea cookie but were double and had sprinkles on the end. I took them all home which was really mean to my companions as they were divine. Sorry, I didn't know! I have to go back - if the cookies are that good imagine the pastries!
(5)Megan B.
I had an amazing first visit last year, and hope to return some time in the near future. My friends and I went in on a whim, but the owner swayed us with some free cookies. As a result we bought at least a pound of them. I don't know what they were called, but they were perfectly sweetened with honey, yet slightly savory with sesame seeds. They had a unique cakey texture - normally cookies like this are too dry. I've been to a few Greek bakeries in Greektown where I used to work, and have yet to find a cookie quite as good. What a gem! We all need to support "little guys" like this!
(5)Char Y.
We came on a weekday and LOVED the selections! We had one of everything and they were absolutely MOIST and DELICIOUS! They are much better than the greek pastries we had before, and so much cheaper!
(4)Jocelynne G.
The almond sugar-powdered cookies and macaroons are so yumm.... I'm definitely coming back to pick up a box of cookies for my next family get together. The owner was so nice he even gave us extra cookies to eat while we waited for him to pack us a box!
(5)Irineo B.
The cookies are delicious. Just like the owner said, the best ever. They have gluten-free cookies as well!
(5)Vanessa R.
I've walked by this place a ton of times whether on the way to HarvestTime or Monti's - yet just recently husband I decided to stop in and see if the amusing signs on the storefront really were legit (e.g. sign says "once you try one, you will be back!"). We were immediately greeted by the happiest man in an otherwise empty store - his cheery demeanor is contagious! Ordered a pound of powdered almond cookies for my family and I ordered several of the gluten free cookies for myself - almond and cherry. The gluten free cookies were fantastic! Crispy on the outside and sweet, and unexpectedly chewy on the inside - loved the flavor of both! Not really a good place to dine in and enjoy your sweets - more of a takeout operation. I guess he is right - we will be back! The other signs point to their famous "spinach pies" - so check those out!
(4)Mary Ann C.
What a hidden gem! We were a bit early for the noon opening of Monti's around the corner, so we stopped in. We were greeted by a friendly woman at the counter (who even gave us free cookies!) and we ordered an array of tasty treats to take home. All the offerings were fantastic that we sampled, especially a chocolate covered baklava. Yummy.
(5)Lila S.
Super good custard pie! The crust was so flaky and the custard inside was delicious- not too sweet but just perfect. I recommend slightly toasting it in a toaster oven when u get home for a crispy, flaky tasty dessert! Their baklava is also really good and packed with lotsa nuts. Their almond cookies with powdered sugar on top are also delicious! The owner is very nice and even gave me a free piece of baklava and a free cookie! He's super super friendly. Next time I go back I want to try their spinach pie which I heard was good! I'll definitely be back...
(5)Carter B.
extremely good spinach pies.
(5)Laura P.
It sickens me to write this review literally...I'm sick because of the MOLDLY cake they sold! I'm pretty generous with my reviews and usually not very harsh, so for me to write a bad review says a lot. My boyfriend decided to surprise me by picking up some slices of different cakes here. I was so excited (I love cake). I tired small slices of about three. I will say the other two were good, no mold that I saw. But one of the cakes, tasted funny, at first I thought maybe it was just something special they had added to the cake....little did I know. When my boyfriend went to get a piece for himself he saw a huge spot of mold on the other side of the cake that I didn't see while it was in the box. I examined the piece of cake that I was eating.....and yes, there was mold through the whole piece of cake (it was chocolate chocolate or something like that). It seemed to be growing on the bottom layer of cake. I am not just talking a little spot, there was mold through the whole bottom layer of the cake. I didn't notice it at first, since I usually don't carefully examine my newly purchased backed goods. I guess I just assumed that it wouldn't be moldy since it was just bought! And now i am sick for it. I'm sad b/c it seems like a lot of people like this bakery. But if they sold me something that is obviously old and made me sick I will never go back.
(1)Annie P.
I am seriously addicted to the spinach pies. I dream about them. That's how good they are. This bakery has been in the same spot for 50 years and I hope it never leaves. I see all these great Yelp reviews but I never see anyone in there. It would be an absolute shame if they went under, so I'm going to start shouting from the rooftops about this place. Seriously, y'all. The spinach pie. It's just magical. I'm drooling just typing about it.
(5)Lauren F.
I had an amazing first visit to Hellas today and I will definitely be returning in the very near future! Every time I drive down Lawrence I always tell my boyfriend "hey, there's that Greek pastry shop, I have to stop there one day". Well I finally did and I was thoroughly impressed. It is very hard to beat my Yiayia's cookies...but Hellas came pretty close! I bought a couple Kourabiethes (the ones covered in powdered sugar) and a couple of the Amygthalota (almond paste cookies with apricot filling in between), a piece of Baklava, and a big rum ball. The woman who was working (who I later found to be the owner, maybe her and her husband?) gave me a taste of their Melomokarona (or Phoenikia, they're the honey-dipped spiced ones with nuts on top). They were all good but -the almond cookies were extra fabulous, so chewy and tasty-and she even threw an extra in my box :) On top of a little cookie sample she also gave me a taste of their Spanakopita or spinach pie and as soon as I had one bite I told her to pack one of those for the road too! This is the best Spanakopita I have ever had-EVER-in my 27 years of family functions and other greek gatherings. My mom called me just as I was finishing stuffing my face and I said "oh my god I just had the best spanakopita ever!". Her response was....you better not tell your yiayia or your theas that! Hella good.....I'll be back!
(5)Anastacia B.
We happened to accidentally need a place to kill time and my sister texted me-"at Greek bakery at corner of Lawrence and Talman". Hmmm really? Yeah just ignore my wanting a cocktail delight. Well I was in for another kind of delight! On my master plan maybe at number 12 or so is to make a baklava. After having a piece of it here at Hella's I think I can take it off the list and fill that blank with something more worth my time because these folks have it DOWN. There is nothing more disappointing then coveting a plate of sweet goodness and then you taste it and it ruins your day (I like to go to extremes). NOT HERE- pure walnutty goodness layered with phyllo to make the perfect dessert. I was so inspired I wanted to get some to take with me for my crew the next day but we had dinner reservations and it was 97' in the car. Not a good combo. But I will be back and I will try their spinach pie and other delights as well. Super friendly owners and neighborhood place makes me want to shout from the rooftops!
(4)Sarah C.
Good but most of our cookies and our cake was dry. Hubby used to live right next door and says that's not typical. Orange clove cookies had good flavor, so I'll try again.
(3)Dennis C.
Very Delicious and filling spinach pies!! I have had several and they are good. I also sampled a few bakery items and enjoyed those as well: a cake slice, a Greek honey cookie and a couple others. Will I go back? Yes! Will I order more spinach piesand enjoy them? YES!!
(4)Noel S.
