Wanda's Pie in the Sky is a bakery in Kensington Market, Toronto.
Wanda's Pie in the Sky on Augusta in Kensington Market has run the city's reference butter tart counter since 1989, baker Wanda Beaver's pies.
Must order: A classic Canadian butter tart, runny in the middle.
Tip: Closed Mondays. The cherry pie is seasonal in summer; the pumpkin pie in October.
Address: 287 Augusta Avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 2M2
Blackbird Baking on Baldwin in Kensington is baker Simon Blackwell's sourdough bakery since 2014, 23 varieties of bread including 10 sourdough loaves.
Order: The Kensington white sourdough loaf and a morning bun.
Tip: Murray, the sourdough starter, was the first Canadian inductee to the Puratos International Sourdough Library in Belgium in 2018.
Worth the queue: Kensington white sourdough
Bonjour Brioche on Queen East in Leslieville is owner Tom Rea's French bakery since 1995, the city's reference almond croissant and an all-day brunch counter.
Order: The almond croissant and a Saturday brioche.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Weekend brunch the busiest; 09:00 the cleanest window.
Worth the queue: Brioche, almond croissant
Benna's on Roncesvalles is the family-owned Polish bakery and deli, paczki and pierogi alongside in-house smoked meats and European groceries.
Order: A paczki with rose-petal or plum jam plus a takeaway tub of pierogi for the freezer.
Tip: Fat Thursday before Lent (late Feb) is paczki day; lineup runs 90 minutes. Polish Festival in September anchors the Roncesvalles strip.
Worth the queue: Paczki
Brick Street Bakery on Trinity Street in the Distillery District has run rustic European-style bread and pastries since 2003, sticky buns and savoury pies.
Order: The sticky bun and a slice of pork pie for the patio.
Tip: Cash and card. The Distillery flagship is the original; smaller satellites at Roy Thomson Hall and Front Street East.
Tre Mari on Corso Italia has been the Deleo family's Italian bakery since 1960, cannoli filled to order, sfogliatelle and panettone at Christmas.
Order: A cannoli filled to order with the espresso at the back counter.
Tip: Cash and card. The deli counter at the back has hot porchetta sandwiches by the slice.
Blackbird Baking on Baldwin in Kensington is baker Simon Blackwell's sourdough bakery since 2014, 23 varieties of bread including 10 sourdough loaves.
Order: The Kensington white sourdough loaf and a morning bun.
Tip: Murray, the sourdough starter, was the first Canadian inductee to the Puratos International Sourdough Library in Belgium in 2018.
Worth the queue: Kensington white sourdough
Nadege Nourian's flagship patisserie on Queen West has run French pastry since 2009, macarons and seasonal entremets opposite Trinity Bellwoods park.
Order: A box of macarons, including the rotating seasonal flavours.
Tip: Second branch at 1099 Yonge in Summerhill. Lunch counter does croque-monsieur and quiche.
Worth the queue: Macarons
