Paris Baguette in Yonge Sheppard Centre is the first Canadian franchise of the neighbourhood bakery-cafe from South Korea.

Best known for its welcoming environment, it's also South Korea's number one bakery which utilizes French baking techniques for its line of fresh-baked breads, pastries, and signature cakes. In addition to fresh grab-and-go sandwiches and salads, it also offers specialty brewed drinks including espresso-based beverages.

As the fastest-growing bakery cafe, the multinational chain has been recognized as one of the top 500 franchises by Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 and already boasts of nearly 4000 retail stores worldwide.

This market entrance marks the beginning of an aggressive series of Canadian openings by the rapidly expanding brand. Of the rumoured six other locations slated for the Canadian market, Canada's District Food and Beverage Manager Christopher Waye shares the next will include a location at 110 Bloor St. W.

The North York store spans 2,300 square feet and features the global brand's fresh, contemporary French architecture-inspired aesthetics that blends soft white textures with dark blue finishes and oak accents.

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The airy, high-ceiling room's most notable feature is the strategically placed large glass-enclosed self-serve displays that are filled with at least 50 varieties of pastries and breads.

Simply grab an empty tray and set of tongs that are piled at a station near the entrance and use the tongs to grab all the goodies you'd like to purchase from the constantly refilled display cases.

In addition to refrigerated display cases filled with signature cakes in whole and in individual servings on the room's east wall, there's the cafe's checkout counter that doubles as the coffee bar.

Dominating the space behind the service counter, and separated by a glass wall, is the bakery's open kitchen which puts the brand's bakers and cake makers on display.

Those familiar with the French-inspired bakery's products would be pleased to learn that the items featured in Toronto are nearly identical to what's expected of the chain, thanks largely to the fact that the dough used in all its pastries are shipped in from Korea. All products are baked and finished in-house.

The main difference is that each location makes its own bread, and uses local products in its sandwiches plus – in the case of Canada – Canadian dairy for their cream-based fillings and toppings.

Whole cakes, starting at 8-inches in diameter, feature the six-layer Rainbow Cake to the Snow Bunny Cake that's almost too cute to eat. Almost.

Signatures like the Strawberry Soft Cream Cake (starts at $42.99 for the mini) feature two layers of soft sponge cake filled with strawberries and fresh whipped cream. The layer cake is completely enveloped with more soft cream.

It's also available by the slice ($7.99).

Paris Baguette's Chocolate Cake ($45.09) covers a chocolate buttercream cake with a chocolate ganache-like coating and decorates it with chocolate-kissed soft cream and fresh berries.

The Berry Tart ($9.19) tops a tart shell filled with custard cream with mixed berries. It does contain almonds, coconut, egg, milk, and wheat.

The springy and airy light tapioca starch-based Strawberry Mochi Donut ($4.69) tastes almost like strawberry gummies thanks to the layer of the brand's proprietary strawberry icing glazing its surface.

There's also the signature Coffee Bun that caps an airy bun with a light coffee and honey-kissed cookie crust.

The global brand's other core products include viennoiseries like Paris Baguette's golden Croissant ($4.09).

The Pain Au Chocolate ($4.69) wraps the same butter pastry around two sticks of chocolate…

… while the Maple Pecan Danish ($3.29) fills the laminated pastry with a sweet nut-laced filling.

The King Cream Donut ($4.69) is a delightful surprise. Here, hiding under the powdered sugar-dusted yeast doughnut's golden exterior was a giant, not-too-sweet but silky-smooth pocket of light and dreamy custard cream.

Filled with custard cream, the Fruit Pastry ($4.99) is always topped with a selection of fresh fruits including a piece each of strawberry, kiwi, orange, and blackberry.

For something more substantial, there are grab-and-go sandwiches filled with crowd-pleasers such as turkey and avocado ($10.99).

Prepared beverages come in hot or cold versions, and feature brand specialties like the Matcha Frappe ($7.19 for a small) which employs a proprietary Korean matcha powder blend.

Their coffee and espresso-based beverages use beans from Lavazza and are all served in their signature blue coffee cups.

They sell baguettes ($4.39), of course.

There are 20 first-come, first-served seats flanking Paris Baguette's Yonge Street facing windows and along its southern wall for patrons looking to dine in, while most customers do carry their goods out.

This location is open Monday through Sunday, from 7 am to 9 p.m., but avoid the disappointment of empty shelves and head in earlier in the day. Waye shares that there's a certain volume of goodies made each day, and when it runs out, it's out.

Paris Baguette has entrances on Yonge Street and another through the Yonge Sheppard Centre.