After seeing this Pastry shop on abc7 news last night, and driving by it every day on my way home, I decided it was time to stop in and try this Greek bakery. I am soooo glad I did. Upon entering, we were greeted by the extremely nice owners who let me sample anything and answer any questions we had. She described the various pastries available and encouraged us to let her know how we liked everything. We had a spinach pie, which was incredible-so rich and flavorful, full of the perfect blend of spinach and onions, ricotta and mozzarella cheese all wrapped in phyllo dough. We happened to be there just in time for a fresh batch out of the oven. We also ordered the honey cake, which was moist and delicious, as well as the honey cookies and the almond apricot macaroons. Everything we tried was fresh and delicious, and I can tell the owners put so much passion behind their baking. I look forward to going back and intend on making this a regular stop!
(5)D P.
Wow... best cookies... ever... the honey cookies are even vegan!!! (Not a big deal for me, but half my coworkers are vegan- nice that I can get them delicious treats from a great place!)
(5)Jack P.
This is not a busy bakery, and that is precisely why I like it. When Mr. I-rarely-do-desserts has guests for dinner, I like to stop here and get a variety of Greek cookies and pastries which go beyond the usual Greek baklava and honey cake. But make no mistake, I love those, especially the honey cookies. There are individual pastries like creme-filled Napoleons, and Carrot Cake. So you can pick up a "pastry flight" and please everyone. Today, stopped here for a dozen Greek cookies for $8.00. Never a line. Always a good value. The baker guy is nice, too.
(5)April P.
Close to closing time, and wanted to run in and pick up some of my favorite Greek cookies. Figured it was your typical Greek bakery, but was delightfully corrected that they are a better bakery than most. The test: after the cookies were exposed and left out for a whole week, they were still moist and full of flavor. They remained perfectly intact. Believe me, it was no intention to leave them out, but I am very glad that I did. pound of my favorite kourabiethes ran $5. They were about double the size than all the other ones that I've had and were rich, but still crumbled nicely without being dry. Parking is a little hard in the area, but well worth it to get these great treats! Service was great, the owner was behind the counter was a really nice gentleman who shows pride in his store! Love the mom and pop businesses!
(5)Dennis L.
Delicious Greek Pastries! I stopped by Hellas to bring home a surprise for my wife. We went to Greece while on our Honeymoon, and we had the opportunity to enjoy some excellent Greek pastries while there. I purchased about 4 different items (don't ask me what they were called), and all of them were excellent! You could taste the love and quality ingredients that went into making them. I will certainly return in the future.
(5)William L.
This is a place I remember my yiayia going when I was a kid and I don't think they've lost their touch. I stopped in on a whim to pick up some sweets and I thought about asking if I could just live in a back room and eat bakery for the rest of my life. I started with the usual suspects - kourambiedes and koulourakia. ... .... Sorry, I had to wipe the drool off of the keyboard. Even at the end of the day, the cookies were still fresh and delciious (I ate no less than two of each on the way home). I don't know if they have it year-round, but I highly recommend picking up a loaf of the Greek sweet bread for Easter, tsoureki I think. It has the red egg in it, I know that much. Here's what you do: cut a slice of the bread, toast it up, butter it, grab a couple koulourakia and a hot cup of coffee. There, breakfast of champions!
(5)Bill M.
I have noticed Hellas Pastry Shop for years, and I finally stopped in on Monday as I had a few minutes to kill while waiting for my sandwich to be prepared next door. I ordered a piece of the triangular baklava and a big rectangular slab of the custard pastry (I think it is the galaktoboureko) to go. Each piece was $3 and the manager did not charge me any sales tax. It looks like there is a $10 minimum for a credit card order. Both Greek treats were very yummy, and the custard pastry was so large that I did not mind sharing with my friend. I hear the spinach pie is da bomb, so I might have to come back here soon.
(4)Daniel H.
This place still has it down. Judgment of previous review AFFIRMED.
(5)Kim M.
Stumbled upon this little gem when making the trek into Harvesttime Foods for a specialty item I can't get anywhere else. I was overdue for lunch and thought, "hmm, maybe this tiny Greek bakery can knock the edge off for me with a homemade spinach pie." Yes. It did, and did it oh, so well. The spinach pie was more of a grab and go lunch item, almost burrito-esque, the crust was not the typical flaky phyllo, but PERFECT to take & eat on the go. If you are expecting a traditional spinach pie, you *might* be disappointed, but I wasn't. It was still fabulously delicious, and a much better format on the run. The man working the counter was sweeter than the baklava (and that is sweet!) He was courteous and amicable, made conversation, and taught me a few things about the baked goods in the case. Grape juice cookies? Who knew? I went home with a bunch of pastries as well, and I must concur with yelpers before me that the honey cookies rock! I was also impressed that there was a small handwritten index card taped to the case inviting you to read their yelp reviews and add your own. They KNOW they are doing it right. I can't wait to come back, and I WILL be back for the seasonal Easter bread. I was told they even bake it with the lucky red egg in it! I haven't seen that since my childhood.
(5)Patrick M.
Just stopped in while passing by and tried a few items. Apricot cookies were amazing and loved the spinach pie.
(5)Deborah D.
The spinach pie, custard pie and honey cookies are absolutely delicious - so much better than I could ever make them from scratch. I buy and serve these pastries on a regular basis, and will continue to do so.
(5)Nektaria R.
Turn up the Greek music in the background. Add a great Greek accent and a couple of boxes of sweets. By the end of the night, he says, everyone will say: "this is the best baklava I have ever had!" He wasn't lying! It was sweet and juicy and crispy and just perfect. I also got a few laughs from the party guest as I imitated his accent and mannerism. "This is the best baklava I have ever had!" I also got a box of the kourambiethes which looked perfect but since they were a hostess gift, I did not sample but I am craving so I'm probably going to drop by there later. I've gotten the custard pie (galaktoboureko), spinach pie and the bougatsa and they were fabulous. If you want authentic Greek pastries, Hellas is the place.
(5)Nancy S.
I walked into the aroma of honey and cinnamon and fell in love then and there. The honey cookies were just out of the oven, the spinach pie was still hot, and the baklava , pans and pans of it, was just waiting in the display case. It was a quiet time so I could ask questions and enjoy the answers. Everything was delicious and nothing tasted quite the same as anything else (like in some bakeries). I walked out with enough for me and plenty to share with neighbors in my building.
(5)George A.
Support your local bakeries!!!! The owners are very welcoming and have excellent Greek sweets that all people can enjoy.
(4)Rebecca H.
Forget the cutesy pink and white and baby blue cupcake shops, if you want real sweets made with authentic passed-down recipes go to Hellas. They have the best koulourakia I have tasted in my entire life. The typical Greek pastries with honey, sugar, and almonds are all done to perfection. Stop in for a quick snack and take a box home for the family. Every week.
(5)Sparty S.
