If you know me even a little, then you know that carbs are my thing.
Growing up Italian, I was raised on pasta, pizza, sandwiches, pastries, you name it. (Meat and veggies were also on the table but I was hardly interested.) It was only when Josh and I started dating, and he described pasta as "a bowl of bread," that it ever dawned on me that cavatelli could be anything but a dietary staple. And while the thought clearly stayed with me, it never curbed my appetite. I've eaten literal bread bowls (after finishing the soup they once contained) and can easily polish off a complimentary bread basket solo. Pasta with tomato sauce is practically health food by comparison.
I especially love baked goods.
It's been a minute since I was last inside a bakery. I genuinely miss them. So, I put together a list of favorite spots in the neighborhood and the best items on their menus. These bakeries should all be open in some capacity, just working with restrictions. Call ahead, then treat yourself to something delicious. I hear supporting local businesses offsets calories ;)
Growing up Italian, I was raised on pasta, pizza, sandwiches, pastries, you name it. (Meat and veggies were also on the table but I was hardly interested.) It was only when Josh and I started dating, and he described pasta as "a bowl of bread," that it ever dawned on me that cavatelli could be anything but a dietary staple. And while the thought clearly stayed with me, it never curbed my appetite. I've eaten literal bread bowls (after finishing the soup they once contained) and can easily polish off a complimentary bread basket solo. Pasta with tomato sauce is practically health food by comparison.
I especially love baked goods.
It's been a minute since I was last inside a bakery. I genuinely miss them. So, I put together a list of favorite spots in the neighborhood and the best items on their menus. These bakeries should all be open in some capacity, just working with restrictions. Call ahead, then treat yourself to something delicious. I hear supporting local businesses offsets calories ;)
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| BOULANGERIE LOUISE (6835 ST LAURENT BLVD) |
Louise
Obsessed with their dollar-a-square green olive focaccia (what else can you buy for an actual loony?) and the cheddar bacon loaf. The focaccia has a biscuity, pull apart quality that I LOVE, and cornmeal gives it interesting texture and crunch. As for the loaf, everything you need to know is in its name. Get them to slice it so you can make sandwiches (or eat the whole thing slice-by-slice as you walk up St. Laurent on the way home).
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| BOULANGERIE GUILLAUME (5134 ST LAURENT BLVD) |
Guillaume
I am so, so lucky to live around the corner from this place. They upgraded to an enormous space a few years ago and it's normally packed on weekends. Their bread is incredible, they have so much to choose from (when there's anything left on the shelves). I've only ever had friendly interactions with the staff. I get the feeling everyone is happy to work there, it comes across in their helpfulness and the bakery's overall vibe.
Guillaume is also my bakery of choice when you're in charge of bringing bread to dinner at your parents' house. My family refers to it as "the fancy bakery" lol.
But let's talk bread. I'm partial to the tricked up, less healthy offerings (big surprise) and the list of favorites is long. Starting from my absolute number one: potato-cheddar pain fesses (translation: butt bread), black olive fougasse, small fig and cheese baguette, sweet carrot square, english muffins (for homemade egg mcmuffins), beet buns, apple caramel viennois... Screw it, just try one of everything.
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| PATISSERIE AU KOUIGN-AMANN (316 MONT ROYAL EAST) |
Kouign Amann
Best croissants in the city. Ask anyone.
If you think plain croissants are boring and won't be convinced to order one, then (a) you're making a big mistake, and (b) there are plenty of other great options to choose from. Their almond croissants are insane and literally any quiche is a winner.
There's one thing you MUST try when you get the chance. The bakery is named after a show-stopping pastry -- frankly, the hero of this entire blog post -- the kouign-amann. My best description: It's like an extra buttery croissant, but large and round and kind of dense (like a cake), basically soaked in honey/syrup. If you're able to eat it warm, your brain might momentarily short-circuit, it's that good.
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| PASTICCERIA ALATI-CASERTA (277 DANTE) |
Alati
Duh, their cannoli (ricotta, not custard) are great. As are the sfogliatelle. But those pastries require some commitment -- they're pretty big, hard to share, and super messy to eat while you're walking around. Instead*, I like getting a bag of amaretti cookies in assorted flavors. Lemon and pistachio are my favorite, Josh likes the popular hazelnut-y "buoni ma brutti."
(*There's no instead. I get cannoli, too.)
As a bonus, if you're into chocolate chip-studded ricotta and almond paste, the cassata (or single-serving cassatina) is a really special Sicilian specialty and the ones from Alati are fanastic.
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| BOULANGERIE CHESKIE (359 BERNARD WEST) |
Cheskie's
I'm crazy about black-and-white cookies. Cheskie's makes them deliciously soft and spongey in the middle, and the icing never gets sticky or melty in your hands. The big size is best, but if you're in a jam (meaning: they're sold out) then the small ones are totally acceptable.
I now present the single most important Montreal pastry-related tip I have to offer:
Show up around 9ish on Sunday morning and the mini chocolate babka are still warm from the oven. Thank me later.
*
Image credit (Guillaume): Yellow Pages
Image credit (Kouin Amann): Bon Appetit
Image credit (Alati): Restaurant Guru
Image credit (Cheskie's): Flash Bracket
