Creamy, light, fluffy, buttery, crunchy, crispy—the delight of the first bite into a well-made pastry is enough to make your eyes close, and a smile appear.
Waterloo Region’s pastry scene is delectable. Here are six amazing spots to add to your pastry-filled weekend adventures:
Terroir Artisan Bakery (Cambridge)
Along the Speed River in Cambridge’s Hespeler Village, the brown brick and airy ceilings greet you at your first stop. Tantalizing aromas tide you over while in line—there is always one. This is Terroir Artisan Bakery.
Open for only a year, it has quickly become a popular pastry staple in the region. The husband-and-wife chef duo, Daniel and Heather Angus, both with ties to Langdon Hall, co-own Terroir. With deep intention and a dedication to using exclusively Canadian ingredients, the sourdough-centric menu transforms monthly to reflect the season.
Savoury Go-To: Mushroom Foccaccia
Sweet Go-To: Maple Morning Bun
Kinoko’s Oven (Kitchener)
Your second stop is the bright and cheerful Kinoko’s Oven in Downtown Kitchener. The whimsical pink walls set the tone for the euphoric rush you’ll experience after biting into a legendary Mango Daifuku. Owner Aimee Lê uses natural ingredients, with fresh mango and cream filling, the fluffy, soft, and playfully squishy confection that will have grown men giggling with glee.
Lê offers a variety of Asian desserts which, despite being less sweet than North American treats, hit the sweet spot just right. Keep an eye out for Mango Sago, a Singaporean drink-like dessert made with ripe mangoes and coconut milk, and Salted Egg Yolk Cake from Vietnam. Lê also offers custom cakes, which range from traditional to elaborate cartoon and anime designs.
Sweet Go-To: Mango Daifuku
Crushed Almond Bakery Cafe (Kitchener)
If you haven’t yet heard about Crushed Almond, get excited because your lunch is going to be memorable. Ferah Çağoğlu and her talented team have been attracting hungry visitors since 2022. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and you have not had feta until you have tasted the feta in the Açma sandwiches—divine. The baklava is the freshest you will enjoy outside of Turkey.
Savoury Go-To: any Açma sandwich
Sweet Go-To: Baklava or Pistachio Baklava Cheesecake
Roux Bakehouse (Kitchener)
In Kitchener’s Belmont Village, a cozy bakery and grocer are calling your name. From fresh loaves of sourdough bread and focaccia to house-roasted coffeeand locallysourced grocery items, this is a place to sit and enjoy a treat at and then take more to go. They also deliver, which is handy if you find yourself in a delirious sugar coma by this point in the road trip.
Savoury Go-To: Curry Potato Danish
Sweet Go-To: Sourdough Cinnamon Buns
Anna Mae’s Bakery and Restaurant (Millbank)
Discussing Waterloo Region and pastries without mentioning Mennonite baking is unimaginable, so we’ve saved the classics for last.
Head to the country for the most fantastic selection of Mennonite baking and homemade meals. They make more than 18 different types of pies, Canadian favourites such as apple fritters and Naniamo bars and sticky Chelsea Buns, to name a few sweet treats—all of which make excellent host gifts for summer parties.
Savoury Go-To: Broasted Chicken
Sweet Go-To: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Bonnie Lou’s Café (Floradale)
Last, and certainly not least, is an Ontario baking staple: butter tarts. The scenic drive to Bonnie Lou’s Café in Floradaleleads to a crowd-pleasing breakfast, lunch, and dinner spot. Bonnie Lou’s is an opportunity to step back in time.
In the late 1800s, it opened as a general store. A 2009 renovation and re-opening transformed it into a restaurant, thanks to Bonnie Lou Martin. Old post boxes inside the restaurant still contain letters sent long ago, and an ornate original cash register sparks smiles and questions from many customers.
Today, owner Wilma Bauman and her dedicated team serve hearty home-cooked meals. You won’t see butter tarts listed on their website, but reviews and online forums (and this writer’s happy belly) are full of praise for the sweet tart. 5
Sweet Go-To: Butter Tarts
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