Vancouver’s Most Indulgent Bakeries.
November 01 2021, Mercedes-Benz Vancouver
When it comes to your coffee shop’s pastry display, what’s your go-to indulgence—a chocolate cream-filled cronut or cheesy savoury scone? No matter your pleasure, we recommend adding these decadent bakeries to your “treat yourself” list, ASAP.
Fine French cakes abound in the cases of this French bakery and the more chocolate, the better. But to appease your savoury side, grab a croissant au jambon–layered with ham, emmental cheese, and bechamel–during your next pick-up of an indulgent chocolate marquise cake.
Neighbourhoods: Mount Pleasant & Downtown
Instagram: @thierrychocolat
This coffee shop’s Dope Bakeshop turns out small-but-mighty cruffins, a signature treat with a croissant exterior and creamy fillings. The flavours change frequently, but you can’t go wrong with a banana-chocolate or rhubarb-crumble.
Neighbourhoods: Gastown, Lonsdale Quay, Great Northern Way
Instagram: @nemesis.coffee
Here, excellent coffee is accompanied by excellent house-baked pastries. Go for a chocolate chip and sea salt cookie (you can also take-and-bake these at home) or the irresistible pistachio financier; their version of the flavoured petit-fours treat has a delicately soft interior and flavour that will leave you wanting just… one... more.
Neighbourhoods: Gastown, Mount Pleasant, Great Northern Way
Instagram: @kafkascoffeetea
At this sweet neighbourhood-favourite bakery, do not miss out on the maritozzi—soft brioche rolls filled with lightly sweetened whipped cream—or specialty seasonal danishes that could be rhubarb, maybe fig, or perhaps lemon on any given day.
Neighbourhood: Commercial Drive
Instagram: @liviasweets
Lucky’s Doughnuts by 49th Parallel
Be the star of any office gathering by showing up with a bright-orange box of these famous treats. Each doughnut feels like a mini-cake, especially the legendary lemon meringue or peanut butter and jelly varietals.
Neighbourhoods: Mount Pleasant, Downtown, Kitsilano
Instagram: @luckysdoughnuts
The mini pies here are deadly delicious, from a mini raspberry cream crumble to the mini Fat Elvis, laden with banana cream, dark chocolate ganache, and peanut butter whipped cream.
Neighbourhoods: Kitsilano, Burnaby
Instagram: @thepiehole
It’s rare to find a great bake-at-home pain au chocolat, croissant, or cinnamon bun, but The Bench Bakehouse sells all three. Pro tip: Stock up for the whole weekend next time you drop by, and pick up some handmade puff pastry pork sausage rolls to munch on the drive home.
Neighbourhood: Commercial Drive
Instagram: @thebenchbakehouse
The double-baked almond croissants, perfected by fourth-generation pâtissier Thomas Haas, need no introduction. Seasonal fruit galettes, such as plum, are executed so perfectly it’s almost a shame to cut into them—almost.
Neighbourhoods: North Vancouver & Kitsilano
Instagram: @thaaschocolates
The creme de la creme of cream puffs, Beta 5 is well worth the trek to Industrial Avenue for its decadent puffs filled with everything from passion fruit chantilly cream to dark chocolate mousse.
Neighbourhood: Industrial Avenue
Instagram: @beta5chocolates
Every other bakery in town should take cues from Purebread’s baked goods display, which is always excessive and something out of a Renaissance painting. From the spinach and feta muffins to the chocolate caramel peanut butter cakes, it’s all good here.
Neighbourhoods: Mount Pleasant, Kitsilano, Gastown, Whistler Village
Instagram: @purebread_canada
Not to be confused with your local florist, Flourist bakery specializes in top-of-the-line freshly milled organic flour, which they bake into nourishing delights such as apple cinnamon turnovers, galettes and, when available, jars of freshly made fruit trifle.
Neighbourhood: Commercial Drive
Instagram: @flourist
This tiny, tucked-away coffee shop on East Broadway has a very small selection of pastries, but it includes a savoury breakfast turnover to die for, chock-a-block full of breakfast sausage, potatoes, spices and cheese. Go early, get it warm, thank us later.
Neighbourhood: Mount Pleasant
Instagram: @papercranecoffee
