BEST OF OTTAWA: Bakeries

With 20-years writing about Ottawa life we think we have
a pretty good idea of the best of what this city has to offer.
In this new weekly summer series we’ll share it with you.
From our top picks of hotels, live music venues, local brews,
bands and more, check, share and discuss
#OLMBest every Monday!

Moulin de Provence

In the historic Byward Market building, Moulin De Provence is a local staple. This place truly has every dessert you could ever want, showcasing over 70 feet of pastries, cakes, danishes, tarts, loaves, squares and more. As if that weren’t enough, they also sell delicious sandwiches on squishy bakery fresh bread. And let’s be honest, have you even been to Ottawa if you haven’t eaten one of their famous Obama cookies?

Art-Is-In Bakery

Opened by star pastry chef Kevin Mathieson and his wife Stephanie, Art-Is-In’s freshly baked loaves and pastries taste as though they could have been flown in fresh straight from France. Brunch at their café consists of “elevated comfort food” in a space that’s a cross between a classic Parisian boulangerie and a trendy modern Brooklyn café. They also have a weekly table at the Lansdowne farmers market.

Bread & Sons Bakery

One’s first inclination when ordering pizza is not normally to head to the nearest bakery, but the pizza at Bread & Sons is just that good. Unique toppings, quality cheeses and original sauces make their pies stand out. Other goods of note include breakfast sandwiches, banana chocolate chip muffins and babka.

Bread By Us

Bread By Us is the perfect sweet combination of bakery and espresso bar. The small batch artisan bakery in Hintonburg takes their time crafting the best simple sourdough breads. Priding themselves on celebrating sustainability and supporting local businesses, they round out the experience with regionally roasted coffee.

Rideau Bakery

The family-owned Rideau Bakery has been specializing in European style baking for over 80 years. They offer a wide selection of breads, pastries and rolls, but they are especially famous for their rye bread and challah. Most of their goods are dairy-free and everything is kosher. They also design custom cakes for weddings and other occasions.

The Black Walnut Bakery

This cozy artisan bakery in Cumberland village is well-known for their Viennese pastries and hearth bread. Owners by Isaac Fouchard and Myroslava Mykytyn try to source their flour locally whenever possible. The menu offers everything from broccoli cheddar bechamel croissants to mini quiches to raison cinnamon egg bread, but their lemon raspberry buttermilk pies are a real crowd pleaser.

Strawberry Blonde Bakery

Vegan desserts get a bad reputation, but the stereotype is proven wholly untrue at Westboro’s Strawberry Blonde Bakery. Everything they serve is vegan, as well as gluten-free and nut-free, so that no customer has to worry about cross-contamination and everyone is welcome. Yet even without butter or wheat, their desserts taste just as if not more amazing than their counterparts. Their sin-a-mon buns and German chocolate cupcakes are particularly incredible.

The Joy of Gluten Free

Founder Susan Phipps was inspired to start the award-winning Joy of Gluten Free after being diagnosed with Celiac disease and 35 other food intolerances. Always passionate about baking, she decided to open a facility completely gluten-, soy- and peanut-free facility. The bakery now has two locations and the largest selection of gluten-free baking in north America. They do their best to cater to food allergies, with many vegan, lactose- and sugar-free options.

Top of the Hill Bakery

The official bakery of Canada 150 has won many awards for their detailed decorations and naked cakes. However, they are probably best known for their unique designs for chocolate desserts. They create custom cakes for special occasions and many of their flavours can be made gluten-free. They also bake bread, buns, cookies, pies and scones fresh and from scratch.

Boko Bakery

There is nothing like a fresh garlic loaf from Boko Bakery to make you feel like everything is right in the world. The little shop on Elgin is a local favourite, mixing up creative flavour combinations with both traditional and international influences. You can’t help but stop by when you catch the sight of their gorgeous iced cookies in the window or the smell of warm chocolate wafting down Elgin Street.