I am a bonified sweet tooth. It's ridiculous how much I enjoy sweets. Which is why it's not unlikely you will find me searching random bakeries on Yelp out of boredom. Which is what I did today, and my search led me Hella Bakery. I'm usually skeptical of an overall 5 star review of any given place. I mean, not everyone that has gone could have possibly enjoyed everything, there has to be something that the place did wrong. Not here. If Yelp gave out 10 stars, that's what I would rate Hellas Pastry Shop. When I walked in, I was greeted by who I think is the owner, a very jolly Greek man. He made me feel like I just walked into a family member's house on Greek Easter for dinner. Like we were long lost friends. I went with everyone else's suggestions on here, and got the honey cookies and a spinach pie. The honey cookies.... are.... un-be-liev-able. I swear while I was eating it, I was wondering how anyone could have mastered a more perfect cookie. The texture... the taste.... all perfection. I ordered 3, and while he was wrapping them up, he dropped one on the tray of spinach pies, and then threw that one in on the house. Seriously? These things are so good, he could have dropped it on the floor and I still would have paid for it... AND eaten it! Just a warning.... you will eat all of these cookies, so if you buy 10, don't expect them to last you very long. They go down very very easily. The spinach pie? The crust was substantial, buttery, delicious. It was stuffed with the perfect ratio of cheese and spinach. Agreed that it's not the typical flaky texture of the spinach pie you've always known, but you'll always compare your future spinach pies to this one. They do have a credit card minimum, and usually that would have irritated me but I was mesmerized by the whole experience that I didn't even care. My total came to 6.15 and I only had 5 and some change on me. I was about to grab a few other things to get me to 10, but this guy took my 5.50 and told me to pay him more next time (which he was very confident I would be back)! How awesome is that! Can you think of a better possible first time experience?!
(5)Han Y.
The owner is very friendly and the cookies are delicious! I tried all the cookies they have at the counter and liked the round almond one the best. It is crisp and crumbly on the outside, cake/ chewy inside, not too sweet, very alomndy. The eclipse sandwich shaped ones are nice too, light and soft cookies. I will come back again for sure.
(5)Hal C.
Extremely sweet (REAL LIFE GREEK YOU CAN TELL) owners. Almost as sweet as the cookies and cakes and whatnot they provide. I'm probably a better man for moving away from this bakery. Really, no body needs as many spinach pies as I was consuming in my time in Lincoln Square. However, I still make the trip here. The sign on the window does not lie. Once you come here, you will be back.
(5)Linda C.
Amazing - the best chocolate éclair I've ever had in my life. Thick, rich, all natural chocolate frosting - delicate, tasty puff pastry - real custard filling like everyone else stopped making 20 years ago. I'm not Greek, but IMO the galactoboureka (sp?) was also the best I've ever had (compared to what I've had in Greek town). Can't wait to go back - it's probably a good thing I don't live close by.
(5)Iris D.
After tasting Greek Orange cookies at work I found this place. Clean, small, nice personnel. Got a few orange cookies, they're great with coffee. Love baklava and took some home. I prefer pistachio, they use walnuts and it was good but much too sweet. I could not eat it. However I tasted a molasses and honey cookie that was moist and perhaps one of the best cookies I have ever had. I'll be back for those.
(3)David F.
This is only to review the gluten free cookies..........they are freaking yummy if a tad sweet, very little variety and flavors to choose from but solid non the less. Hella is just as sweet as the cookies too, very friendly service.
(4)August B.
On Miracle Mile or as others call it Lawrence Ave. Nice place, just simple food with a friendly service. It's fresh and they care. Worth giving your money, time and business to someone that cares. It's great! My new favorite...their four dollar spanokopita
(5)B C.
The baker who runs this place will make your day. Every time I walk in he gives a genuinely friendly greeting. He lets you take your time, ask him questions about your options, and even do a quick Greek language lesson. This is a great place to pick up desserts after grabbing the rest of your groceries across the street at Harvestime.
(5)jen t.
The people in this shop are so nice and friendly. Their bakery is delicious. You can get everything from those yummy powdered sugar cookies to amazing feta cheese pies (I forgot the name). The only issue I have with this place is it is closed a lot. I think they close down fro 2 months of something in the summer to go on vacation. They really need to put up a sign or something. One summer I kept stopping by until someone from the neighborhood told me they were on vacation for a while. My advice would be to phone first and if they are open it's worth the trip.
(4)Hillary M.
My boyfriend and I are HUGE fans of the honey cookies. I've taken a box to family gatherings on several occasions and they always get great reviews. I also have a soft spot for the napoleons and the spinach pies. So good!
(5)Richard B.
Yum! I've been here twice so far and both times the owner has been super friendly. They have this pastry... it's like 2 almond flavored cookies (taste like marzipan!) with sliced almonds on the outside with an apricot filling sandwiched in between. So delicious. I bought 4 yesterday. Their powdered cookies are also great. Both of my visits the owner has included a free cookie. Try it!
(5)Elbo O.
Claire & I stopped in today on our way to girly brunch. The owner greeted us with neighborhood warmth. When she found out it was our first visit, she gave us a free sample of honey cookies. She made a point to mention their products are made without preservatives, fresh daily. The spinach and feta pies are large and delicious, the baklava comes in two varieties. We can't wait to try more. Don't be put off by the simplicity of the offerings - be assured they will not be trying to selling you day old pastries because I don't think they overproduce.
(5)Amanda S.
I've been to bakeries all over this city lately because I'm pregnant, and, wait, that has nothing to do with it. But this place is tops. The atmosphere is like an SNL skit waiting to happen, but the cookies are fantastic. The ones with the apricot filling are my favorite.
(5)Jennifer R.
I would have given more stars had I had an opportunity to actually taste the cookies I was craving. I called yesterday about 4:45 pm and asked what time they closed. He said 7:00 pm. We headed there around 5:30 pm and arrived at 6:15 pm only to find it closed. My husband and I used to live in Greece and on our way I told him that it wouldn't surprise me if they were closed (very typical in Greece for businesses to close when they feel like it). If you planned on closing early, I would have appreciated someone telling me that when I called so we didn't waste our time going up north.
(1)Emp P.
Stopped in on a whim after grocery shopping across the street, and was quite blown away by the cookies and by the cordial service. The owner gave us some honey cookies and some deliciously chewy almond cookies to sample, and I came home with chocolate baklava (how decadent is that?), bourgatsa (sp?), and a lovely, flaky spinach pie. I also loved the feel of this place, it really seemed like a friendly, old-fashioned, good old family-owned business where they put a lot of love into what they make. Highly recommended.
(5)Emma M.
I had such a wonderful experience here! I came in early like 8ish and the owner was there alone. He was so helpful and let me try the pastries before packing them all up. He was like, "You like Greek? You get these cookies." He also gave me a little history lesson on the shop. It's been there for 46 years and he's the third Greek owner. I walked out with 30 kourambiedes and 15 of some other really Greek cookie. I can't wait for my family & friends to try them! I will definitely be coming back.
(5)Casey M.
