A lot of cafés offer Wi-Fi.
Verzênay doesn’t.
And no, it’s not because we forgot to install it.
It’s intentional.
This place was never meant to be a second office or a screen-lit lunch stop.
It was built to offer something rarer: a moment to be present.
More Than a Bite
When Arshiya and Aqeel opened Verzênay, it wasn’t just about bringing French pastry to Chicago it was about recreating the feeling they experienced in the cafés and bakeries they visited abroad.
Quiet tables. Conversations that didn’t compete with Zoom calls.
Flaky croissants that demanded both hands and your full attention.
They saw how food could create atmosphere and how atmosphere could change how you feel in your day. That’s what they wanted to offer here.
So when you visit Verzênay, the vibe is clear:
-
No rushing
-
No laptops on every table
-
No digital distractions
Just good food, shared space, and the kind of calm that tends to linger longer than your plate.
Food That Reminds You of Something
Arshiya often says good food sticks with you even when you don’t expect it to.
You might not remember every flavor. But years later, a single bite of something familiar can bring you all the way back to a moment you didn’t know you stored.
That’s what she’s trying to build:
A menu that creates those little memory zones comforting, emotional, nostalgic, and real.
And the best part? You don’t need to eat it fast.
You just need to sit still long enough to feel it.
A Place for Real Life
If you’ve been looking for a bakery or café to call your own. Where the food is thoughtful and the environment makes you want to linger you might feel at home here.
Verzênay has become a kind of rhythm for its regulars.
Some come solo for a quiet reset.
Others bring their kids or their grandkids and share cookies across generations.
You’ll see people reading. People catching up. People doing nothing in particular.
And that’s the point.
This place wasn’t built to be trendy or transactional.
It was built to be remembered.
In a world where most meals happen between notifications, a little stillness can go a long way.
Come in, take a seat, and stay a while.
We’d love to welcome you.
verzenaychicago.com