
Balkan Bakery
Categories
Bakery
Hours:
Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM
Saturday-8AM-3PM
Sunday-8AM-2PM
Driving Directions:
From downtown La Grange, head south on La Grange Road about half a mile to 541 S La Grange Rd. We're on the left, just past 47th St. Parking in the lot.
About Us
Balkan Bakery is a Serbian bakery, dessert shop, and specialty store in La Grange, Illinois — serving the community for nineteen years, since 2007.
It begins with the burek. Golden, flaky, made fresh each morning — the thing customers come for and the root that holds everything else in place.
Around that anchor, a daily ritual unfolds: croissants rolled with Nathan's beef hot dogs, ham and cheese, pizza, Nutella, and plain, alongside croissant sandwiches layered with mortadella, prosciutto, and smoked beef. Specialty Serbian pastries and desserts, custom cakes finished with simple piping, and Bajadera pralines made from the same recipe since the day the bakery opened. illy coffee, hot and iced, poured throughout the day.
In early September 2026, a new menu arrived — Balkan-meets-modern fusion, weaving ajvar, kulen, kajmak, and urnebes into toasted paninis, salads, and bowls. Lav and Jelen beer, served in bottles; wine by the glass. The stork — a symbol of new beginnings and a familiar sight resting on utility poles in Serbian towns — now appears on the menu, the boxes, the disposables, tying this newest chapter back to our koreni, our roots.
The space feels like a brief escape to Europe — romantic, dreamy, unhurried, carrying the slower rhythm of Serbia into La Grange. A 2026 renovation added an outdoor pergola and a refreshed interior space.
Come for the burek. Stay for the coffee, the pergola, and a taste of home.
Mon–Fri 8am–4pm · Sat 8am–3pm · Sun 8am–2pm
Highlights
- Burek Flaky, golden, made fresh every morning — the heart of Balkan Bakery and what customers come for.
- Custom Cakes & Pastries Traditional Balkan recipes made from scratch. Order one week in advance.
- Specialty Store Imported Balkan pantry goods, deli items, gifting, and European treats you won't find anywhere else.
- Catering Trays of burek, pastries, and desserts that bring a taste of the Balkans to any event — large or small.
- Order Online Order ahead for pick-up, or get delivery via DoorDash, GrubHub, and UberEats.
Images
Burek
Russian Hats
Bajadere
Russian Pita
Kokos Stanglice
Oblande
Zarbo Stanglice
Rozen Kolac
Orah Kolac
Carska Pita
Bon Zita
Urmasice
Vanilice
Kokos Kuglice
Cokoladne Kuglice
Rafaelo Kuglice
Bombonjere
Kosnice
Raspberry Kolacky
Powdered Crescents
Becka Pita
Savory Pie
Cream Puff
Jafa Cake
Kinder Cake
Dynasty Cake
Bingo Cake
Fruit Cake
Walnut Cake
Plazma Cake
Chocolate Bar Cake
Sam Pita
Zito
Cream Pie
Balkan Baklava
Greek Baklava
Baklava with Dried Prunes
Cherry Strudel
Rep/Contact Info
Marija Pejkovic
Marija Pejkovic owns and operates Balkan Bakery in La Grange, Illinois, a heritage brand founded in 2007 by her mother-in-law, Olja Igic. Present since day one, Marija became CEO after Olja's 2020 retirement — a family succession central to the brand's story. She has modernized operations while preserving the traditional Balkan recipes that anchor the bakery, refining product lines, pricing, and profitability.
With a Fashion Business degree from Columbia College Chicago and fourteen years in fashion, Marija brought a designer's eye to the bakery's renovation, drawing on European café culture and Serbia's romantic rhythm to create a warm, elevated atmosphere. She oversees product development, merchandising, and the full customer experience.
An active voice in La Grange civic planning, Marija champions destination businesses and believes deeply in building up the Serbian community.
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La Grange photography © Bob Briskey
