The Best Bread in Toronto

The best bread in Toronto need not additional adornment. A really well-made olive loaf, French baguette, or even multigrain bread can stand alone, leaving the butter to melt solemnly to the wayside. Yes, I've always enjoyed that moment of glee, arriving at a bakery at just the right time to grab a still-warm loaf and pull it apart and snack on my way home.

Of course, a ragged, torn loaf makes subsequent sandwich preparation a little more difficult, but it's worth it for the fresh-out-of-the-oven crisp crust, and warm chewy centre. These bakeries have perfected their loaves, many using only natural ingredients and kneading the dough by hand.

These are the bakeries offering the best bread in Toronto.

Additional photos by Sifu Renka on Flickr and Jesse Milns.

Brick Street Breads

Give me some sundried tomato bread from Brick Street Breads in Leslieville and a good olive oil and I could surely tear and dip away an afternoon. Brick Street Breads is known as Brick Street Bakery at its other three Toronto locations, where fresh breads are made with all natural ingredients, and offered alongside pastries, other sweet treats, and sandwiches. More »

Woodlot

It's somewhat surprising that a bakery/restaurant hybrid could have such a great reputation for its bread. But, alas, the sourdough speaks for itself. With no added yeast, the bread comes out chewy and hot from Woodlot's stone oven, located on Palmerston Avenue in Little Italy. More »

Petite Thuet

You make some good bread, Marc Thuet. With three locations in Toronto, Petite Thuet is rallying appreciation for its Olive Oil Brioche, Dark Farmer's Rye, and Sourdough Baguette. If you can snag some time for a roast beef on rye (perhaps finished off with one of its famous macarons) you surely won't be disappointed. More »

St. John's Bakery

St. John's is my kind of bakery. No frills, active in the community, and a stellar olive/cilantro loaf that's worth a little trek to Riverside. St. John's Bakery uses certified organic flour and natural ingredients, and kneads and shapes all of its loaves by hand. Many breads are available as rolls, demis, or loaves. More »

Epi Breads

Epi Breads offers a whole slate of stone-baked artisan breads in varieties including Fig and Anise, Potato and Chives, and Pumpkin Seeds. Five breads made with organic flour, and if you just can't wait until you get home, Epi has plenty of seating to enjoy a sandwich on the spot. More »

Hot Oven Bakery

Yes, its cinnamon buns are quite fantastic, but Hot Oven Bakery's breads have surely not been overlooked. Proof is in the slim pickings available at some of its locations in the late afternoon. Handcrafted and baked fresh daily, I'm a personal fan of the challah, but there are also steadfast supporters of Hot Oven's all grain, olive boule, and sourdough breads. More »

Rahier

A quaint little patisserie on Bayview, Rahier tests the saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder. While its walnut bread, brioche loaf, and white or multigrain breads and baguettes are available every day, many of its other options are only available on weekends. That means you'll have to hold out until Saturday for your olive bread, citrus brioche, or cramique loaf. There, there - A salted caramel macaron should make it better. More »

Thobors

Baguettes, artisanal breads, and brioches. Is this Paris? No. It's Mount Pleasant with Parisian baker/proprietor Marc Thobor running the show. Thobors offers traditional French-style baguettes in varieties including sesame, poppy seed, and multigrain, as well as sourdough breads, olive loaves, apricot, fig, and more. More »

Alcoa Bakery

At Davenport and Ossington, Alcoa Bakery offers a sprawling space to explore its extremely reasonably priced baguettes, loaves and buns. While its Portuguese custard tarts are certainly a big sell, Alcoa's crispy, chewy baguettes have become a loyal favourite. More »