best bakery?? midtown or downtown?
What i do miss about home is I now don't know where the best bakeries are! Specifically looking for a place that makes awesome brown or multigrain artisan breads. Are there any places within the yonge - eg - mt pleasant or downtown area? A patisierre would be nice too!
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Ediblethoughts
Sep 4, 2011 08:08 PM
I wanted to add about Flakey Tart: really good caramel-topped brownies----a real and true intensely chocolatey brownie (round though, not square) and I agree about the snowball cookies--only had one once but it was wonderful. Also, they do a pretty good chocolate pecan pie with chocolate chips in it. The cherry tarts and other fruity tarts I've tried have been very good too.
I also am not keen on the pasteries at Cigogne but I'm usually pleased with the offerings at Jules or Thobor.
I keep meaning to get to Epi more. I used to love their oatmeal cookies with apricot, I think it was... it's been awhile.
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Cigogne
1626 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G, CAThobors
627 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON M4S, CA -
For the type of bread you're looking for, the best that I can think of in town (that I've tried) would have to be St. John's Bakery on Broadview, just south of Dundas.
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Not sure how Jo said YUCK to Mad Italian - considering it has some of the best Pistachio and Hazelnut gelato outside of Italy.
Far superior to Hollywood IMO.
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The Mad Italian
589 College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1B2, CA›3 Replies-
re: Sadistick
TorontoJo
Aug 31, 2011 12:31 PM
I went to the Mad Italian on Bayview shortly after they opened. The gelato was gummy (strands of it would goop up when you pulled your spoon out) and the colors were day-glo. It was an awful experience -- the only time I've ever thrown out gelato. So if they've improved, I'm glad to hear it.
I'm not a fan of the texture at Il Gelatiere either -- it's been too aerated when I've had it. But I love some of their flavours.
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Il Gelatiere
647 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON M4S, CAThe Mad Italian
1581 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G 3B8, CA
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TorontoJo
Jun 9, 2011 09:12 AM
Oh good lord, you live minutes from bakery/patisserie central. Bayview and Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton are loaded with amazing patisseries and a couple of good bakeries.
For pastries (in order of my preference):
- Rahier
- Patisserie la Cigogne
- Jules
- Thobor's
- La BambocheFor bread:
- Epi Breads
- Bagel House (for excellent Montreal-style bagels)For home-y baked goods (pies, tarts, cookies):
- Flaky Tart (excellent cakes, too, but only by order -- they also have very good meat pies for sale frozen)And though you didn't ask, you are also near 2 excellent gelato places:
- Hollywood Gelato
- Il GelatiereAvoid The Mad Italian for gelato. Yuck.
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Il Gelatiere
647 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON M4S, CARahier
1586 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G, CACigogne
1626 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G, CALa Bamboche
4 Manor Rd E, Toronto, ON M4S, CABagel House
1548 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G, CAFlaky Tart
711 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON M4S, CAThobors
627 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON M4S, CAEpi Breads
1526 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G, CAThe Mad Italian
1581 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G 3B8, CA›16 Replies-
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re: freelancer
There are a couple of places around Y&E that are offshoots of some of the places on Mt Pleasant that TorontoJo had mentioned.
- La Boheme Cafe Patisserie is located north of Erskine on the east side of Yonge. The owner is the same guy from Jules. Same stuff, larger place to eat in than Jules.
- Jedd's Frozen Custard is just acrosss the street from La Boheme and they carry some of Thuet's bread and desserts from Phipps. I found the frozen custard kinda meh but maybe I just prefer gelato.
- Gelato Simply Italian is just south of Eglinton on the west side of Yonge (just south of La Bamboche). Apparently, the owner is one of the original three partners from Il Gelatiere Artigianale on Mt. Pleasant.
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Il Gelatiere
647 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON M4S, CAThuet
609 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V1M5, CALa Bamboche
4 Manor Rd E, Toronto, ON M4S, CALa Boheme
2481 Yonge St, Toronto, ON , CAJedd's Frozen Custard
2470 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4P, CA-
re: Degustation
Simply Italian, best gelato I've had yet. Not sure what's happened to Il Gelatiere but it's been terrible the two times I went and I won't be going back. Service is rude too sadly.
I went to Jedd's Frozen Custard - nice late hours... Great stuff. I noticed they get their desserts from Rahier, which would explain why the mousse cake i had was amazing.
