Simit in Chicago?

I'm wondering if anyone here has encountered the "Turkish bagel" known as Simit anywhere in Chicago.

I was traveling in Turkey a few years ago, and everywhere you go, vendors are selling these sesame seed covered bread rings - in carts, on long sticks, in bakeries, virtually everywhere all over the country and especially in Istanbul.

Besides being deliicous, I was hoping to find some to take to a family gathering at Thansgiving, to surprise by brothers who traveled with me. But I have never seen them in Chicago. Anywhere.


Has anyone?

Hi,

I did a search to find a mention of simit in the Chicago area here: viewtopic.php?p=51202#p51202

Regards,

You got my hopes up...

But I called and they said they dont have simit.

threegoofs wrote:I'm wondering if anyone here has encountered the "Turkish bagel" known as Simit anywhere in Chicago.

Try Istanbul Market in Mount Prospect (Elmhurst and Oakton) [Yelp Link]

Arab pita bakeries have very similar products. Try Sanabel or Al Khayam on Kedzie.

I was at Feyrous Pastries (4510 N Kedzie) yesterday in Albany Park (not far from the Kedzie Brown stop) and they said they bake what sounded like Simit fresh there every day. They said you can call and order ahead too. I'm not sure if it's 100% Simit, but what they said sounded just like it (round, baked dough with sesame).

I miss this stuff from Turkey for sure. Great street food

I am bumping this thread. I visited the cobbler near Broadway and Belmont and, passing some time, I tarried in Anatolian Express. It was rather distinctly lackluster, but the tea was good. I noted that they had simit on the menu, and also claimed to bake it fresh, but they indicated that it was not available and did not know when it would be available. A good many things on the menu were not available, so much so that it seems what is not available outnumbers the things that are.

I am hunting for good simit as well. I've known certain Iraqi bakeries to make the stuff, which goes by سميط‎ in Arabic (samītˤ, more like 'simeat' in Iraqi vernacular), but note that there are certain items that look very similar but are doughy and sweet, like chureck.

Fresh Farms in Niles, which at its core is a Greek, often has, well whatever they call simit in Greek, but it's about the same thing (eg. doner--gyro). Like most of the bakery stuff there, especially the breads, the Greek bagels are quite good.

Whenever I see it, I pick up the Arab bread called ka'ak. It's not the same as simit, but it scratches the itch. I've see it at occasionally at Sahar Market and Sanabel, and frequently at the bakeries in Bridgeview.

Pera Turkish Kitchen bakes and serves simit for weekend brunch, so they tell me, from 9-2 on weekends. It is not otherwise available there. But when is it hot and fresh? I asked them if they will oblige me with tea refills if I come (I guzzle Black Sea tea when available) and was given the rather strange response, "Why not?"

Good simit can be had at the Istanbul Market and Cafe at 2324 Elmhurst Rd, Mt Prospect IL 60056. When I stopped inside, there were a number of men eating in little dining area in the back of the grocery store. Everything looked fresh and proper; the workers in the kitchen/bakery looked to be Kyrgyz women.

Reheated frozen simit (I think) can now be had at Turkitch in Lake View. I went there and was not terribly impressed. The simit, even if it might have been originally good, was tough by the time it got to me.

Supposedly, My Dough Dough bakery at 2342 N. Clark has freshly baked simit. They keep odd hours, so I will have to investigate further.

Try buying the simit from Turkitch frozen and reheating at home. I've had good results with that approach. Thanks for putting my dough dough on the radar, I'll check it out soon.

My Dough Dough is apparently now called Cafe Corbel, a sort of French-inspired coffee shop and bakery, but still with simit. The Google listing of the former is out of date. The hours are not as odd as I believed.

The simit is baked in house and is very good, with abundant sesame and just slightly sweet. The texture is both crisp and soft/fluffy.

Sadly, no Turkish-style tea (for now). When I asked, I was told, "We don't have that yet."

As VI mentioned Fresh Farms Niles seemingly has a Greek version.




Fresh Farms
5740 W Touhy Ave
Niles, IL 60714
847-779-7343