Six Toronto pastry chefs pick their city's best baked goods worth the wait

Toronto has no shortage of exceptional baked goods. From classic butter croissants to hojicha tarts and cardamom knots, the city's pastry scene delivers serious flavour—if you know where to look. We asked five of Toronto's top pastry chefs which baked goods are actually worth the line.

Marchelle McKenzie, who runs Butter and Spice inside Death in Venice on Dundas West, picks Brodflour's butter tart. "I find traditional butter tarts to be so sweet and one-dimensional, but I believe Brodflour uses milled flour and flaky salt. It's so, so delicious," she says. McKenzie's own brown butter plantain cake went viral over summer and sells out every week since launching during Caribana. She describes the flavour as "similar to banana bread but slightly less sweet and with a bit more tang." For her, the cake's real power is personal: "What makes it special is that it is rooted in my culture. My grandmother made plantains for me every day after school."

Haruna Makino, formerly head chef at Tsuchi Café (a plant-based Japanese coffee shop on College), champions the canelé from Issho Bakery. "It's crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside, with a beautiful buttery aroma and just the right amount of sweetness," she says. Makino now produces vegan recipes she shares on Instagram and says the care behind each canelé makes them special: "The thoughtful flavour combinations and beautiful variety that make them so special. I wish I lived closer to them."

Steven Tran, who opened Steven Tran Pâtissier & Chocolatier on Roncesvalles late last year, loves the butter croissant from Tasso Bakery—"flaky and full of buttery flavour, and it has a crispy exterior that shatters. I have not found a better croissant in Toronto." He notes it requires planning: "It's hard to get, though, so you definitely need to pre-order online or get in line early." At his own shop, Tran specializes in a chausson aux pommes inspired by tarte tatin, topped with caramelized sugar and fleur de sel. He also gives a shout-out to the passion fruit mille-feuille from Roselle, though "they don't make it often."

These picks reflect a city where pastry chefs don't just bake—they chase flavour, technique and soul. Most require planning ahead, but that's part of what makes them worth it.