A new Paris Baguette café is taking shape at 3478 N. Broadway in Lakeview East, marking the South Korea-based bakery chain's sixth Chicago outpost. Construction is already underway at the storefront, though the space is still wrapped in a plain “coming soon” sign rather than a grand-opening countdown.
According to Secret Chicago, brand-logo signage first appeared on the storefront over the summer, giving neighbors an early hint of what was coming before the current “coming soon” placard went up. The outlet reports that an exact opening date for the Lakeview café has not been announced, and that construction is ongoing at the site.
Once it opens, the Lakeview East shop will become Paris Baguette's sixth location in the city, joining existing cafés in the South Loop, Streeterville, Gold Coast, Chinatown and West Loop, per the same report. One of those, the South Loop café at 1100 S. Michigan Ave., gives a sense of what Lakeview East customers might expect: that location is 4,000 square feet with seating for up to 55 guests and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to WhatNow. The outlet notes that the South Loop menu includes Lavazza coffee, lunch items, cake, pastries, mochi donuts and chocolate croissants, and that the location is owned by Li Peng Zeng.
What's on the Menu
Paris Baguette's draw has long been its French-inspired bakery case paired with Korean-influenced café culture. The chain offers classic French pastries including croissants and pains au chocolat, alongside creative coffee and matcha drinks, cake slices, artisanal sandwiches and rotating seasonal pastries, the Secret Chicago report notes. It has also leaned into pop-culture tie-ins, partnering with Dancing With the Stars on a limited-edition selection of croissant-and-latte combinations inspired by the show.
The chain has also partnered with Dancing With the Stars on a limited-edition selection of croissant-and-latte combinations inspired by the show. The chain's broader footprint already spans more than 300 locations across more than 29 U.S. states and over 4,000 cafés worldwide, according to the company's own franchise site, which describes the offerings as world-class cakes, pastries, coffees and breads.
A Bigger Expansion Push Behind the Scenes
The Lakeview East project fits into a much larger growth plan for Paris Baguette in North America. The chain is on pace to reach 400 North American locations this year and plans to open 150 more units in 2026, according to QSR Magazine, which reports the push follows expansion into 10 new U.S. states and Canadian provinces in 2025. The franchise site states the company's ultimate target is 1,000 units across North America by 2030.
To support that growth, Paris Baguette recently broke ground on a $200 million, 267,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Burleson, Texas, QSR Magazine reports. The plant is described as the company's first manufacturing facility in North America and is expected to create 450 jobs once operational.
For now, Lakeview East residents will have to keep watching the storefront at 3478 N. Broadway for updates. With construction underway but no timeline confirmed, the “coming soon” sign remains the only word on when Chicago's sixth Paris Baguette will actually start serving croissants and coffee.
