The simple pleasure of eating at a local bakeshop can be challenging for someone with a food allergy, intolerance, or special diet. I found myself in this position when I cut dairy and gluten from my diet. Whether it was dairy, gluten, nuts, eggs, soy, corn, etc., a few years ago there weren’t many bakeshops accommodating customers with dietary needs or food allergies. Every time I ordered a muffin, cookie, or latte I was putting my digestion at risk and telling myself “enjoy now, deal with the pain later.” Sad but true.
I contemplated not going to bakeshops all together from nervousness that something was going to have milk in it and ruin my digestion for the rest of the day. Anyone that’s cut dairy can relate to how much food has milk, butter, or cream in it –especially powdered milk, it’s in everything!
I started baking for myself, trying to learn how to make everything I was looking for at bakeshops (minus the dairy, gluten, and refined sugar), but there was still something missing; the experience of enjoying food I didn’t have to put time and energy into! So what then? Where could I go to eat delicious treats comfortably? Where could I buy a cookie that wasn’t loaded with butter or order a coconut milk chai latte? The hunt began and I’m happy to tell you that in the last few years of hoping from bakeshop to bakeshop, I’ve found some really great allergen-friendly hot spots.
All-in-all, I’ve probably explored 25+ Toronto bakeshops/cafes. I started narrowing down my visits to only allergen-friendly shops about two years ago and decided to put together this post because one of the most common questions I’m asked is “where to buy dairy and gluten free goodies in Toronto?”
As much as I prefer making baked goods myself and enjoy getting flour all over my clothes, I love the experience of grabbing a latte with a friend or enjoying a warm scone with the hubby on the weekend. After years of exploring, googling the crap out of “dairy/gluten free bakeshops in Toronto”, reading hundreds of reviews, and a ton of taste testing, I present to you my list of top allergen-friendly Toronto bakeshops.
Quick disclaimer:
- Each bakeshop is unique in what it offers. Some are allergen-friendly plus vegan, others are not vegan. I reference these details as part of my review.
- This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.
- The list is in no particular order. See “review” section for my thoughts.
- Perfect 10/10 rankings not provided –let’s keep it real, no place is perfect.
My Top Allergen-Friendly Bakeshop List + Reviews
Hype Food Co.
- Location: Leslieville
- Parking: Paid street parking
- Price range: Average
- Allergen-friendly options: Free from wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, soy, sesame and seafood
- Lunch menu? Yes
- Serves drinks? Yes
- Seating? Yes
- My review: This is a great place to visit if you want to enjoy something quick without having to think about what ingredients are in it. All their food is free from top allergens, making it easy to pick anything from the menu. It’s also a very family friendly place and the customer service is amazing! I’ve eaten from their lunch menu (rice bowl) and bakery menu (donuts and cupcakes) and both were fresh and tasty! I’ve also ordered their mini cupcakes for an event and the quality was on point – they weren’t dry or super dense which can be common with gluten free cupcakes (highly recommend their chocolate cupcakes).
- Overall Ranking: 9/10
- hypefoodco.ca
Whisked Gluten Free Bakery
- Location: Toronto East (Scarborough)
- Parking: Free customer parking lot
- Price range: Average – High
- Allergen-friendly options: Gluten free facility. They also have a variety of vegan/dairy free options. Some of their products do contain eggs and/or butter so make sure to ask and read labels.
- Lunch menu? No
- Serves drinks? No
- Seating? No
- My review: This is a bakery not a café, and a large one at that. It specialises in gluten free baked goods including; breads, cupcakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls, pies, etc. They even sell their own take-home gluten free flour blend.
I’ve tried a number of their treats and can honestly say it’s all good. They have separate trays for their vegan versus non-vegan items. Being dairy and gluten free, I’m always looking for that vegan label. Although I’m not vegan, they make it easy to select food items because they are very good with identifying all of their ingredients on their products.
I’ve had their cupcakes, cookies, apple streusel, cinnamon bread, and cinnamon rolls. I would recommend their vegan raspberry chocolate cupcake and their apple streusel square –these were my favourite. I also enjoy their “light baking flour” – I used it to make gluten free cupcakes and it worked well (reasonably priced too). Their cookies weren’t my favourite but their cupcakes are probably the best gluten free/vegan cupcakes I’ve had – the sponge is soft and moist and the icing is gently whipped and not overly sweet! I’m interested in trying their coconut cream pie from their freezer section next.
- Overall ranking: 8.5/10
- glutenfreebakerytoronto.com
Cock-A-Doodle-Doo Gluten Free Bakeshop
- Location: Bloor West
- Parking: Paid street parking
- Price range: Average
- Allergen-friendly options: Free from gluten, dairy, corn, soy and refined sugar. Some items contain eggs. Vegan options available.
- Lunch menu? No (only small personalized pizza)
- Serves drinks? No
- Seating? Very limited
- My review: The main reason this bakeshop made the list was because of its fresh gluten free bread. When I was looking for a place to buy gluten free bread this place popped up on Google and got a ton of good reviews. I gave their sourdough bread loaf a try and would agree that they know what they’re doing when it comes to gluten free bread. Their sourdough bread tastes better with age; It’s a bit too moist to cut the day it’s made, so I was advised by the owner to slice the bread in the evening or the next day and store at room temperature in an air tight bag for up to a week (or freeze half like I do). It tastes really good lightly toasted with nut butter or jam!
I also tried their scones, personalized pizza, and cookies. I would highly recommend their personalized pizza and bread loafs. Their cookies and scones were just ok (a little too crispy for my liking). Overall, I really like that they bake with coconut sugar and do not use refined canola oils. They don’t have a ton of items to choose from but the items they do have are made fresh daily and made well with clean ingredients (what matters most in my opinion).
