Del Sur Bakery Is Why Heavy T Is Called Heavy T
Justin Tiu Lerias is baking the most exciting Filipino pastries in Chicago out of a tiny Lincoln Square shop
Chicago's Filipino food scene is having a moment, and most of the attention is going to the restaurants. Del Sur is a reminder that some of the most exciting things happening in that scene are coming out of a small bakery in Lincoln Square where the line regularly wanders out the door and moves fast enough that you'll find yourself back at the counter before you've finished deciding.
Justin Tiu Lerias grew up in the Philippines, in the south — del sur means from the south — and came here to bake. He spent time at other bakeries, ran a pop-up at Side Practice Coffee, and eventually opened his own place with a clear vision for what it should be. The food is Filipino in its foundation and deeply creative in its execution. The team is treated well in a way that is uncommon enough in this industry to be worth saying out loud. Four-day work week, fair wages, health insurance, a collaborative environment. Lerias talks about the bakery as a stepping ground for his employees, not a ceiling. You feel that when you walk in. The staff is genuinely happy to be there, which is not something you can fake.
Then you taste the food and all of that becomes secondary because your entire focus narrows to what is in your hand.
The longganisa croissant first. It is flaky, savory, and one of the best pastries I have had anywhere. Full stop. The pandan basque cake is worth every bit of its reputation. Beyond that, I could list specific items but the menu rotates seasonally and changes with what Justin and the team are excited about, so what's there today may not be there next week. What I can tell you is that the creative range is genuinely impressive and I have not been disappointed by a single thing I've picked up from that counter.
Metric coffee on the bar, pulled well. My cappuccinos have been consistently good and complement the baked goods without competing with them, which is exactly the role a cappuccino should play at a bakery this serious about its pastries.
The space is small and beautiful and designed with real care. There is room for a short line inside. There will be a line. It moves.
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