Rosca

Rosca 🥯Home of The Chicago Bagel 🥯

We finally got the keys.And somehow, I still don’t know how to say that.Because I keep looking at our last post.That lit...
08/22/2026

We finally got the keys.

And somehow, I still don’t know how to say that.

Because I keep looking at our last post.

That little kid had no idea.

No idea what this place was.

No idea what his life would become.

No idea that 30+ years later, he’d be standing in the same place again…

only this time, holding the keys.

We’re not disclosing exact location just yet but, some of you probably already figured it out.

Pilsen has a way of knowing things before you announce them. 😂

You’ve probably seen us moving things around.

You’ve probably noticed a suspicious amount of activity.

And soon enough, there will be a very, very large oven making its way down 18th street.

So…

we figured we might as well tell you.

Rosca has a home.

And this is where things get really interesting.

Because getting the keys is only the beginning.

There’s still a mountain of work ahead of us.

Walls to build.

Things to break.

Things to fix.

Equipment to move.

Dough to make.

Mistakes to make.

A million little decisions.

Long nights.

Early mornings.

A whole lot of figuring it out.

And eventually…

one morning,

we’re going to unlock these doors.

And you’re going to walk in.

We want to show you all of it.

Not just the pretty parts.

Not just the finished room.

All of it.

So from here on out, we’re bringing you along.

The build.

The chaos.

The behind-the-scenes.

The little wins.

The big problems.

The people who make it happen.

The oven.

The first bake.

The first bagel.

And finally…

the first morning we open the doors.

Because Rosca didn’t just appear one day.

You watched it become what it is.

And now you get to watch us build where it’s going next.

30+ years ago, I was standing here with no idea what was coming.

This time, I know.

Something is coming.

And we can’t wait for you to see it.

Welcome to the next chapter of Rosca.

🥯🫶🏼🇲🇽

CINNAMON RAISIN CHURROOrigin:Not every piece needs a complicated story.I loved churros growing up.Still do. 🙃This bagel ...
08/12/2026

CINNAMON RAISIN CHURRO

Origin:

Not every piece needs a complicated story.

I loved churros growing up.

Still do. 🙃

This bagel isn’t trying to replace one. It’s simply another way to hold onto the cinnamon, sugar, warmth, and comfort that made me fall in love with them in the first place.

Material;

Cinnamon. Raisins. Sugar.

Memory:

Growing up doesn’t mean leaving your favorite flavors behind.

Pull. Chew. Crumb.

🥯🫶🏼🇲🇽

MANGO + PEPITAOrigin:This piece begins with a Vero Mango.Sweet mango coated in chile. Sticky fingers. A little heat afte...
08/05/2026

MANGO + PEPITA

Origin:

This piece begins with a Vero Mango.

Sweet mango coated in chile. Sticky fingers. A little heat after every bite. It was one of those candies that never lasted long but somehow never left my memory.

The toasted pepitas aren’t there to copy the candy. They’re there to give that same feeling another texture.

Material:

Mango. Toasted pepitas. Tajin.

Memory:

Some memories don’t fade. They just find new forms.

Pull. Chew. Crumb.

🥯🫶🏼🇲🇽

Another chapter of Rosca is coming to an end.Rosca started in our condo, selling bagels on weekends.From there, we moved...
07/29/2026

Another chapter of Rosca is coming to an end.

Rosca started in our condo, selling bagels on weekends.

From there, we moved into a shared kitchen on 18th Street. We took our bagels to farmers markets and pop-ups. We kept growing, kept learning, and eventually moved into another shared kitchen.

And now, that chapter is coming to an end too.

This wasn’t the ending we imagined for this space.

But we’ve been building toward this moment since the beginning.

Rosca is moving out of the shared-kitchen chapter.

And into something of our own.

After this week, we’ll be taking a short pause from service while we get ready for what comes next.

We’re not ready to say too much just yet.

But if you’ve been following Rosca from the beginning, you know where our heart is.

And if you know Pilsen…

You might have a pretty good idea where we’re headed.

See you soon…

🥯🫶🏼🇲🇽

BLUEBERRY + COCONUTOrigin:Some inspirations come from recipes. This one came from childhood.Blueberry and coconut remind...
07/29/2026

BLUEBERRY + COCONUT

Origin:

Some inspirations come from recipes. This one came from childhood.

Blueberry and coconut remind me of Bandera de Coco. Those coconut candies wrapped in the colors of the Mexican flag were always a treat I looked forward to. Sweet, simple, and impossible to eat without making a mess.

