One of the best parts about the near west suburbs is the perfect mix of neighborhood charm and Chicagoland uniqueness. For many people (myself included) there are very few places as charming and unique as Broken Tart.
The first time I stepped inside, I remember thinking about how this place was going to be the start of so many stories. The room is small and bright, the pastry case is irresistible, and there’s always a line of people debating what to order. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel completely at home while transporting you somewhere else entirely.
Broken Tart is the creation of sisters, and Oak Park residents, Katie and Krissy Mack. What began as a passion project has grown into a neighborhood gathering spot where cakes, coffee, and conversation flow freely—and where the line on weekend mornings and holidays has become part of the experience.
Broken Tart is the perfect place for firsts and for special moments. It’s the only place I order a slice of olive oil cake from, and it’s the place I recommend every time I’m asked about holiday desserts. But the real story behind Broken Tart isn’t just the pastries. It’s the partnership between two sisters whose different talents came together at exactly the right time.
Meet the Sisters Behind Broken Tart
Krissy Mack is the pastry chef behind the bakery’s rotating menu of cakes, cookies, and pastries. A graduate of the San Francisco Baking Institute, she spent years honing her craft in professional kitchens, including time as a head baker with Chicago’s Hogsalt restaurant group, known for Au Cheval, Bavette’s, Gilt Bar, and other acclaimed dining spots.
Katie Mack brings a different skill set to the table. With a background in marketing and media, she focuses on the brand and the operations that keep the small bakery running day-to-day. She also shapes the experience around it, from how the bakery looks to how it connects with the community.
They describe their partnership as a kind of yin and yang. That they’re sisters only adds another layer. Like many other siblings, they joke that their childhood included its share of disagreements. These days, though, that dynamic has evolved into something else entirely: They’ve become each other’s biggest cheerleaders.
Both sisters are also raising young families in Oak Park, which means their days often begin before sunrise. Early baking shifts and school drop-offs exist in the same schedule, and the rhythm of the bakery now blends naturally into the rhythm of family life.
It’s that balance that gives Broken Tart much of its heart.
The Broken Tart Origin Story
Like many good neighborhood stories, Broken Tart didn’t begin with a storefront. It began with a passion for baking.
Around 2014, while working for Hogsalt, Krissy began baking custom cakes on the side. Through social media and word of mouth, her cakes developed a loyal following in Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C., and other cities. People began recognizing her style of beautiful, elegant imperfection.
Katie was watching the growing demand and thinking about what Krissy’s project could become. With her background in marketing and media, Katie understood how to shape a brand and build a story around it. Along came the thought: What if Broken Tart became a real place? Not just a provider of cakes, but a small, personality-driven bakery/café?
Both sisters had moved to Oak Park with their families, and the more time they spent here, the clearer it became that this was where the bakery belonged. The community already supported local businesses in a big way, and the village felt like the perfect setting.
Turning that idea into reality took patience. The bakery was years in the making, with planning, fundraising, and a successful Indiegogo campaign helping bring the dream to life. The sisters eventually found a space on Chicago Avenue, a former laundromat that needed a complete transformation.
What followed was a gut renovation and a leap of faith. However, when Broken Tart finally opened its doors, it didn’t take long for people to notice.
Inside Broken Tart
One of the things that makes Broken Tart feel special is how intentional yet relaxed everything is.
The sisters describe it as a tiny bakery with a rotating, from-scratch menu of cakes, bakes, coffee, and tea. But the inspiration goes deeper than that. They’ve talked about being inspired by the “broken-in yet always enchanting” feeling of European delis. These are the places that feel lived in and a bit magical all at once.
In this bright and cozy space, the pastry case often becomes the center of conversation. People point at favorites and ask each other what they’re ordering. On weekend mornings especially, the line can stretch out the door, but nobody minds because they know what they’re about to get is worth waiting for.
The Menu: Why Locals Are Obsessed
Of course, the real reason Broken Tart has such a following comes down to what’s inside the pastry case.
Cakes and Sweets
Krissy’s pastries lean into a style that’s both classic and slightly whimsical. With their natural, handmade look, the cakes are often described as “undone.” In addition to layer cakes, you’ll find seasonal fruit tarts and cookies.
Fan favorites include the incredible olive oil cake and seasonal pastries that appear just long enough for people to fall in love with them before the next rotation arrives.
Savory Favorites
While sweets may be what first catch your eye, Broken Tart also offers a surprising number of savory options, including cornbread biscuits, focaccia, and rotating lunch specials that give people plenty of additional reasons to stop in.
Coffee and Drinks
The beverage menu receives nearly as much attention as the pastry case. Broken Tart partners with Big Shoulders Coffee and Ruby Coffee Roasters, creating a coffee program that holds its own alongside the baked goods.
A Bakery Rooted in Oak Park
What makes Broken Tart feel especially meaningful is how connected it is to the community around it.
Both sisters are raising their families here, and they’ve embraced the idea of being fully invested in Oak Park. That sense of belonging shows up in the way customers interact with the space. People greet each other in line, catch up over coffee, and celebrate birthdays, holidays, and everyday moments with something from the pastry case.
Community support played a major role in the bakery’s early success as well. The Indiegogo campaign that helped launch the storefront brought in supporters from across the area, and word of mouth spread quickly once the doors opened.
Since then, the bakery has continued to grow its presence through events, seasonal decorations, and small traditions that make it feel alive year-round.
Broken Tart is not just a place to buy pastries. It’s a place people return to again and again.
Plan Your Visit
If you haven’t been to Broken Tart yet, consider this your sign.
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Broken Tart |
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Follow along online at brokentart.com or on Instagram at @brokentart.
And one piece of advice: If you’re planning a weekend visit, arrive early. Some of the most popular items tend to sell out before noon.
But that’s part of the charm.
Because Broken Tart is the kind of place that turns everyday mornings into small celebrations, one slice of cake at a time.
Featured photo credit: Motherz, Lindsey Smith