2017 is the year of the bakery in Edmonton
The pastries are everywhere
Some food trends seem to hit all at once, and others seem to sneak up on us. While there is no doubt that Edmonton’s had many great bakers and pastry chefs for years, and our farmers’ markets overflow with delicious desserts, our city’s seen an explosion of patisseries in the last few months.
We feel very confident in declaring 2017 as the year of the pastry in Edmonton.
Here are a few (new) places filling up our Instagram feeds with their enticing creations.
La Boule Patisserie and Bakery
Go on and treat yo’self at @laboulebakery! ☕️🍩🍰#ExploreEdmonton
Photo by hani_elmi on IG pic.twitter.com/oRsargw10M
— Edmonton Tourism (@ExploreEdmonton) May 24, 2017
Opening at the end of last year, La Boule really kicked off a flurry of new bakeries. Born of the best French traditions, this is the patisserie you keep seeing on your Instagram feed. It’s open in west Ritchie, just south of Whyte Avenue. Try the eclairs and the tarts!
Chocorrant Patisserie and Cafe
A new addition to 124 Street, Choccorant serves pastries, desserts and light lunch items. It was opened this year by a sister and brother duo who had been planning it for more than a year. Tip: Go to Chocorrant for a treat, then stick around for lunch so you can have dessert twice.
The French Connections
A quartet of French (and French-trained) chefs have opened up new bakeries in Edmonton recently. Bottomline: more desserts for all of us.
Franck Bouilhol studied at the Alain Ducasse Formation School in Lyon, France, and his little crumb of a shop is the perfect size for miniature and light pastries from an expert. Located a few blocks from La Boule, you’ll find FanFan just south of Whyte Avenue in the heart of Old Strathcona.
Have you tried the macarons we have in store from @arnos_french_pastry ? We dare say they are the best in the city! #yeg #yegfood pic.twitter.com/2OYAtibEWd
— London Tea Bar (@londonteabar) May 19, 2017
Arnaud Valade is another chef that trained in France, but has worked around Edmonton for years. You may be familiar with his treats from Bon Ton Bakery or farmers markets. Arno’s is in Oliver, south of Jasper on 116 Street.
Reinette is offering the Mill Woods neighbourhoods its selection of macarons, tarts and other treats. Chef Jinnee Lu worked in a pair of Paris kitchens. Add their macaron pops to the list of reasons to get yourself down to southeast Edmonton.
Yes, it’s French-inspired, but it’s also got Mediterranean flavours! Macarons and Goodies is just north of the downtown (perfect if you’re hitting up a festival or event at the arena). Chef Akram Hasni has also spent time in the Rogers Place kitchen, if you think you’ve seen his work recently.
We can’t forget about all of Edmonton’s doughnuts! The one new bake-shop that is decidedly not French-influenced is probably another one that’s blown up your social media feeds. Doughnut Party is exactly what the name implies, with creations and packaging that calls out for social sharing. You’ll find the party in a new hub of local business and restaurants on the border between Westmount and Queen Mary Park.
Two more to mention
The perfect # Thursdaytreat from @ItalianBakeryEd! Fresh #Doughnuts to kickstart the day! #yegfood! pic.twitter.com/lOK4MZOldr
— Christopher (@c_thoughts) June 22, 2017
While they are by no means new, the Italian Bakery in Edmonton’s Beverly neighbourhood (established in 1960) recently re-opened after a fire forced them to rebuild. Lucky for all of us, the new building is bigger and filled with more tasty Italian treats. (They also have a location in McCauley.)
And, of course, we can’t leave without talking about Duchess Bake Shop. Open in 2009, it was really the catalyst to Edmonton’s recent bakery renaissance. They are a must-visit on 124 Street.
Did we miss one of the new bakeries in Edmonton? Where are you getting your sugar fix? Let us know on our Facebook post!
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