The Best of Toronto Bakeries

The next city in my "Best Of" travel guide series, Toronto happens to have the most reviewed bakeries on Mimi's Cake Tour... mostly because I happen to live nearby. Given its size and number of bakeries, getting through the best finds is a pretty big undertaking; there are, after all, few dedicated bakery "hubs" and offerings both good and not so good are spread out throughout the city, from Etobicoke, North York, the Beaches... and beyond!  

Things to try: Toronto's bakeries are perhaps a bit like the city itself: a hodgepodge of old and brand new, of different ethnic backgrounds, of the fancy and the more modest. As such, there's nothing really distinctly "Toronto" that comes to mind when thinking of the city's bakeries, not to mention the fact that visiting some  highlights will require a car and/or a dedicated trip to just one bakery.

Perhaps the one thing I would recommend is doing a "World Tour of Baking"; nowhere else can you get the chance to sample dozens of countries' baking traditions. They may not be a few steps away from each other, but it beats a trip around the world, especially when you're low on cash and time. Why not brave the crazy traffic, impossible parking, and slow transit and go for it? 


627 Mount Pleasant Rd
No French bakery in Toronto has blown me away the way Thobors has; it's another place that's always good. Now with three locations, they know how to make delectable treats that range from tarts, cakes, baked goods, and their small beignets -- are these the best doughnuts in the city?

UNCLE TETSU'S JAPANESE CHEESECAKE
598 Bay St
Yes, it's a gimmick and not worth waiting hours in line for, and sure, I don't agree with Tetsu taking over the entire city, but it's almost frustrating to have to admit that this Japanese cheesecake is so insanely good, though I prefer the green tea variety hands-down over the classic. Soft like a cloud...

3256 Dundas St W
This is the place where I fell in love with Maltese baked goods, and how could you not? Well-priced, generous portions of exotic and unique baked goods filled with dates, spices, almonds and chocolate. Deep-fried date rolls and the spice cake ring are little pieces of Mediterranean heaven.

3437 Bathurst St
A highlight among the string of Jewish bakeries along Bathurst, Grodzinski was one of the first bakeries in the area that knocked my socks off. It may not actually be from 1888, but who cares? Delicious, gigantic baked goods like mouth-watering poppy seed buns or prune buns.

401 Jane St
 This subtle fusion of French and Japanese baking is a match made in heaven. Buttery baked goods and desserts made with an interesting combination of flavours and ingredients, nothing is bad here. Stop by on the weekend for a taste of their Gateau Basque; this is the best one I have ever eaten!

900 Kingston Rd 
Oh yes! The name alone makes me want to drool. This cozy and colourful Swedish cafe in the Beaches makes the city's best cinnamon buns; it's no wonder they regularly sell out. When I think of the best bakery in Toronto, this is one of two that instantly pops into mind. 


 Tour 1: A World of Bakeries
One of the problems I had with creating some sort of neighbourhood walking tours was that great bakeries are so far apart and bakery clusters are almost always limited to the same style: do you go for the Greektown cluster, or the Old Weston Portuguese one? How about the Jewish bakery strip along Bathurst? Japanese ones downtown? It's quite the predicament! And then there was the fact that well, I hate to say it, a "tour" just can't involve walking down one street.... So I thought I should think a little less locally, and more globally. And make one massive "Sample the World Tour" instead of sticking to one part of the city. After all, can you get through this many countries anywhere else?
Here's a maximum of two notable bakeries per country throughout the GTA, with more countries to come, I hope!
 
