Toni Patisserie & Cafe Expands to Chicago, Remains Hinsdale Staple

Toni Marie Cox has been serving up cookies, cakes, and other treats to Hinsdale residents for 17 years. 

When Hinsdale shop America's Bread Basket closed in 1994, Cox, a former executive pastry chef at Chicago’s Mayfair Regent Hotel and Le Ciel Bleu, took over the space and opened a patisserie specializing in French pastries. Toni Marie's Sweets and Savories, now , has been a staple in the Hinsdale community ever since.

Cox initially sold mostly pastries and other desserts, but eventually expanded to cafe fare as well.

"The support of the people in the community led us to adding to what we're selling," she said. 

Cox's shop has evolved into a cafe where customers can sit and enjoy coffee and conversation. Toni also prepares and delivers catering trays for events featuring items such as pastries, cookies, and quiches.

Even though the menu is broader than it was when Cox began her business, desserts are still among the more popular items on the Toni menu. Among customers' favorite pastries are the chocolate raspberry meringue and the chocolate dome.

Cox is also known for her custom cakes for weddings, showers, and other special occasions. 

Meanwhile, the Toni brand has spread beyond Hinsdale. Cox opened a new Toni location in Chicago this past September.

"It's across from the Cultural Center, so there's a lot of traffic," Cox said. "We've gotten a great response [and] a lot of positive reactions."

She says that the Chicago location has a "more extensive cafe menu" that features sandwiches and salads to order. Cox enjoys having a second store in Chicago because many Hinsdale residents work in the city and come to Toni for lunch.

"It's fun to see how many customers have come to the new store," she said. 

Even though Cox has expanded, she enjoys the familiarity of her long-standing Hinsdale business.

"It's great being part of a smaller community," she said. "You have regular customers that you see everyday; they're almost like family. It's awesome to see how people get to know each other in our store. It's great to have the energy created by being in the center of town."