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re: TorontoJo
kwass
Jun 10, 2011 10:20 AM
They are these cookies that are in the shape of small balls. I'm not sure what the actual cookie is, but they are covered in powdered sugar and they literally melt in your mouth. They are so good, that they have often run out of them when I go in to purchase some.
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re: TorontoJo
I agree with most of TorontoJo's suggestions, but should add a few comments...
Haven't had Patisserie La Cigogne products much, but recently tried their almond croissants and pain au chocolat, and was a bit underwhelmed - much prefer Jules, Rahier and Thobors. My biggest complaint about Thobors is that they can be a bit inconsistent re freshness (occasionally things seem a tad stale to me) but their pain au chocolat aux amandes is really yummy, so I definitely think they're worth a try.
TorontoJo, not sure when you last tried the Mad Italian, but I've had some really good gelato from there. I seem to recall reading some mixed reviews on this board shortly after they opened, but not sure what others' recent experiences have been -- mine have been good. Mind you, that's not to say that I don't recommend Il Gelatiere and Hollywood - I love both of them. Freelancer, FYI, Il Gelatiere is more traditional Italian style gelato, and Hollywood has a bit moreo f a North-American spin (eg. they have chocolate bar flavours, etc).
For bread, I also recommend Cobbs (on Bayview) - I enjoy their 12-grain loaf, and their cinnamon scones are really good (though on occasion a bit undercooked, which isn't great...but when they're properly cooked they're awesome). Also, they make good hamburger buns.
Flaky Tart's ginger molasses cookies are delicious and also an item worth trying, by the way. The only thing I haven't loved from there was their meat pies. Tried them a long time ago, so don't fully remember what the issue was, but I seem to recall them being a bit dry and underseasoned. If it's meat pies you're after (not that you seem to be) I highly recommend Cumbrae's on Bayview - they're fantastic (as are most of their products).
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Il Gelatiere
647 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON M4S, CACumbrae's
1636 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G, CARahier
1586 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G, CACigogne
1626 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G, CAFlaky Tart
711 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON M4S, CAThobors
627 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON M4S, CAThe Mad Italian
1581 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G 3B8, CA-
re: torontofoodiegirl
TorontoJo
Jun 9, 2011 11:42 AM
I love those ginger cookies! My husband is also addicted to the shortbread cookies with the bits of dried cranberries in them.
Fair enough on The Mad Italian. Hopefully they've improved. I only tried them shortly after they opened, and it was bad enough to not try them again. The flavour of the gelato was fine, though not exceptional, but the texture completely turned me off. It was... gummy? As in, I could take a spoon and lift it out of the cup and it was like pulling taffy. Eew. I was also kind of turned off by the day-glo colours of a few of the flavours. But they must be doing something right, because they are always full of people!
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The Mad Italian
589 College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1B2, CA-
re: TorontoJo
I recall equating their white chocolate with ivory soap when the Mad Italian opened. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to try a number of their flavours at a shop that carries their product. Much better, in terms of texture and flavours. The blood orange and grapefruit were particularly good.
On the bread end of life, Dough on the Danforth near Broadview does some really good artisanal breads that are worth the trip.
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The Mad Italian
589 College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1B2, CA
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re: TorontoJo
I tried the Mad Italian in Little Italy and preferred it to Il Gelatiere strangely. However, I didn't like the latter at all - the service was terrible - she didn't ask me to sign the cc receipt and then yelled at me across the cafe to sign it when it was her mistake. I found the gelato not at all creamy, just watered down. How can you screw up pistachio :( But I love the gelato at Simply Italian.
Tried Patisserie la Cigogne - lovely cakes! But a little dry :( Someone told me the pastry chef is brilliant but they leave their stuff too long out... Beautiful though.
Went to Jules to pick up a gorgeous sesame baguette after having a nice sandwich at La Boheme. The cakes weren't as good though.
The macarons at Thobors are sadly awful. But I look forward to trying their bread and cakes....
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elvisahmed
Jun 9, 2011 09:09 AM
Rahier is my pick. There are several other good patisseries in Mt. Pleasant area as well perhaps a fellow chowhounder can help you out there. TexSquared Rahier also has cookies but I haven;t tried them in a while.
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Rahier
1586 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G, CA›1 Reply -
SInce you are asking about bakeries I thought I could piggy-back off this thread and ask, are there any bakeries in the GTA that produce cookies at par with Levain Bakery in New York? Someone sent me their cookies as a gift awhile back and we loved them, but I would like to purchase something like them locally (so they'll be as fresh as possible, rather than spending time being shipped in unknown temperature conditions).