Austria: The Sweet Gallery; 350 Bering Ave  ✮✮✮✮
Bosnia: Jadranka Cafe and Pastries; 257 Scarlett Rd  ✮✮✮1/2
Canada: World Class Bakers; 690 St Clair Ave W ✮✮✮1/2 - Mabel's Bakery; 1156 Queen St W ✮✮✮1/2
China: Ding Dong Pastries; 321 Spadina Ave  ✮✮✮ - Phoenix Bakery; 613-5 Gerrard St ✮✮✮
Colombia: Latin Taste; 200 Baldwin St ✮✮✮ -  Antojitos; 803 Lakeshore Rd E, Mississauga  ✮✮1/2
Denmark: Danish Pastry Shop; 1017 Pape Ave  ✮✮✮✮  -  Danish Pastry House; 487 Cornwall Rd Oakville ✮✮✮1/2
England: Celena's Bakery; 2036 Danforth Ave  ✮✮✮ - Daddy O Doughnuts; 589 N Service Rd, Mississauga ✮✮✮✮
Finland: Viking-Milbree Bakery; 350 Davis Dr Newmarket  ✮✮✮✮
France: Patisserie 27; 401 Jane St  ✮✮✮✮ - Clafouti; 915 Queen St W ✮✮✮1/2
Germany: Dimpflmeier; 26 Advance Rd  ✮✮✮  -  Fabian's Cafe; 876 Markham Rd Scarborough  ✮✮1/2
Greece: Serano Bakery; 830 Pape Ave  ✮✮✮1/2 - Athena Bakery; 598 Danforth Ave ✮✮✮1/2
Guatemala: El Quetzel; 2011 Lawrence Ave W  ✮✮
Hungary: Krepesz; 253 Augusta Ave  ✮✮✮  -  Blue Danube Sausage House; 3090 Lenworth Dr  ✮✮✮1/2
India: White Gold Sweets; 3176 Ridgeway Dr Mississauga ✮✮✮1/2
Iran (Persia): Daryani Bakery; 10670 Yonge St ✮✮✮1/2 - Garni Bakery; 9555 Yonge St ✮✮✮1/2
Italy: Messina Bakery; 19 Scarlett Rd  ✮✮✮1/2 -  Rustic Bakery; 318 Rustic Rd  ✮✮✮1/2
Jamaica: Jeanie's Bakery; 3355 The Collegeway, Mississauga  ✮✮✮
Japan: Uncle Tetsu's Cheesecake; 598 Bay St  ✮✮✮✮  -  Bakery Nakamura; 3160 Steeles Ave E Markham ✮✮✮1/2
Jewish: St Urbain Bagel Bakery; 7077 Bathurst St  ✮✮✮ - Bagel World; 336 Wilson Ave ✮✮✮1/2
Lebanon: Lebanese Bakery; 2094 Lawrence Ave E Scarborough  ✮✮✮1/2 - Baklawa King; 1590 Dundas St E ✮✮✮
Malta: Malta's Finest Pastries; 4138 Dundas St W ✮✮✮ - Malta Bake Shop; 3256 Dundas St W ✮✮✮✮
Mexico: Pancho's Bread; 214 Augusta Ave  ✮✮✮
Netherlands: The Dutch Shop; 3019 New St Burlington ✮✮✮
New Zealand: Fantail Bakery; 333 Roncesvalles Ave  ✮✮1/2 - North Shore Pie Co; 43 Roncesvalles Ave ✮✮✮
Romania: Europa Deli and Bakery; 10520 Yonge St ✮✮✮1/2 - Carpati; 4665 Central Parkway E  ✮✮✮1/2
Philippines: Fv Foods; 1125 Dundas St E  ✮✮ - Manila Bakery; 40 Dundas St E Mississauga ✮✮✮
Poland: Fine Bakery and Deli; 3011 Lakeshore Blvd W ✮✮✮1/2 - Benna's Bakery; 135 Roncesvalles Ave ✮✮✮1/2
Portugal: Caledonia Bakery; 1492 St Clair Ave W  ✮✮✮1/2  - Caldense Bakery; 802 Dundas St W ✮✮✮
Russia: Antosha; 5986 Bathurst St  ✮✮✮1/2 - Richmond Hill Deli; 9631 Yonge St ✮✮✮1/2
Scotland: Clarkson Scottish Bakery; 1715 Lakeshore Rd W Mississauga ✮✮✮1/2
Serbia: Old Mill Pastry; 780 Burnhamthorpe Rd Mississauga  ✮✮✮1/2 - AF Home Bakery; 5168 Dundas St W ✮✮✮
South Korea: Baro Gun Pang; 6118 Yonge St  ✮✮✮✮  -  BnC Bakery; 257 Dundas St E Mississauga ✮✮✮1/2
Sweden: Beaches Bakeshop; 900 Kingston Rd ✮✮✮✮
Taiwan: Bake Code; 4910 Yonge St ✮✮✮
Thailand: Patchmon Thai Sweets; 2463 Bloor St W ✮✮✮
Ukraine: Future Bakery; 106 North Queen St  ✮✮1/2
USA:  Glory Hole Doughnuts; 1596 Queen St W ✮✮✮
Vietnam: Tung Hing; 888 Dundas St E Mississauga ✮✮✮ - Bamboo Bubble Tea; 1100 Burnhamthorpe Rd W  ✮✮✮
  
Tour 2: Greektown - On the Danforth
 After great deliberation, here's my favourite walkable tour that takes you through Greektown and a bit beyond in both directions. Of course, there's a bunch of great bakeries of various styles along the way -- I just never realized I was missing so many! 

