In an effort to enjoy the last few weeks of beautiful biking weather (when it’s just warm enough to ride, but not so cold that your hands need mittens), we made a brunch stop out on Queen East. Riding down the extravagant Sherbourne bike lanes (can we take a second to just say how sad it is that there are so few of these in the city?), our destination, like many brunching east-enders’, was Bonjour Brioche.

Dundas West is dotted with oodles of eateries, many of which heavy-handedly populate the blogosphere. Others, like the creatively named Brazil Bakery and Pastry, are overlooked, perhaps for lacking the neighbourhood’s hipster trappings. Sitting on the corner of Dundas and Sheridan, this bakery is an unpretentious place to grab a quick bite. Housed in a

Located right by the Distillery District’s front gates, the Brick Street Bakery has been wooing Torontonians since 2001. Known for its selection of baked treats, the homey space is filled with the scent of just-out-of-the-oven bread, which includes picks such as warm croissants and basil and parsley loaves. Although there are now four locations around

Torontonians may not be familiar with Brioche Dorée, but Parisians certainly are. Dishing out goods since 1976, the successful French café-bakery is taking baby steps into the Canuck market. After opening at kiosk at Pearson Airport, the chain has just opened its first downtown Toronto location (with more to come), offering brioche, baguettes, pastries and more.

Buddy’s New York Bagels is a Brooklyn-style bakery and café. The award-winning bakery offers over 30 varieties of bagels that are freshly baked and kettle-boiled to tasty perfection. They might be known for the bagels in their name, but also available on the breakfast and lunch menu are bialys, sandwiches, wraps, salads, and pasta. Buddy’s

With pink walls, chalkboard paint, and a colourful garland made from shredded paper, Bunner’s Bake Shop fits right into the bright and lively Kensington Market neighbourhood. The fact that their menu is entirely vegan and gluten-free certainly helps, too. Every single sweet treat that enters their ovens is completely plant-based and made with ingredients that

Chances are, those who have been to Israel (birthright, anyone?) are familiar with Cafe Landwer. The popular Israeli café, which got its start back in 1919, finally opened its very first Canadian outpost in Vaughan earlier this year.

Calling all sweet tooths! Thornhill café and bakery Cafe Login is serving espresso drinks, teas and cakes from Rahier Patisserie, as well as a macaron selection that changes every day, from its huge space. For exciting macaron flavours, think double cheese and red wine fig, and Cafe Login sells the discarded macaron cookie scraps in

Carlo’s Bakery in Yorkville is your express stop for Buddy’s irresistible treats  from decadent cakes to irresistible cannoli and lobster tails. The menu also features seasonal delights like delicious pumpkin pie. Rest assured, everything is baked fresh and delivered daily from their Mississauga location.

Carousel Bakery is one of Toronto’s most iconic vendors in the St. Lawrence Market. Located on the second level and posted up under a huge yellow, red and blue sign that’s reminiscent of a country far, it’s pretty hard to miss. This famed bakery has been serving up Canada’s best peameal bacon sandwiches for over

Taste a mother’s love in every bite of a treat from Charmaine Sweets. Owner Teresa Ho and her daughter are baking cookies, cakes and other sweet pastries from their Leaside locale. Trained in the classic French techniques of pastry baking, Ho not only shares her love and expertise of all baked goods through her menu

This cheery, Instagram-friendly bakeshop specializes in Japanese-style cheesecakes, cheese tarts and tiramisu. Although Cheese Garden is a local chain rather than a Japanese import, the bakery aims to stay true to the light textures and not-too-sweet flavours that define traditional Japanese desserts. Their signature dish is the ‘double fromage cheesecake,’ which features layers of frozen

This old-school North York bakery is known for its European-style baked goods and desserts. Chocolada makes over sixty different kinds of cakes, including classically decorated wedding and special occasion confections. The bakery also offers a variety of baked goods and savoury pastries, such as éclairs, tarts, mousses and quiches. It’s mainly a takeout operation, but

Ready fresh hot all the time is the motto at this Italian bakery. Founded in 1957, Commisso Bakery offers traditional Italian breads that are baked daily, as well as a variety of deli meats, cheeses and pastries. Hot food is also available, such as pastas, soups and pizzas. They are open 24 hours a day,

Established in 1957, Commisso Bakery has become one of the most well-known establishments in the city. It’s open 24/7 and 365 days of the year, serving hearty Italian fare in the form of sandwiches, pasta, soup and pizza to the masses to satiate even the hungriest of appetites. There’s a hot table and a deli

Craig’s Cookies is the one place in the city where cookie monsters everywhere are welcome and even encouraged. This tiny Parkdale bakery is doing one thing and doing it right. In 2013, Craig’s Cookies opened with owner Craig Pike’s mom’s masterful chocolate chip cookie recipe, and that’s all. The bakery makes dozens of chocolate chip

Only the freshest goods are on offer at Richmond Hill’s Crust Baking Co. and because only local, in-season ingredients are used, the menu changes nearly daily, with sweet and savoury concoctions alike crafted in small batches served for a few days at a time. Fruit and herb-infused buns, focaccias, and cupcakes along with Challah which

Cupcake Central specializes in sweet treats for those with special diets, offering cupcakes varieties that are vegan, gluten-free, low-sugar or high in protein. Their line-up of 15 different cupcakes focuses on classic flavour combinations, featuring a choice of a chocolate, vanilla or red velvet base paired with frosting options like strawberry, dulce de leche or

This Scarborough Chinese bakery is making some of the most beautiful cakes in all of the GTA. DaanGo Cake Lab is the brainchild of Master Chef Canada contestant Christopher Siu. His sweet shop is a confectionary dream with a heaven-like white interior and wafts of freshly baked desserts coming from the kitchen. With a tiny

There’s no doubt that the macaron is an extremely popular dessert in Toronto. Bite-sized treats in a variety of pastel colours are filled with flavoured cream and decorated sometimes in a variety of colours, sparkles, you name it. But at Dainties Macaron in Chinatown, instead of decorating the exterior, these bakers are filling their pastries