Cozy Ottawa Bakeries Everyone Should Visit

Ottawa bakeries showcase a delicious side of the city! These are some of my favorites.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission. Some of my 2021 bakery visits were sponsored in conjunction with the Ottawa Tourism #Invite2Campaign.

Exploring Ottawa bakeries sometimes means coming home with an amazing box of homemade doughnuts!

I know bakeries. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's tracking down baked goods. And eating them. I am VERY GOOD at eating baked goods.

It's not just the obvious deliciousness I enjoy. Bakeries are a fun, accessible, affordable way to explore a destination. I have vivid memories of my very first backpacking trip in Europe, way back when before the common Euro currency was in play. I was determined to use up all my coins before I crossed borders (rendering them all but useless). As such, I soon became very adapt at buying the exact thing at a bakery that corresponded with the precise amount of coins left in my pocket. I still remember a train station apple pastry procured in France moments before I hoped on a train to Italy! The sweet filling was almost as satisfing as the knowledge that I had used every spare cent.

It's this kind of deep seated bakery love that had me jumping at the chance to investigate Ottawa bakeries. I know first hand that my local favourites make treats every bit as delicious as those fancy French spots that had me carefully counting my pennies all those years ago and I am eager to spread the word about just how much creative baking talent is right here in our hometown. Some of these destinations are long-loved special spots that I can't believe more people haven't heard about yet, while others are new to me, discovered this year as part of the #Invite2 campaign. And some, I must confess, aren't strictly bakeries per se but more like cafes that specialize in their own baked goods. What can I say? The heart wants what it wants. And so does my stomach! I'm sure you will love these sweet destinations as much as I do.

PS: Of course, this is but a tiny sampling of the bakeries the city has to offer, focusing on the places I know well. I hope this is a list that will only grow over time!

SuzyQ Doughnuts 

A beloved local bakery, SuzyQ (multiple locations) specializes in gourmet, fanciful doughuts and they have delicious seasonal flavors (like the summer S'mores variety, seen in center of the bottom row, complete with its own homemade roasted marshmallow). My personal all-time favourite is the vegan mango doughnut filled with coconut cream (top row center) but it has some worthy competition in the dirty chocolate (to its left), which combines chocolate frosting and crushed chocolate cookie crumbs.

Speaking of cookies, SuzyQ now has homemade cookies and I can attest to their chocolate chip being one of the best I've ever had.

Mamie Clafoutis

When you can't go to France (hi, pandemic!) sometimes France just has to come to you and Mamie Clafoutis (400 Richmond Rd) makes delectable treats that are every bit as good as a Parisian cafe. I love their flaky pain au chocolate, the compact yet airy canelé, and my perrenial favourite, the sunny abricotine (as seen on the blue plate at right). Their selection of bread is fantastic, as are dainy delicacies like tiny pastries and sweets. I also love their sandwiches. Their warmed up croissant with roasted ham and real French cheese is deceptively simple and divine. 

Black Walnut Bakery

It's impossible to find just one photo that encapsulates the magic which is the Black Walnut Bakery (979 Cameron St. Cumberland). Their bread is amazing (like the rich, seedy multigrain shown above) and their pies are the stuff of legend. I love their seasonal focus, roasting pumpkins in the fall to make their own pumpkin spice latte syrup and buying rhubarb from local gardens come spring for their crumbles and pies. I could rave about their luxurious croissants and brownies but time after time, I return to the humble muffin of the week. No matter the variety, it is my steadfast choice as they are phenomenally moist and full-flavoured

Strawberry Blond Bakery

There must be magic in the air at the Strawberry Blond Bakery (multiple locations) because there's no other explanation for how they make so many baked goods without gluten, egg, diary, or nuts. This vegan, gluten free, nut free, kosher bakery specializes in serving those with allergies and alternative diets so they can indulge without fear of cross contamination. And indulgent is the right word because, as the cupcakes above showcase, everything here is a delicious treat. I loved the lime coconut cupcake - the frosting tasted exactly like key lime pie!

Art Is In

Photo via Instagram @ArtIsInBakery https://www.instagram.com/p/CUIKwTAg4lU/

My first introduction to Art Is In Bakery (multiple locations) came via their cheddar, chive, and jalapeno loaf and I fell so hard and fast for this incredible bread that it took me years to order anything else. By then, I had some catching up to do! For instance, I had to taste my first O-Towner, Art Is In's take on the Kronut (that's a croissant-donut, but spelled with a K for baker Kevin). They're delicious, but the real danger comes from O-Towner holes, essentially what every Timbit dreams of becoming when they grow up. Incredible pizzas and breakfast sandwiches round out their offerings nicely.

A few of my other favourites....

Second Avenue Sweets (151B Second Ave): If anyone in the Ottawa makes a better carrot cake cupcake with cream cheese frosting, I haven't found it.

Cafe Morala (734 Bank St): I love this cafe's spiced hot chocolate and crunchy chocolate peanutbutter balls.

Cafe Latte-Cino (2020 Tenth Line Rd): Mile-high coconut cream pies, gigantic cinnamon buns, and lemon tarts with white chocolate. What's not to love?

The Cupcake Lounge (324 Richmond Rd): You cannot go wrong with a double chocolate or double vanilla cupcake. Or both. Get both.

Red Door Provisions (117 Beechwood Ave): Homemade vegan poptarts and chocolate doughnuts in an ultra cozy space.

The Scone Witch (150 Elgin St): My go-to is the cucumber cream cheese sandwich topped with chuntey and made with an onion-herb scone. Their tiny brownies are just phenomenal.

Le Moulin de Provence (55 ByWard Market Square): I personally bypass the giant cookies in favour of old school French pastries like eclairs and tarts.


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