I walked into Hellas Pastry Shop on a cold day in December and was pleasantly greeted by Tula, the owner. I knew once I walked into the store, I had to try their famous spinach pies. There are signs all over the windows advertising them as "the best." I ordered two pies and noticed he threw about three extra cookies in the bag. When I got home I realized that he had thrown those cookies in for free. Nice! The cookies were flaky sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles on them. They were good and sweet, but I really wanted to get into the spinach pies though. The pies were fresh, flaky and flavorful. The pie consisted of a buttery flaky fillo dough and a savory and salty spinach and cheese mixture in the center. I ate the first pie in about a minute. Delicious! I wanted to save the other pie for later, but I devoured that one in half the time it took the first pie. This bakery is great and if they are closed you can pick up Hellas' Spinach Pies in the hot case at HarvesTime across the street.
(5)Erin B.
Amazing traditional Greek pastries and very friendly service. I've never walked out without being offered a free tidbit like one of their to-die-for melomakarona. Stop in and be converted!
(5)Amanda R.
I needed a treat for my boyfriend and came across Hellas Pastry Shop on Yelp. The location was perfect as it was on my way home from work so I decided to give it a try. I will definitely agree with the other reviews that gave them 5 stars! The owner is really nice and helped me pick out some cookies that were delicious!! He even "forced" me to try one :) The prices are also really good. I got 8 cookies for $5. I highly suggest stopping by!
(5)Jaime M.
I live in the neighborhood and have been going to Hellas since before they were featured on TV. Their high-quality of goods, friendliness and down-to-earth attitude is now as it has always been. I don't know what else to say that the other reviews have not yet mentioned. The Spanakopita is amazing, so is everything else. This place is authentic, refreshing, genuine. There's a lot of love baked in there with the spinach, the ricotta, the almonds, honey, apricots and all the other top quality ingredients that they use. Go there for the taste, come back for the love.
(5)Lina P.
The best cookies in the word! Tula, the owner is always very warm, nice and helpful. Highly recommended!!
(5)Michael S.
What a find!! We went into Hella's despite its hum-drum appearance from the outside. Friendly person that helped us and recommended the spinach pie, as it had just come out of the oven. My partner had that, while I had the custard pie. Both were amazing. Not too much sugar, flaky crust and buttery goodness. This will definitely be on the regular visit list!
(5)deb s.
I came in here one day on a whim with my Greek boyfriend - good baklava & kourambiedes. These cookies were very moist and sugary. yum! I need to find time to go again to get some more yummy pastries. - update, went back here again and the owner remembered us and gave us a couple of extra cookies with our purchases! they also have spinach pies and some other goodness for those of you to check out trying to get your pastry fix...
(5)Mike F.
Excellent pastry (especially Greek pastries like baklava). The place isn't very fancy but that works for me. Often instead of pastry I'll get some of the spinach or cheese pies which are... oh, so good.
(5)Monica F.
I stopped in here today just to check things out and I ended up walking out with a box of pastries. I am so glad to have found this place! The man behind the counter (the owner, I assume) was very friendly. I just ate the honey sweet flaky custard thing (I have no idea what its called) and it was delicious. As I turned around to leave the shop, he said, "you want a greek cookie? have a cookie," so I did. What hospitality!
(5)Randall B.
Get the spanakopita; it's perfect. Reminds me of Greece.
(5)Brian M.
Meant to stop by many times on the way home from work, but only did this year. Now I can't pass it by!!!! The honey cookies are soooooooo wonderful I even packed them with me on a 5 hour drive to give to my sister for her birthday!!!! MAKE SURE that you take double if you do something like this......only half ever make it to their intended destination. I haven't tried much else yet, but I am sure that I will and will be pleased.
(5)Marjorie D.
A wonderful neighborhood gem. Everything is delicious, and the people are nice. Last week I arrived apparently just after closing and was standing forlornly at the door, and the owner saw me from across the street and came and opened up quickly just for me. And, when I opened the box later at home, I discovered he threw in an extra piece of cake! The spinach pies, honey cookies (not sure what the actual name is) and baklava are favorites, but you won't go wrong with anything.
(5)Steve P.
in a word, wow. went there today with the mom-in-law, and was completely impressed with the lady behind the counter; sweet and makes the BEST everything. first time there and will return. thanks for taking care of us so well.
(5)Loosh M.
This is a good place, and I live like 3 blocks away which is a definite plus. The owner is really friendly and helpful. The pastries and the spinach cheese cakes are really good, and they have a huge selection of baclava. I'm not Greek but it seems really authentic. The only thing is that it's really overpriced. Every item costs $3-4, and you don't know that until he rings it up. It's good but not THAT good to be able to justify paying that casually for a pastry. Somewhere you go for a special occasion, perhaps. 4 stars minus 1 star for price.
(3)Ben D.
The cookies were great and the service was even better!
(5)Steven W.
while i am a huge foodie, i must admit my stars should be taken lightly here since i really do not have much experience with Greek cookies... however, this place gets five stars for being SO NICE... i came in here a few weeks ago with like TWO DOLLARS to my name, and was just kinda browsing.. i even told the nice guy behind the counter "i've only got 2 bucks, so i may just be looking today, ha ha"... he said he'd happily give me some melomokarona cookies (2 dollars worth)... i assumed i'd get maybe 2 cookies or so... didn't really matter... he was nice. i got home and had like 6 cookies in there! and they were SO GOOD! practically melted in my mouth, pleasantly sweet but not TOO sweet, and just great... went back for more today. if you've never tried these traditional Greek cookies, stop here for a couple... honestly, you'll be back for more.
(5)Ebru Y.
My mom dragged me in here today after shopping at Harvestime right across the street. We actually went in for something sweet but ended up getting the cheese and spinach pies and we both fell in love. The shop itself smells of delicious pastries, however it's pretty small, there isn't really any place to sit inside and enjoy your pastries. Of course that doesn't change our opinion about this place, they make the best spinach pies! And prices are pretty good. Next time we'll get some biscottis too, they looked very toasted and yummy!
(5)Katie R.
I've spent a lot of time in Greece and can say the spanakopita is the best I've tasted outside the country. Just like you would find there! The honey cookies are outstanding. I buy a dozen a week and the owner always throws in a few extra. I call it a Greek Dozen! A wonderful family run shop that is the real deal.
(5)Sparty S.