Reviewed Bakeries: 
1. Serano Bakery; 830 Pape Ave ✮✮✮1/2                              4. Thobors; 479b Danforth Ave ✮✮✮✮
2. Athena Bakery; 598 Danforth Ave  ✮✮✮1/2                      5. The Big Carrot; 348 Danforth Ave ✮✮1/2  
3. Athens Pastries; 509 Danforth Ave  ✮✮✮                           6. Cobs Bread; 156 Danforth Ave ✮✮1/2

A Little Further down the Map:
7. Danish Pastry Shop; 1017 Pape Ave  ✮✮✮✮                     8. Stany Greek Bakery; 1015 Pape Ave  ✮✮✮

Not (Yet) Reviewed:
9. Bread and Roses; 508 Danforth Ave                                      13. Von Doughnuts; 713 Danforth
10. Dough Bakeshop; 173 Danforth Ave                                    14. Asia Bakery; 929 Danforth  
11. Bistro Normandie; 820 Danforth                                          15. Sakawa Coffee; 867 Danforth
12. Acropolis Pastries and Pies; 708 Danforth


Notable Finds Throughout the City
Here are a couple bakeries worthy of being mentioned:

SWEET TROLLEY  BAKERY
3056 Dundas St W
A bit of a kitschy and awkward experience, but Sweet Trolley in the Junction really does make amazing cinnamon buns... the countless posters attesting to the fact are hardly necessary when you heat up your bun a little bit and take a bite: soft and gooey with just the right amount of cinnamon and icing.

DANISH PASTRY SHOP
1017 Pape Ave
This Danish bakery on Pape is an institution and, year after year, I kept coming back to this place for consistently delicious danishes , almond tarts, cinnamon buns, and just about everything else. Too bad it changed hands recently and it's not as great as it used to be...


MILLIE PATISSERIE
12 Oxley St 
With more of a bakery vibe than their original Millie Creperie, home to crepes and ice cream creations, Millie is a Japanese patisserie with a limited number of tasty treats like their famous matcha crepe cake, matcha cheese tarts, and creamy cakes. Did I mention that has matcha too?



A few fantastic bakeries a little further afield:

350 Bering Ave, Etobicoke
My oldest post, The Sweet Gallery has closed most of its locations, but the one in Etobicoke is still open! An old-school Austrian bakery serving traditional goodies like Black Forest cake and cheesecake; they also happen to have one of the best apple strudels imaginable.

6118 Yonge St, North York
The best Korean bakery in the GTA happens to be on an insignificant plaza along Yonge St in North York, but they pump out delicious Westernized Korean baked goods, filled with amazing cream, throughout the day so they're fresh and they taste so good. I only wish I lived closer! 

7077 Bathurst St, North York
Sure, these guys make bagels, but who wants those? :P St. Urbain earned its well-deserved 4 stars based purely on their amazing poppy seed buns. Loaded with poppy seeds and featuring this amazing sugary crust, I can't wait to try their "famous" apple cake next time!



Now, who said the suburbs are no fun? Fantastic spots located in the Greater Toronto Area:

DADDY O DOUGHNUTS 
589 North Service Rd, Mississauga 
There are a few gourmet doughnut outlets around the city, but the best has to be this newer retro-inspired bakery on an out-of-the-way plaza by the QEW. More affordable doughnuts that are fresh and delicious. And for the doughnut haters, they sell British baked goods as well!

487 Cornwall Rd, Oakville 
Yes, this Danish bakery just isn't the same (and certainly not as good) after they moved from their original location, but the DPH is still a highlight of GTA West. Perhaps it's not a perfect score anymore, as the baked goods could be more substantial, but flaky spandauer and authentic goodies.

3160 Steeles Ave E, Markham 
I love Bakery Nakamura, this Japanese bakery inside J-town. They not only have lovely and delicious cakes (green tea tofu cheesecake, anyone?), but buttery baked goods that rival any French bakery, and more Japanese-inspired treats as well, like that red bean doughnut. Cute, whether your treat has a face or not!  

1150 Lorne Park Rd, Mississauga
This petite, barely noticeable bakery tucked into a neighbourhood plaza was a winner from day 1. Simple baked goods and pretty tarts, not to mention their amazing almond tarts, instantly made this one of my favourite bakeries in Mississauga and just might be the best in the city.

350 Davis Dr, Newmarket 
So it's not really in the GTA, but it's worth the drive to Newmarket (though I heard they now have some items at Beaches Bakeshop!?). The only Finnish bakery in the area, Milbree-Viking can do no wrong: mouth-watering cinnamon buns and loaves of pulla (sweet bread). How about  some jelly doughnuts on top of that? Yum!

WHAT A BAGEL!
9737 Yonge St, Richmond Hill (only)
Many of the items that made me call this place the best bakery I've been to are long gone, but they still make yummy poppy seed rolls and they're also my go-to destination for cakes. Multi-layered, lovely creations that come in delicious flavours like red currant and sour cream cherry.

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