Looking for the best of the best in bread, buns, and bagels in the Greater Toronto Area? We got you. These are the top five spots to give a try, broken down by the category of baked delight you’re in the mood for.

Bread- Brodflour, Liberty Village

If you’re looking for the perfect loaf of bread, Brodflour takes freshness very seriously. A completely Canadian product, starting with grain harvested in Manitoba then supplied to the bakery for in-house flour milling, their breads are less processed and more nutrient-dense. “Ancient and heritage grains” are used to create all varieties from whites to ryes– plus challah, English muffins, pizza dough, and more.

In addition to selling fresh loaves to-go, Brodflour bakery serves a number of pastries, plus made-to-order toasts and sandwiches for breakfast and lunch. You can also find their flour and bread at a few local grocers. Here’s the list. 

Croissants- Fleur du Jour, Wychwood

A classic French patisserie, Fleur du Jour makes everything from scratch each morning, and closes when they sell out. Their menu features 18 varieties of viennoiserie: breakfast pastries that originated in Austria but are common in French bakeries, made from laminated dough. Included in these 18 are 7 varieties of proper croissant, which people describe as “heavenly tender” and “absolutely delicious”. 

This bakery also creates a number of very impressive-looking patisserie items, almost all of which are gluten free. They have been recommended in Toronto Life Magazine, and excellently reviewed by BlogTO and French-speaking radio station CHOQ FM 105.1. Check out their website and menu here. 

Buns- Bà Nôi, Koreatown

This small and casual take-out location stands apart for its sweet and savoury milk buns, made with a Vietnamese influence. Named for the owner’s grandmother, Ba Noi sells a combination of these uniquely flavored items as well as Canadian classics. Their highly popular chocolate chip cookie is made with big chocolate chunks and flaky sea salt, and their butter tart is flaky and golden brown.

This spot also makes galettes with sweet or savoury fillings for breakfast, as well as coffee drinks. A hidden gem, people say you can pass by it easily on the street without realizing; but reviewers insist that the quality is some of the very best in Toronto. Here’s the address so that you won’t miss it.

Bagels- Gryfe’s, Lawrence Manor

“Not a New York Bagel, not a Montreal Bagel—it’s a Gryfe’s Bagel! Light and fluffy with a thin crisp crust, it’s a one-of-a-kind bagel that has had loyal customers coming back generation after generation”. This family bagelry opened in 1915 when Jewish Romanian immigrant Schlome “Sam” Gryfe solidified his perfect recipe and enlisted his siblings to help him carry out the dream of owning his own store.

Still using Sam’s recipe, Gryfe’s carries all the classic bagel flavours– plus pizza bagels, challah, sandwiches, and chocolate chip cookies– at great prices. The store was recently renovated, but maintains its classic look inside. Now you can also subscribe to get fresh bagels delivered to your home on a recurring basis if you live far away, or just can’t get their bagels fast enough.

Sit-down experience- Serano Café, East York

Finally, for a great all-around bakery experience, we recommend family-owned Serano Café. 

The sister branch of Serano bakery (one of the highest rated on Google), this place specializes in serving up “Greek Pies, Pastries, Breads, Gelato and delicious coffees”. Specific items on the menu include filled donuts, cheesecake slices, bougatsa and cinnatsoureki, spanakopita and similar pies with different fillings.

Serano offers lots of seating, including shaded patio tables that come out in the summer. Reviewers describe it as a great spot for people-watching as you enjoy a meal, snack, dessert, or coffee. The vibrant and bustling location usually also has some kind of special on; whether decadent, savourable, or both.