I am a bonified sweet tooth. It's ridiculous how much I enjoy sweets. Which is why it's not unlikely you will find me searching random bakeries on Yelp out of boredom. Which is what I did today, and my search led me Hella Bakery. I'm usually skeptical of an overall 5 star review of any given place. I mean, not everyone that has gone could have possibly enjoyed everything, there has to be something that the place did wrong. Not here. If Yelp gave out 10 stars, that's what I would rate Hellas Pastry Shop. When I walked in, I was greeted by who I think is the owner, a very jolly Greek man. He made me feel like I just walked into a family member's house on Greek Easter for dinner. Like we were long lost friends. I went with everyone else's suggestions on here, and got the honey cookies and a spinach pie. The honey cookies.... are.... un-be-liev-able. I swear while I was eating it, I was wondering how anyone could have mastered a more perfect cookie. The texture... the taste.... all perfection. I ordered 3, and while he was wrapping them up, he dropped one on the tray of spinach pies, and then threw that one in on the house. Seriously? These things are so good, he could have dropped it on the floor and I still would have paid for it... AND eaten it! Just a warning.... you will eat all of these cookies, so if you buy 10, don't expect them to last you very long. They go down very very easily. The spinach pie? The crust was substantial, buttery, delicious. It was stuffed with the perfect ratio of cheese and spinach. Agreed that it's not the typical flaky texture of the spinach pie you've always known, but you'll always compare your future spinach pies to this one. They do have a credit card minimum, and usually that would have irritated me but I was mesmerized by the whole experience that I didn't even care. My total came to 6.15 and I only had 5 and some change on me. I was about to grab a few other things to get me to 10, but this guy took my 5.50 and told me to pay him more next time (which he was very confident I would be back)! How awesome is that! Can you think of a better possible first time experience?!
(5)Megan B.
I had an amazing first visit last year, and hope to return some time in the near future. My friends and I went in on a whim, but the owner swayed us with some free cookies. As a result we bought at least a pound of them. I don't know what they were called, but they were perfectly sweetened with honey, yet slightly savory with sesame seeds. They had a unique cakey texture - normally cookies like this are too dry. I've been to a few Greek bakeries in Greektown where I used to work, and have yet to find a cookie quite as good. What a gem! We all need to support "little guys" like this!
(5)Char Y.
We came on a weekday and LOVED the selections! We had one of everything and they were absolutely MOIST and DELICIOUS! They are much better than the greek pastries we had before, and so much cheaper!
(4)Jocelynne G.
The almond sugar-powdered cookies and macaroons are so yumm.... I'm definitely coming back to pick up a box of cookies for my next family get together. The owner was so nice he even gave us extra cookies to eat while we waited for him to pack us a box!
(5)Natalija S.
Honey cookies. Holy crap....I'm...speechless...oh wait no I'm not. The cookies taste like...a child's happy laugh on a beautiful summer's day. If you could taste that, that's what the cookies at this pastry shop would taste like. The baklava is great, the almond cookies are amazing and the honey cookies make me need to reevaluate my life. Wow, just wow. I just want to go in the shop one day and raid the cases of pastries like a raccoon. Well then, I just added something to my bucket list now... Anyway, go here ASAP. Be prepared to taste heaven guys.
(5)michael m.
The honey cookies are addictive and one of the best cookies I've ever had. Spinach pie was great. The male owner is very jolly.
(5)Irineo B.
The cookies are delicious. Just like the owner said, the best ever. They have gluten-free cookies as well!
(5)Vanessa R.
I've walked by this place a ton of times whether on the way to HarvestTime or Monti's - yet just recently husband I decided to stop in and see if the amusing signs on the storefront really were legit (e.g. sign says "once you try one, you will be back!"). We were immediately greeted by the happiest man in an otherwise empty store - his cheery demeanor is contagious! Ordered a pound of powdered almond cookies for my family and I ordered several of the gluten free cookies for myself - almond and cherry. The gluten free cookies were fantastic! Crispy on the outside and sweet, and unexpectedly chewy on the inside - loved the flavor of both! Not really a good place to dine in and enjoy your sweets - more of a takeout operation. I guess he is right - we will be back! The other signs point to their famous "spinach pies" - so check those out!
(4)Mary Ann C.
What a hidden gem! We were a bit early for the noon opening of Monti's around the corner, so we stopped in. We were greeted by a friendly woman at the counter (who even gave us free cookies!) and we ordered an array of tasty treats to take home. All the offerings were fantastic that we sampled, especially a chocolate covered baklava. Yummy.
(5)Lila S.
Super good custard pie! The crust was so flaky and the custard inside was delicious- not too sweet but just perfect. I recommend slightly toasting it in a toaster oven when u get home for a crispy, flaky tasty dessert! Their baklava is also really good and packed with lotsa nuts. Their almond cookies with powdered sugar on top are also delicious! The owner is very nice and even gave me a free piece of baklava and a free cookie! He's super super friendly. Next time I go back I want to try their spinach pie which I heard was good! I'll definitely be back...
(5)Carter B.
extremely good spinach pies.
(5)Han Y.
The owner is very friendly and the cookies are delicious! I tried all the cookies they have at the counter and liked the round almond one the best. It is crisp and crumbly on the outside, cake/ chewy inside, not too sweet, very alomndy. The eclipse sandwich shaped ones are nice too, light and soft cookies. I will come back again for sure.
(5)Hal C.
Extremely sweet (REAL LIFE GREEK YOU CAN TELL) owners. Almost as sweet as the cookies and cakes and whatnot they provide. I'm probably a better man for moving away from this bakery. Really, no body needs as many spinach pies as I was consuming in my time in Lincoln Square. However, I still make the trip here. The sign on the window does not lie. Once you come here, you will be back.
(5)Linda C.
Amazing - the best chocolate éclair I've ever had in my life. Thick, rich, all natural chocolate frosting - delicate, tasty puff pastry - real custard filling like everyone else stopped making 20 years ago. I'm not Greek, but IMO the galactoboureka (sp?) was also the best I've ever had (compared to what I've had in Greek town). Can't wait to go back - it's probably a good thing I don't live close by.
(5)Maria W.
It's a Saturday afternoon and the place is empty! The shelves are literally empty. I'm not sure if that's good or bad business considering they're supposed to be open until 6pm and it's only 3:35 pm.
(2)Kathleen M.
What a lucky find! While pursuing the sandwich list, I glanced across the street and thought, hmmm, that places looks interesting. I pretended I wanted to get a picture of the sandwich place and scampered across. The owner was super friendly and I loved that he had a little handwritten sign up encouraging people to read or review them on Yelp! I liked the confidence. I also liked the selection - not overwhelming, just the right amount of sugar and honey goodness. I really had just come in to look but it was so friendly and inviting that I bought 8 cookies. They looked like a tea cookie but were double and had sprinkles on the end. I took them all home which was really mean to my companions as they were divine. Sorry, I didn't know! I have to go back - if the cookies are that good imagine the pastries!
(5)Iris D.
After tasting Greek Orange cookies at work I found this place. Clean, small, nice personnel. Got a few orange cookies, they're great with coffee. Love baklava and took some home. I prefer pistachio, they use walnuts and it was good but much too sweet. I could not eat it. However I tasted a molasses and honey cookie that was moist and perhaps one of the best cookies I have ever had. I'll be back for those.
(3)David F.
This is only to review the gluten free cookies..........they are freaking yummy if a tad sweet, very little variety and flavors to choose from but solid non the less. Hella is just as sweet as the cookies too, very friendly service.
(4)Laura P.