This bagel is my way of honoring that memory.

Material:

Blueberries. Coconut.

Memory:

The flavors we grow up with have a way of growing up with us.

Pull. Chew. Crumb.

🥯🫶🏼🇲🇽

Somewhere between making bagels in our condo and being featured in the Chicago Sun-Times, we realized something:This lit...
07/27/2026

Somewhere between making bagels in our condo and being featured in the Chicago Sun-Times, we realized something:

This little thing we started might actually be something big.

Rosca was never built with a giant corporation behind it.

No investors.
No boardroom.
No massive production facility.
No army of people telling us what a bagel should be.

Just Ariana and me. A kitchen. A dream. A whole lot of early mornings. And a belief that if we were going to do this, we were going to do it our way.

We know who we’re up against.

The bagel industry has giants. Companies with decades of history, massive distribution, endless resources, and shelves full of product.

And then there’s us.

Two people from Chicago, making every bagel by hand. Milling our own wheat. Taking three days to make something that disappears in a few minutes.

And somehow, you keep showing up.

You’ve shown up for us from our condo, to pop-ups, to shared kitchens, to markets, and now into the next chapter of Rosca.

So yes, we are incredibly grateful for this moment.

But we also want to be clear:

We are not building Rosca to be the best little bagel shop.

We’re building Rosca to prove that a small, independent business with a big enough dream can stand toe-to-toe with the giants.

Maybe we’re crazy.

But David probably looked a little crazy to Goliath too.

Thank you to everyone who has believed in us, supported us, shared us, and helped carry Rosca this far.

We know where we’re going.

And we’re just getting started.

🥯🫶🏼🇲🇽

RED MOLEOrigin:This piece began with Ari.When she suggested making a mole bagel, I immediately dismissed the idea. I cou...
07/22/2026

RED MOLE

Origin:

This piece began with Ari.

When she suggested making a mole bagel, I immediately dismissed the idea. I couldn’t see it. The more I sat with it, the more I realized I wasn’t rejecting the flavor. I was resisting change.

She reminded me that tradition doesn’t disappear when it evolves.

Sometimes, it grows.

Material:

Red mole. Cacao. Chiles. Nuts. Sesame.

Memory:

The best ideas often begin as the ones we resist.

Pull. Chew. Crumb.

🥯🫶🏼🇲🇽

MEXICAN EVERYTHINGOrigin:I didn’t want to make another everything bagel. I wanted to make one that reflected the flavors...
07/15/2026

MEXICAN EVERYTHING

Origin:

I didn’t want to make another everything bagel. I wanted to make one that reflected the flavors I grew up with. Garlic, onion, sesame, chiles, and spices that instantly remind me of Mexican kitchens, street vendors, and family gatherings. Familiar ingredients, seen through a different lens.

Material:

Sesame. Garlic. Onion. Chiles. Lime. Mexican spices.

Memory:

Home isn’t always a place. Sometimes it’s a flavor.

Pull. Chew. Crumb.

🥯🫶🏼🇲🇽

Origin:Long before Rosca, there were chefs who taught me how to cook, how to taste, and how to pay attention. Every kitc...
07/08/2026

Origin:
Long before Rosca, there were chefs who taught me how to cook, how to taste, and how to pay attention. Every kitchen left something behind. Not just recipes, but habits, standards, and ways of seeing food that still shape my work today. This piece is an homage to all of them.

Material:
Fresh thyme. Sea salt. Naturally leavened dough.

Memory:
No craft is built alone.

Pull. Chew. Crumb.

🥯🫶🏼🇲🇽

ORIGINALOrigin:Rosca began with a question: What does home taste like?That question led me through years of milling diff...
07/01/2026

ORIGINAL

Origin:

Rosca began with a question: What does home taste like?

That question led me through years of milling different wheat berries, searching for one that felt honest. Then I found Einkorn, the oldest cultivated wheat in the world. Working with it felt less like discovering something new and more like reconnecting with something ancient. It became the foundation Rosca was built on.

Material:

Fresh milled Einkorn. High gluten flour. Water. Salt. Time.

Memory:

Every collection needs a beginning. This is mine.

Pull. Chew. Crumb.

🥯🫶🏼🇲🇽

Address

1857 W 16th Street
Chicago, IL
60608

Opening Hours

Wednesday 7am - 12:30pm
Thursday 7am - 12:30pm
Friday 7am - 12:30pm
Saturday 7am - 12:30pm
Sunday 7am - 12:30pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Rosca posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Rosca:

Shortcuts

Share