The canonical version and where to order it.
The Nanaimo bar is the three-layer no-bake Canadian dessert square: a coconut-graham-cracker chocolate base, custard buttercream middle and chocolate ganache top. Toronto bakeries carry it year-round.
The Nanaimo bar originated in Nanaimo, British Columbia in the 1950s, the first published recipe appearing in the 1953 Edith Adams cookbook. Through the 1960s the bar travelled east across Canada and became a staple in Toronto bakeries and Jewish delis. Wanda's Pie in the Sky in Kensington has carried it since 1989; the runny-custard middle layer the city's reference style.
1 editor pick for Nanaimo bar in Toronto, ranked by editorial score. All Toronto signature dishes · Nanaimo bar across every city.
Also in: Vancouver.
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.
OrderA classic Canadian butter tart, runny in the middle.
TipClosed Mondays. The cherry pie is seasonal in summer; the pumpkin pie in October.
Nanaimo bar makes more sense with someone from Toronto explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
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Explore Toronto’s vibrant neighborhoods through food. Taste local and international flavors in Roncesvalles, Chinatown, Little India, or St. Lawrence Market.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Discover Toronto beyond the landmarks on a small-group walk through vibrant Kensington Market and Chinatown, with local food, street art, hidden gems, and stories from...