It sickens me to write this review literally...I'm sick because of the MOLDLY cake they sold! I'm pretty generous with my reviews and usually not very harsh, so for me to write a bad review says a lot. My boyfriend decided to surprise me by picking up some slices of different cakes here. I was so excited (I love cake). I tired small slices of about three. I will say the other two were good, no mold that I saw. But one of the cakes, tasted funny, at first I thought maybe it was just something special they had added to the cake....little did I know. When my boyfriend went to get a piece for himself he saw a huge spot of mold on the other side of the cake that I didn't see while it was in the box. I examined the piece of cake that I was eating.....and yes, there was mold through the whole piece of cake (it was chocolate chocolate or something like that). It seemed to be growing on the bottom layer of cake. I am not just talking a little spot, there was mold through the whole bottom layer of the cake. I didn't notice it at first, since I usually don't carefully examine my newly purchased backed goods. I guess I just assumed that it wouldn't be moldy since it was just bought! And now i am sick for it. I'm sad b/c it seems like a lot of people like this bakery. But if they sold me something that is obviously old and made me sick I will never go back.
(1)Annie P.
I am seriously addicted to the spinach pies. I dream about them. That's how good they are. This bakery has been in the same spot for 50 years and I hope it never leaves. I see all these great Yelp reviews but I never see anyone in there. It would be an absolute shame if they went under, so I'm going to start shouting from the rooftops about this place. Seriously, y'all. The spinach pie. It's just magical. I'm drooling just typing about it.
(5)Lauren F.
I had an amazing first visit to Hellas today and I will definitely be returning in the very near future! Every time I drive down Lawrence I always tell my boyfriend "hey, there's that Greek pastry shop, I have to stop there one day". Well I finally did and I was thoroughly impressed. It is very hard to beat my Yiayia's cookies...but Hellas came pretty close! I bought a couple Kourabiethes (the ones covered in powdered sugar) and a couple of the Amygthalota (almond paste cookies with apricot filling in between), a piece of Baklava, and a big rum ball. The woman who was working (who I later found to be the owner, maybe her and her husband?) gave me a taste of their Melomokarona (or Phoenikia, they're the honey-dipped spiced ones with nuts on top). They were all good but -the almond cookies were extra fabulous, so chewy and tasty-and she even threw an extra in my box :) On top of a little cookie sample she also gave me a taste of their Spanakopita or spinach pie and as soon as I had one bite I told her to pack one of those for the road too! This is the best Spanakopita I have ever had-EVER-in my 27 years of family functions and other greek gatherings. My mom called me just as I was finishing stuffing my face and I said "oh my god I just had the best spanakopita ever!". Her response was....you better not tell your yiayia or your theas that! Hella good.....I'll be back!
(5)August B.
On Miracle Mile or as others call it Lawrence Ave. Nice place, just simple food with a friendly service. It's fresh and they care. Worth giving your money, time and business to someone that cares. It's great! My new favorite...their four dollar spanokopita
(5)William L.
This is a place I remember my yiayia going when I was a kid and I don't think they've lost their touch. I stopped in on a whim to pick up some sweets and I thought about asking if I could just live in a back room and eat bakery for the rest of my life. I started with the usual suspects - kourambiedes and koulourakia. ... .... Sorry, I had to wipe the drool off of the keyboard. Even at the end of the day, the cookies were still fresh and delciious (I ate no less than two of each on the way home). I don't know if they have it year-round, but I highly recommend picking up a loaf of the Greek sweet bread for Easter, tsoureki I think. It has the red egg in it, I know that much. Here's what you do: cut a slice of the bread, toast it up, butter it, grab a couple koulourakia and a hot cup of coffee. There, breakfast of champions!
(5)Bill M.
I have noticed Hellas Pastry Shop for years, and I finally stopped in on Monday as I had a few minutes to kill while waiting for my sandwich to be prepared next door. I ordered a piece of the triangular baklava and a big rectangular slab of the custard pastry (I think it is the galaktoboureko) to go. Each piece was $3 and the manager did not charge me any sales tax. It looks like there is a $10 minimum for a credit card order. Both Greek treats were very yummy, and the custard pastry was so large that I did not mind sharing with my friend. I hear the spinach pie is da bomb, so I might have to come back here soon.
(4)Daniel H.
This place still has it down. Judgment of previous review AFFIRMED.
(5)Kim M.
Stumbled upon this little gem when making the trek into Harvesttime Foods for a specialty item I can't get anywhere else. I was overdue for lunch and thought, "hmm, maybe this tiny Greek bakery can knock the edge off for me with a homemade spinach pie." Yes. It did, and did it oh, so well. The spinach pie was more of a grab and go lunch item, almost burrito-esque, the crust was not the typical flaky phyllo, but PERFECT to take & eat on the go. If you are expecting a traditional spinach pie, you *might* be disappointed, but I wasn't. It was still fabulously delicious, and a much better format on the run. The man working the counter was sweeter than the baklava (and that is sweet!) He was courteous and amicable, made conversation, and taught me a few things about the baked goods in the case. Grape juice cookies? Who knew? I went home with a bunch of pastries as well, and I must concur with yelpers before me that the honey cookies rock! I was also impressed that there was a small handwritten index card taped to the case inviting you to read their yelp reviews and add your own. They KNOW they are doing it right. I can't wait to come back, and I WILL be back for the seasonal Easter bread. I was told they even bake it with the lucky red egg in it! I haven't seen that since my childhood.
(5)Patrick M.
Just stopped in while passing by and tried a few items. Apricot cookies were amazing and loved the spinach pie.
(5)Deborah D.
The spinach pie, custard pie and honey cookies are absolutely delicious - so much better than I could ever make them from scratch. I buy and serve these pastries on a regular basis, and will continue to do so.
(5)Nektaria R.
Turn up the Greek music in the background. Add a great Greek accent and a couple of boxes of sweets. By the end of the night, he says, everyone will say: "this is the best baklava I have ever had!" He wasn't lying! It was sweet and juicy and crispy and just perfect. I also got a few laughs from the party guest as I imitated his accent and mannerism. "This is the best baklava I have ever had!" I also got a box of the kourambiethes which looked perfect but since they were a hostess gift, I did not sample but I am craving so I'm probably going to drop by there later. I've gotten the custard pie (galaktoboureko), spinach pie and the bougatsa and they were fabulous. If you want authentic Greek pastries, Hellas is the place.
(5)Anastacia B.
We happened to accidentally need a place to kill time and my sister texted me-"at Greek bakery at corner of Lawrence and Talman". Hmmm really? Yeah just ignore my wanting a cocktail delight. Well I was in for another kind of delight! On my master plan maybe at number 12 or so is to make a baklava. After having a piece of it here at Hella's I think I can take it off the list and fill that blank with something more worth my time because these folks have it DOWN. There is nothing more disappointing then coveting a plate of sweet goodness and then you taste it and it ruins your day (I like to go to extremes). NOT HERE- pure walnutty goodness layered with phyllo to make the perfect dessert. I was so inspired I wanted to get some to take with me for my crew the next day but we had dinner reservations and it was 97' in the car. Not a good combo. But I will be back and I will try their spinach pie and other delights as well. Super friendly owners and neighborhood place makes me want to shout from the rooftops!
