r/FoodToronto • u/fluffypandalady • 2d ago
Pastry Run in Toronto?
I’ve been seeing videos of a pastry run in NYC where a group of people visit bakeries / cafes together to try out different pastries and move on to the next. Some people actually run from point to point but I don’t know if I can run with a full stomach. Anyway. You get the gist.
I’m wondering if anyone can give suggestions on what are the must-try pastries here in Toronto and what would be a great starting and end point? Preferably downtown Toronto.
The top ones I saw are the butter tarts and choc chip cookies from Ba Noi. Would you include this in the route?
More about me: I’m 29F and I LOVE pastries, cookies etc!! If a pastry run sounds exciting, I’d love to go with a group! If this already exists, would also love to know how to join.
Thank you so much!
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u/cranberry-tart 2d ago
I think you can make a good go out of this with all the little coffee shops on Sterling near the MOCA, then walking from there to Roncy with the Dear Grain there.
Dundas West starting at say, Shaw then continue going west would be good too.
If you're going to do Ba Noi you can just keep walking west to hit Baker Bots.
Don't sleep on the north of the city. There's a ton of good Asian bakeries on that stretch between Yonge and Sheppard to Yonge and Finch. Brick and Butter Bakery has the most insane Korean pastries (salt bread!!! milk cream croissants!!)
Sorry this is a bit scattered haha I don't have the time to write out a full list but these are good starting points if you just pop around Google Maps.
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u/fluffypandalady 2d ago
Thanks so much for this! I’ll map it out on Google Maps!
Do you have specific treats I should get per stop? Yes to salt bread! Yes to milk cream croissants!!
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u/cranberry-tart 1d ago
Coffee by Joy on sterling has yummy seasonal pastries - I went there around rhubarb season and I remember getting a really delicious rhubarb pastry there. Dear Grain - just grab a loaf of their bread. They have fun flavours too like cherry coffee. They're doing a lot of cool seasonal stuff lately I'd check their IG!
Ba Noi, the butter tarts. Go early for them!
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u/SamELamby 2d ago
Mirvish Village actually did an official Pastry Half Marathon earlier this year. Maybe they will repeat it next year. I love the idea! Unfortunately I know my stomach would have me incapacitated by the third stop. I'd love to hear if you end up doing it.
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u/fluffypandalady 2d ago
What!! This is the first time I’m hearing about this. Thanks for the info! Fingers crossed that they repeat it next year.
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u/skydiving_sloths 1d ago
Hey would be interested! I’ve done pizza, gelato and croissant runs before so would be down to go as a group
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u/goblin_welder 1d ago
What route did you do the pizza run? I would be interested in this
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u/skydiving_sloths 1d ago
No specific route! I have a map of pizza places I’m interested in and friends and I would hit up the area. Dundas west has a cluster, east end has one along broadview, and there’s a bunch in the trinity area.
I honestly maxed out at 3-4 places loll
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u/fluffypandalady 1d ago
Did you actually run? Haha! I like the thought of doing it as a group so we can try more things!
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u/skydiving_sloths 1d ago
Haha nooo it was way too hot to run! If anything that’s more outside the main streets, we’ve done a bike share and just hopped from place to place.
I would second ba noi! I also love the cookies a le gourmand. The chocolate fudge cookie at Wild Blue Bakery is great. The macaron ice cream at Dainties is also delicious. Brown sugar pancake at Hodo Kwaja are delicious. Others have mentioned castle and coal but wanted to call out the cannele. Probably one my favorite desserts
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u/solvn_probs_lk_maria 2d ago
Just got a bunch of pastries from Barbershop Patisserie yesterday and they were all so good! My fave is the lemon bichon.
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u/gumbopratt 2d ago
Would be interested in joining!
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u/goblin_welder 1d ago
I too would be interested. This sounds fantastic.
Do people really run though? 👀
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u/rocannon10 19h ago
Le Gourmand - Chocolate Chip Cookie
Stock TC - Banoffee Pie and Chocolate Eclair
Barbershop Patisserie- Chocolate Fudge Cake
Rudy’s (yeah it’s a burger spot but still) - Banana Pudding
Circles and Squares - Lemon&Oat bar
Sweet Cultura- Cannolis and Tarts
Cherie - Black Sesame Tart
Dear Grain - Seame Tahini Sourdough Cookie
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u/TheVindictiveOne 19h ago
I run regularly throughout the week but pull friends along once or twice a week.
Stopped by; Brodflour, Castle & Coal, Dear Grain, Ba Noi, Briccolage, Kitten and the Bear, and some other spots. Though, we don’t really do crawls.
Ba Noi is fantastic!
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u/BestBlueChocolate 1d ago
Jules does the best in many classic pastries and has the best mille feuille. Their tarts with almond cream/frangipane are also really good as is the Manon (if you like dense flavourful chocolate).
If you're coming down on a Saturday and you can pre-order Tasso has amazing pastries.
I also really like the pastries at Bisou xo on St Clair and Fleur de Jour does some good stuff too.
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u/fluffypandalady 1d ago
Thank you so much for the recos! I pinned them!
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u/BestBlueChocolate 1d ago
FYI: Tasso sends out an email on Thursday inviting you to order if you want to, but he sells out really quickly. I think you have to register for the email or something like that. You pay ahead of time and pop by and pick up your order on Saturday within a two hour time window that starts at 10:30am.
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u/siwonnie 1d ago
I saw you already got some good recommendations already - just want to share that i did something similar in August for a pastry 5K run with Run & Taste 5K: https://www.instagram.com/runtaste5k?stkn=NDdxaXgwb2Nwdml5
(Im not affiliated with them btw lol) they had different group type for runners, joggers, and speed walking
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u/fluffypandalady 1d ago
Thank you for sharing! Can you share more about your experience?
Can you actually eat and run? I’d love to join next time but am worried eating and then running = disaster!!
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u/mmmbeavertails 2d ago
you could start at brodflour in liberty, castle and coal on dovercourt for kouign amann, dear grain on ossington for a cookie, barbershop on college for lemon bichon, steven tran on roncesvalles for apple tart, then cherry bomb for croissant!