Cassava, Chicago

Pão de Queijo, Pan de Yuca, and Pan de Bono. South Americans have many names for cassava cheese bread, but all of them mean the same thing: a gluten-free baked good made from the starchy cassava root. Thousands of miles north of the pasty's homeland, the bakers at Cassava masterfully bake the lush, flaky rolls, pulled fresh out the oven every half hour. They make these treats in their dedicated gluten-free facility, ensuring no contaminants make their way into the rolls studded with bits of bacon, white cheddar and jalapenos, or creamy chocolate. They also use their cassava-based dough to make gluten-free empanadas, stuffed with roasted veggies, bacon and eggs, or classic beef and cheddar.

Chefs serve both of these baked goods straight from the counter, or prepare frozen treats that can be taken to-go and baked at home. When eating in house, they recommend pairing rolls with the house's gluten-free soups or their European-style hot chocolate blended with raspberries or chiles, which was named one of Timeout Chicago's 100 Best Things We Ate or Drank in 2010. Chefs also blend up smoothies from one-third of a pound of fruit along with probiotic Greek yogurt, using only the fruit's natural sweetness to create a treat healthier than chocolate-covered vitamins.