(4)Sarah C.
Good but most of our cookies and our cake was dry. Hubby used to live right next door and says that's not typical. Orange clove cookies had good flavor, so I'll try again.
(3)Dennis C.
Very Delicious and filling spinach pies!! I have had several and they are good. I also sampled a few bakery items and enjoyed those as well: a cake slice, a Greek honey cookie and a couple others. Will I go back? Yes! Will I order more spinach piesand enjoy them? YES!!
(4)Noel S.
After seeing this Pastry shop on abc7 news last night, and driving by it every day on my way home, I decided it was time to stop in and try this Greek bakery. I am soooo glad I did. Upon entering, we were greeted by the extremely nice owners who let me sample anything and answer any questions we had. She described the various pastries available and encouraged us to let her know how we liked everything. We had a spinach pie, which was incredible-so rich and flavorful, full of the perfect blend of spinach and onions, ricotta and mozzarella cheese all wrapped in phyllo dough. We happened to be there just in time for a fresh batch out of the oven. We also ordered the honey cake, which was moist and delicious, as well as the honey cookies and the almond apricot macaroons. Everything we tried was fresh and delicious, and I can tell the owners put so much passion behind their baking. I look forward to going back and intend on making this a regular stop!
(5)D P.
Wow... best cookies... ever... the honey cookies are even vegan!!! (Not a big deal for me, but half my coworkers are vegan- nice that I can get them delicious treats from a great place!)
(5)Jack P.
This is not a busy bakery, and that is precisely why I like it. When Mr. I-rarely-do-desserts has guests for dinner, I like to stop here and get a variety of Greek cookies and pastries which go beyond the usual Greek baklava and honey cake. But make no mistake, I love those, especially the honey cookies. There are individual pastries like creme-filled Napoleons, and Carrot Cake. So you can pick up a "pastry flight" and please everyone. Today, stopped here for a dozen Greek cookies for $8.00. Never a line. Always a good value. The baker guy is nice, too.
(5)April P.
Close to closing time, and wanted to run in and pick up some of my favorite Greek cookies. Figured it was your typical Greek bakery, but was delightfully corrected that they are a better bakery than most. The test: after the cookies were exposed and left out for a whole week, they were still moist and full of flavor. They remained perfectly intact. Believe me, it was no intention to leave them out, but I am very glad that I did. pound of my favorite kourabiethes ran $5. They were about double the size than all the other ones that I've had and were rich, but still crumbled nicely without being dry. Parking is a little hard in the area, but well worth it to get these great treats! Service was great, the owner was behind the counter was a really nice gentleman who shows pride in his store! Love the mom and pop businesses!
(5)Dennis L.
Delicious Greek Pastries! I stopped by Hellas to bring home a surprise for my wife. We went to Greece while on our Honeymoon, and we had the opportunity to enjoy some excellent Greek pastries while there. I purchased about 4 different items (don't ask me what they were called), and all of them were excellent! You could taste the love and quality ingredients that went into making them. I will certainly return in the future.
(5)Nancy S.
I walked into the aroma of honey and cinnamon and fell in love then and there. The honey cookies were just out of the oven, the spinach pie was still hot, and the baklava , pans and pans of it, was just waiting in the display case. It was a quiet time so I could ask questions and enjoy the answers. Everything was delicious and nothing tasted quite the same as anything else (like in some bakeries). I walked out with enough for me and plenty to share with neighbors in my building.
(5)George A.
Support your local bakeries!!!! The owners are very welcoming and have excellent Greek sweets that all people can enjoy.
(4)Rebecca H.
Forget the cutesy pink and white and baby blue cupcake shops, if you want real sweets made with authentic passed-down recipes go to Hellas. They have the best koulourakia I have tasted in my entire life. The typical Greek pastries with honey, sugar, and almonds are all done to perfection. Stop in for a quick snack and take a box home for the family. Every week.
(5)B C.
The baker who runs this place will make your day. Every time I walk in he gives a genuinely friendly greeting. He lets you take your time, ask him questions about your options, and even do a quick Greek language lesson. This is a great place to pick up desserts after grabbing the rest of your groceries across the street at Harvestime.
(5)jen t.
The people in this shop are so nice and friendly. Their bakery is delicious. You can get everything from those yummy powdered sugar cookies to amazing feta cheese pies (I forgot the name). The only issue I have with this place is it is closed a lot. I think they close down fro 2 months of something in the summer to go on vacation. They really need to put up a sign or something. One summer I kept stopping by until someone from the neighborhood told me they were on vacation for a while. My advice would be to phone first and if they are open it's worth the trip.
(4)Hillary M.
My boyfriend and I are HUGE fans of the honey cookies. I've taken a box to family gatherings on several occasions and they always get great reviews. I also have a soft spot for the napoleons and the spinach pies. So good!
(5)Richard B.
Yum! I've been here twice so far and both times the owner has been super friendly. They have this pastry... it's like 2 almond flavored cookies (taste like marzipan!) with sliced almonds on the outside with an apricot filling sandwiched in between. So delicious. I bought 4 yesterday. Their powdered cookies are also great. Both of my visits the owner has included a free cookie. Try it!
(5)Elbo O.
Claire & I stopped in today on our way to girly brunch. The owner greeted us with neighborhood warmth. When she found out it was our first visit, she gave us a free sample of honey cookies. She made a point to mention their products are made without preservatives, fresh daily. The spinach and feta pies are large and delicious, the baklava comes in two varieties. We can't wait to try more. Don't be put off by the simplicity of the offerings - be assured they will not be trying to selling you day old pastries because I don't think they overproduce.
(5)Amanda S.
I've been to bakeries all over this city lately because I'm pregnant, and, wait, that has nothing to do with it. But this place is tops. The atmosphere is like an SNL skit waiting to happen, but the cookies are fantastic. The ones with the apricot filling are my favorite.
(5)Jennifer R.
I would have given more stars had I had an opportunity to actually taste the cookies I was craving. I called yesterday about 4:45 pm and asked what time they closed. He said 7:00 pm. We headed there around 5:30 pm and arrived at 6:15 pm only to find it closed. My husband and I used to live in Greece and on our way I told him that it wouldn't surprise me if they were closed (very typical in Greece for businesses to close when they feel like it). If you planned on closing early, I would have appreciated someone telling me that when I called so we didn't waste our time going up north.
(1)Emp P.
Stopped in on a whim after grocery shopping across the street, and was quite blown away by the cookies and by the cordial service. The owner gave us some honey cookies and some deliciously chewy almond cookies to sample, and I came home with chocolate baklava (how decadent is that?), bourgatsa (sp?), and a lovely, flaky spinach pie. I also loved the feel of this place, it really seemed like a friendly, old-fashioned, good old family-owned business where they put a lot of love into what they make. Highly recommended.
