Downtown Champaign is known to have an endless selection of unique restaurants, but Pekara Bakery and Bistro may be one of the area’s best-kept secrets.

Located at 116 N. Neil St., the bakery provides customers with a relaxed, down-to-earth atmosphere where they can enjoy a fresh croissant, a hot sandwich or a cup of their uniquely roasted coffee.

Because of its location, the bakery tends to be mostly frequented by community members or the occasional graduate student. Some people may have had something from Pekara’s menu without even realizing it.

Campus hotspots such as Espresso Royale and Caffe Paradiso sell Pekara’s baked goods. A small selection of the bakery’s most popular items are sold at the concession stand in the Activities and Recreation Center and in the Vet Med Basic Sciences Building, as well as Latte Da! Cafe in the Champaign Public Library, said Lauren Klein, owner of Latte Da! Cafe.

When Pekara opened in 2005, the bistro’s owner, Ruzika Cuk (also known as Seka), wanted to bring the taste of European bread to a market like Champaign’s.

Pekara is the only local sandwich shop that makes its own bread from scratch. It’s made with five ingredients — water, flour, yeast, salt and grains — and without any artificial preservatives or additives. The bakers take the baking process seriously, with the attitude that bread doesn’t have to be plain and overlooked.

Klein said they’re so intense about what they do that it makes you realize that you have something special.

“We think things like bread, sugar and coffee really can be more than just the sum of their parts,” she said.

Other businesses, such as Carmon’s Bistro, also buy Pekara’s bread and baguettes and use them on their own menus.

Kaylee Barron, sophomore in AHS and employee at Carmon’s Bistro, said she goes into the store weekly to pick up the bread for their menu.

They also use Pekara’s brioche bread on the weekends for the French toast they serve at brunch.

“Customers always love the baguettes and often ask where we get them from,” Barron said. “They’re authentic, fresh and local. Plus, they taste really good.”

Aside from their bread, Pekara has a vast supply of sweets and baked goods.

It’s difficult to have a favorite when there are so many different kinds of pastries, croissants and the like to choose from, Klein said.

Emily Atkins, junior in Media, said she’s a fan of the scones and muffins. She said she has gone several times because she enjoys the atmosphere, and the employees are always nice and talkative.

As for the coffee, Klein said it’s just as good as the sweets.

“The espresso is full-bodied, yummy and chocolatey. (The coffee) isn’t diluted, so it’s naturally sweet,” she said.

Even though students can have a taste of what Pekara has to offer by buying a treat from the ARC, the full experience of the relaxed atmosphere, mouth-watering scents and the sight of the glass cabinet full of sweets can only truly be felt by experiencing it downtown.