PlanJam!From your screen to the scene

People say you can’t have your cake and eat it, too, but at Sweet Thang on North Avenue, you certainly can. Specializing in traditional French and American pastries, cakes and croissants, Sweet Thang has created quite a buzz in Wicker Park in its almost five years of being open. Anyone who has ever walked by and peeked in can attest to the romantic draw of the red heart-shaped chairs and the sugary sweets that call out from the pastry cases.

Inside, the café has a quaint, French atmosphere. Chairs and tables are cozily squeezed into the area across from the long counter, adorned overhead with ornate, vintage-style lamp shades over unique hanging light fixtures. Red paint, an exposed brick wall and detailed crown molding add a classy touch, and really make it hard not to stick around and have another cookie with your coffee. The back of the café features a slightly bigger sitting area, stylishly decorated with long draperies and chandeliers. To get to this area, you’ll pass under a decorative “wedding cake” that sits majestically over the entryway. A definite attention-getter!

As for cookies, they’re fresh and delicious, and the same can be said of the coffee. If you’ve got a few minutes to spare, let the person at the counter take a minute to make you a cappuccino. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee is something you’d expect to experience in a café like this. Go ahead, give a chocolate chip or a peanut butter cookie a try—when was the last time you got to have a freshly baked cookie, anyway?

Sweet Thang also boasts wedding and specialty cakes, which range in price from $4 to $15 per person. Their talented staff can accommodate almost any cake design, even such odd requests as musical instruments, books, tools and clothes, just to name a few. Sweet Thang’s dessert cases also house treats like cheesecake, tarts, pies and mousses. If you’re looking to satisfy a sweet tooth, this place has just what you need!

Whether you’re by yourself looking for a quiet place to relax and read a book, or with friends looking for an intimate setting to make the latest juicy confession, Sweet Thang provides the ideal environment.