(5)Casey M.
I walked into Hellas Pastry Shop on a cold day in December and was pleasantly greeted by Tula, the owner. I knew once I walked into the store, I had to try their famous spinach pies. There are signs all over the windows advertising them as "the best." I ordered two pies and noticed he threw about three extra cookies in the bag. When I got home I realized that he had thrown those cookies in for free. Nice! The cookies were flaky sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles on them. They were good and sweet, but I really wanted to get into the spinach pies though. The pies were fresh, flaky and flavorful. The pie consisted of a buttery flaky fillo dough and a savory and salty spinach and cheese mixture in the center. I ate the first pie in about a minute. Delicious! I wanted to save the other pie for later, but I devoured that one in half the time it took the first pie. This bakery is great and if they are closed you can pick up Hellas' Spinach Pies in the hot case at HarvesTime across the street.
(5)Erin B.
Amazing traditional Greek pastries and very friendly service. I've never walked out without being offered a free tidbit like one of their to-die-for melomakarona. Stop in and be converted!
(5)Amanda R.
I needed a treat for my boyfriend and came across Hellas Pastry Shop on Yelp. The location was perfect as it was on my way home from work so I decided to give it a try. I will definitely agree with the other reviews that gave them 5 stars! The owner is really nice and helped me pick out some cookies that were delicious!! He even "forced" me to try one :) The prices are also really good. I got 8 cookies for $5. I highly suggest stopping by!
(5)Jaime M.
I live in the neighborhood and have been going to Hellas since before they were featured on TV. Their high-quality of goods, friendliness and down-to-earth attitude is now as it has always been. I don't know what else to say that the other reviews have not yet mentioned. The Spanakopita is amazing, so is everything else. This place is authentic, refreshing, genuine. There's a lot of love baked in there with the spinach, the ricotta, the almonds, honey, apricots and all the other top quality ingredients that they use. Go there for the taste, come back for the love.
(5)Lina P.
The best cookies in the word! Tula, the owner is always very warm, nice and helpful. Highly recommended!!
(5)Michael S.
What a find!! We went into Hella's despite its hum-drum appearance from the outside. Friendly person that helped us and recommended the spinach pie, as it had just come out of the oven. My partner had that, while I had the custard pie. Both were amazing. Not too much sugar, flaky crust and buttery goodness. This will definitely be on the regular visit list!
(5)Emma M.
I had such a wonderful experience here! I came in early like 8ish and the owner was there alone. He was so helpful and let me try the pastries before packing them all up. He was like, "You like Greek? You get these cookies." He also gave me a little history lesson on the shop. It's been there for 46 years and he's the third Greek owner. I walked out with 30 kourambiedes and 15 of some other really Greek cookie. I can't wait for my family & friends to try them! I will definitely be coming back.
(5)deb s.
I came in here one day on a whim with my Greek boyfriend - good baklava & kourambiedes. These cookies were very moist and sugary. yum! I need to find time to go again to get some more yummy pastries. - update, went back here again and the owner remembered us and gave us a couple of extra cookies with our purchases! they also have spinach pies and some other goodness for those of you to check out trying to get your pastry fix...
(5)Mike F.
Excellent pastry (especially Greek pastries like baklava). The place isn't very fancy but that works for me. Often instead of pastry I'll get some of the spinach or cheese pies which are... oh, so good.
(5)Monica F.
I stopped in here today just to check things out and I ended up walking out with a box of pastries. I am so glad to have found this place! The man behind the counter (the owner, I assume) was very friendly. I just ate the honey sweet flaky custard thing (I have no idea what its called) and it was delicious. As I turned around to leave the shop, he said, "you want a greek cookie? have a cookie," so I did. What hospitality!
(5)Randall B.
Get the spanakopita; it's perfect. Reminds me of Greece.
(5)Brian M.
Meant to stop by many times on the way home from work, but only did this year. Now I can't pass it by!!!! The honey cookies are soooooooo wonderful I even packed them with me on a 5 hour drive to give to my sister for her birthday!!!! MAKE SURE that you take double if you do something like this......only half ever make it to their intended destination. I haven't tried much else yet, but I am sure that I will and will be pleased.
(5)Marjorie D.
A wonderful neighborhood gem. Everything is delicious, and the people are nice. Last week I arrived apparently just after closing and was standing forlornly at the door, and the owner saw me from across the street and came and opened up quickly just for me. And, when I opened the box later at home, I discovered he threw in an extra piece of cake! The spinach pies, honey cookies (not sure what the actual name is) and baklava are favorites, but you won't go wrong with anything.
(5)Steve P.
in a word, wow. went there today with the mom-in-law, and was completely impressed with the lady behind the counter; sweet and makes the BEST everything. first time there and will return. thanks for taking care of us so well.
(5)Loosh M.
This is a good place, and I live like 3 blocks away which is a definite plus. The owner is really friendly and helpful. The pastries and the spinach cheese cakes are really good, and they have a huge selection of baclava. I'm not Greek but it seems really authentic. The only thing is that it's really overpriced. Every item costs $3-4, and you don't know that until he rings it up. It's good but not THAT good to be able to justify paying that casually for a pastry. Somewhere you go for a special occasion, perhaps. 4 stars minus 1 star for price.
(3)Ben D.
The cookies were great and the service was even better!
(5)Steven W.
while i am a huge foodie, i must admit my stars should be taken lightly here since i really do not have much experience with Greek cookies... however, this place gets five stars for being SO NICE... i came in here a few weeks ago with like TWO DOLLARS to my name, and was just kinda browsing.. i even told the nice guy behind the counter "i've only got 2 bucks, so i may just be looking today, ha ha"... he said he'd happily give me some melomokarona cookies (2 dollars worth)... i assumed i'd get maybe 2 cookies or so... didn't really matter... he was nice. i got home and had like 6 cookies in there! and they were SO GOOD! practically melted in my mouth, pleasantly sweet but not TOO sweet, and just great... went back for more today. if you've never tried these traditional Greek cookies, stop here for a couple... honestly, you'll be back for more.
(5)Ebru Y.
My mom dragged me in here today after shopping at Harvestime right across the street. We actually went in for something sweet but ended up getting the cheese and spinach pies and we both fell in love. The shop itself smells of delicious pastries, however it's pretty small, there isn't really any place to sit inside and enjoy your pastries. Of course that doesn't change our opinion about this place, they make the best spinach pies! And prices are pretty good. Next time we'll get some biscottis too, they looked very toasted and yummy!
(5)Katie R.
I've spent a lot of time in Greece and can say the spanakopita is the best I've tasted outside the country. Just like you would find there! The honey cookies are outstanding. I buy a dozen a week and the owner always throws in a few extra. I call it a Greek Dozen! A wonderful family run shop that is the real deal.
(5)