- Overall ranking: 7.5/10
- cockadoodledoo.ca
Sweet Hart Kitchen
- Location: Dundas St. West
- Parking: Residential street parking
- Price range: Average
- Allergen-friendly options: 100% vegan, gluten free and naturally sweetened. Raw plant-based options available.
- Lunch menu? Small selection (soup and savory scone options)
- Serves drinks? Minimal selection
- Seating? Limited seating
- My review: This is a great place for anyone following a plant based diet or wanting to avoid gluten, animal by-products, and refined sugars. They sweeten their goods with maple syrup, dates, coconut sugar, etc. They have a wide selection of adapted traditional sweets, for example “raw vegan tiramisu”. I’ve tried their savoury scones, thai soup, and snickers bar and they were all tasty. One important thing to note, the majority of their items contain almond flour. If you are allergic to nuts I would avoid due to risk of cross contamination.
- Overall ranking: 7/10
- sweethartkitchen.com
Sorelle & Co. Bakery
- Location: Yorkville
- Parking: Paid street parking or Green-P parking, very close to Subway
- Price range: High
- Allergen-friendly options: 100% free from gluten, dairy, eggs, soy and nuts
- Lunch menu? Yes
- Serves drinks? Yes
- Seating? Yes, be prepared to wait if you’re going around lunch time.
- My review: This place has boomed in the last two years. Not sure if it’s due to its Instagram worthy interior or actual food, but most people I know with food allergies have been here before or have heard of it. I must admit, its super elegant seating, pretty displays, and food presentation lured me in, and the idea that I could indulge in dairy free cheesecake sold me even more. It’s got great ambiance, customer service, and selection but there is one small thing (or big thing depending on how you look at it) – their desserts are super sweet. I truly believe this would have been my 10/10 if they didn’t use so much sugar. So here’s how I look at it, it’s a once-in-a-while treat kind of place. If you’re trying to cut sugar do not go here. If you’re comfortable with splitting a dessert or treating yourself on a special occasion then definitely give this place a shot because the flavour and selection is there!
I’ve tried their soups, scones, raspberry chocolate cake, vegan lemon cheesecake, cookies, and Nanaimo bar. I feel their scones probably have the least amount of sugar (taste best warmed up), and I would also recommend their cheesecake (I like splitting this one). I disagree with their claim for “healthy ingredients” because of how sweet their stuff is but do agree with their “worry-free” marketing because everything is allergen-friendly.
- Overall ranking: 8.5/10
- sorelleandco.com
Cosmic Treats
- Location: Kensington Market
- Parking: Residential street parking
- Price range: Average
- Allergen-friendly options: 100% vegan (egg and dairy free)
- Lunch menu? Yes
- Serves drinks? Yes
- Seating? Yes
- My review: This was one of the first dairy free spots I tried when I cut dairy. It was mid-summer and I was in desperate need of a scoop of ice cream. I really didn’t miss dairy but on the odd occasion I craved a creamy scoop of ice cream. So the hunt began and I tried three or four places and Cosmic Treats by far stood out. Their dairy free/vegan cashew-cream ice cream is like no other I’ve tried. It’s silky, flavourful, with just the right amount of richness. They also sell soy based soft serve ice cream for those allergic to nuts but if you do not have a nut allergy definitely go for their cashew ice cream. Hubby and I love their cookie dough and mint chocolate chip flavours. Like most ice creams, it does contain sugar but in comparison, I find it a little less sweet then some of the dairy free grocery store options I’ve tried, and the quality is much better, AND you’re supporting a small local business. They also sell cake slices, cookies, brownies, seasonal pies, lattes, and vegan lunch options. I haven’t tried their lunch/dinner items but their ice cream and “cookie-brownie square” are amazing!
- Overall ranking: 8/10
- cosmictreats.ca
Tori’s Bakeshop
- Location: Beach (Queen St. East)
- Parking: Residential street parking and Green-P parking
- Price range: Average – High
- Allergen-friendly options: 100% vegan (egg and dairy free). Some gluten free options available.
- Lunch menu? Small (sandwiches and savory scones)
- Serves drinks? Yes
- Seating? Yes
- My review: Tori’s Bakeshop is in closest proximity to me. When I’m looking for a quick treat it’s naturally the option I lean towards because of travel time. Hubby and I have been here more than a dozen times. They have a variety of baked goods and I’ve tried enough of them to feel that they’re consistent. They use wholesome ingredients and low sugar. I’ve tried their lattes, cookies, muffins, scones, pizza squares, brownies, donuts, and cupcakes. In my honest opinion, their baking is great when it comes to muffins, cookies, and scones (probably the best gluten free cookies I’ve had in Toronto), but their cupcakes and cakes do not top my list (Whisked and Hype Food Co definitely took that place). Their cakes in particular are super dense, heavy, and mostly icing (my pet-peeve when it comes to gluten free cakes). Nonetheless, I’m not going to disregard them just because their cakes suck (no offense). Their more traditional baked items, like their scones and cookies are beyond others I’ve tried and I would highly recommend this place for a morning or afternoon coffee date. It’s super warm, comforting, pretty healthy, and the customer service is really great!
- Overall ranking: 7.5/10
- torisbakeshop.ca
Hope my bakeshop review post has helped guide you through some of the allergen-friendly bakeshops in Toronto! If you or someone you know has a food allergy, intolerance, sensitivity or dietary need, know that you/they are not alone, and now more then ever food services like these are making it easier and safer to indulge.
Helping you put wellness first,
Fay
Feature Cover Photo by Greta Punch on Unsplash