Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting Rhubarb, and great bakery in Montreal. As soon as I stepped inside, the aroma of burnt butter filled the air. The array of pastries and baked goods on display tempted me irresistibly. My mom and I were going for lunch and one or 2 pastries, but once we got there we couldn't help, but get a few things.. We grabbed a sandwich on their amazing focaccia, quiche, salads and loaded up on treats, including the Basque cheesecake, Mille-Feuille, and a couple of those crispy-yet-soft croissant things with a hint of cardamom. The croissants, boasting a crispy exterior and a soft, cardamom-infused interior, delighted our taste buds. The mille-feuille, although resembling the traditional pastry, surprised us with its unique twist—a layer infused with caramel and coffee cream, sandwiched between perfectly flaky layers and traditional vanilla cream. However, the standout was undoubtedly the Basque cheesecake. Unlike any cheesecake I've had before, it managed to be indulgent without feeling overly heavy. Its creamy texture and divine flavour elevated it.
With my birthday approaching on May 14th, I've already made up my mind—this Basque cheesecake will be my cake of choice this year. Rhubarb has firmly secured its place as my favorite bakery in Montreal, although I must acknowledge the city's abundance of other noteworthy bakeries. I totally recommend paying Rhubarb a visit; it certainly won't disappoint. So far everything seems to be super delicous. And as for me? I'm already looking forward to my next visit—it certainly won't be my last.
Premier Moisson
The most famous bakery in Montreal is Premiere Moisson. They offer everything from tasty desserts to fresh bread, ready-made sandwiches, pâté, and more. During my road trip to Toronto this past weekend, I made a pit stop at Premiere Moisson. Their crème brûlée is usually a dream—creamy, smooth, and downright divine. But lately, it's been a bit of a disappointment, going from perfect to runny and grainy, considering it's my all-time favourite dessert, and I used to love it from there. The way it works at this bakery is that when you order a crème brûlée, it comes in a thin ceramic dish which you can then keep or return, and you'll get $0.50 for every dish you bring back. At one point, we had about 12 dishes and got back $6, to which the cashier amusingly remarked, "Someone really likes crème brûlée!" and I enthusiastically confirmed, "Yup, it's my fav!" This was before the quality went down. However, most of their other desserts are still great! The cheesecake and lemon meringue pie are particularly outstanding. Plus, their bread is divine and conveniently available at numerous locations throughout the city, including local IGA and Metro grocery stores. Whether you need a quick dessert for a party or just a weekend indulgence, Premier Moisson is the place to be. If you find yourself in Montreal, it's a great bakery to visit, although if you're a local, chances are you're already familiar with this gem of a bakery!
Kazu
Back in July, I went to Kazu with my girlfriend (no longer my girlfriend), mom, and sister. We chose this restaurant because it would be easier for my mom, as she didn’t have to cook and could avoid worrying about cross-contamination for my girlfriend, who has celiac disease. My sister and I tried their matcha green tea ice cream, and I also sampled the wasabi flavor my mom ordered. The soft serve is the creamiest ice cream I’ve had in Montreal—though it’s not gluten-free! The matcha flavor is excellent; you can really taste it, while the wasabi flavor isn’t as strong—you mostly taste the vanilla ice cream with just a hint of the wasabi syrup on top. The food at Kazu is amazing as well. Just a heads up: the dishes come out very quickly, and the restaurant is on the smaller side. However, that shouldn't deter you from enjoying the fantastic food and desserts! P.S. Kazu has a gluten-free menu for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
Bernice
Omg, Bernice is amazing! When you walk into the store, you're greeted by an incredible display of pastries and cookies that taste just as good as they look. As a bonus, their coffee and chai lattes are just as great as their desserts. If I want a top-notch bakery near my house, this is where I'll be going. I did order one of their smaller cakes, and while it wasn’t the best I’ve had, don’t let that stop you from visiting and tasting their other amazing treats. I’ll definitely be returning for their pastries and cookies!
Olove Cakes
Last year, I tried Olive Cakes, and their olive oil cakes were seriously impressive. Later on, I helped out at a pop-up in Little Italy and was generously gifted one of their pumpkin-flavored olive oil cakes. It was absolutely delicious—not just because it was free, but because the flavor was genuinely incredible! I’d definitely order from them again, whether for a dinner party or a well-deserved treat for myself. If you're looking for a light and simple dessert, this is definitely the place to order from. They have an online store, but if not, you can catch them at pop-ups around Montreal. Just keep in mind that pop-ups have limited stock, whereas online you can order anything at any time! And what's better than supporting a small business!
Ibericos
I recently went for dinner there, and at the end of the meal, we had the tres leches cake. I know what you're thinking – tres leches at a Spanish restaurant? But it was surprisingly good! It was light and not too sweet. On the other hand, when I went to Tacos Frida (my favorite Mexican restaurant in Montreal), the tres leches there wasn’t overly sweet either, but it was denser and more cake-like. The one from Ibericos, though, tasted lighter and more soaked. Both were delicious, and I’d go back for either one! Ibericos is a 4 minute walk from the Mount Royal metro :)
Street Monkey
I recently went to Street Monkeys with my cousins, and the food was amazing—so flavourful! Everything we ordered was really good. The only dish we didn’t love as much as the others was the steak.
For dessert, the crème brûlée was phenomenal, and the corn tapioca pudding was also very good—much less sweet than the crème brûlée. I don’t usually love certain textures, but this one didn’t bother me at all. If they had taken out the corn, I probably would have eaten the whole thing! The crème brûlée was also great, but since we were sharing, I didn’t want to be rude and take too much, lol.
Overall, I really enjoyed the meal! I would definitely go back and would recommend anyone who hasn't tried this place to go check it out!
Nonnina's
There’s a bakery in Lachine that makes really good pastries and a few standout desserts. Since it’s zeppole season, we decided to try some from our local spot, Nonnina’s—and they were fantastic! The cream was light, not too heavy, and the pastry itself was perfectly airy. We picked up a few for family and friends, and they were gone in no time.
We also grabbed most of our pastries and treats for our F1 watch party from there—because for the first race of the season, you have to do it right with great food! If you’re ever in the area, I highly recommend their almond croissants, regular croissants, chocolatines, focaccia, sandwiches, pizzas, beaver tails, and of course, their zeppoles!
Blissful Brownies
I recently got hired at Blissful Brownies, and during my training today, I got to try their brownies—sooo good! Hands down, my favourite brownies ever, and I’m not just saying that because I work there—I truly mean it! The store is still under construction, but I already love being part of a place where I genuinely enjoy the product. Once the store opens in 2-3 weeks, I highly recommend trying their brownies if you haven't already! (P.S. The Mini Egg brownies are delicious!)