Sophia Murphy“With bread, all sorrows are less,” said Sancho Panza in Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote novel—and we can’t agree more.
When a global crisis brought the world to a standstill, everyone turned to their favorite baked treats for comfort. From cookies and pies to sourdough loaves, we all sought comfort in these familiar smells and flavors.
But if you’re just like us and you can’t bake to save your life, don’t worry. We’ll delve into the best bakeries in Halifax so you know where to get your favorite artisanal bread and pastries.
1. LF Bakery
| Website | http://lfbakeryhalifax.com/ |
| Location | 2063 Gottingen Street |
| Opening Hours | Mon-Tue CLOSEDWed-Sun 7:30 am to 6:30 pm |
| Phone | +1 902 423 3377 |
| Specialties | Croissants, cinnamon swirls, baguettes |
Delicious and reasonably priced, Laurent French (LF) Bakery is our go-to spot for croissants. Whether we’re getting the almond, gruyere cheese, or classic croissant, we know every bite is going to be buttery and delightfully flaky.
Owned by French natives, this authentic boulangerie’s menu has a pretty good selection of baked goods, including tarts, white bread loaves, and sourdoughs. Even their pizzas are incredible.
Everything is so good that they run out so fast. If you can, get up bright and early so you can indulge in freshly baked bread and a good cup of coffee.
2. Bliss Caffeine Bar
| Website | https://blisscaffeinebar.com/menu/ |
| Location | 1451 South Park Street |
| Opening Hours | Mon CLOSEDTue-Sun 8 am to 4 pm |
| Phone | +1 902 407 3500 |
| Specialties | Sourdough focaccias, donuts, and pop tarts |
One of our favorite brunch spots in town is Bliss Caffeine Bar, which offers a colorful array of baked goodies made fresh every morning. From their conchas and focaccias to scones, they’re a feast for your eyes, tummy, and soul.
What we like most about this bakery is that they are constantly experimenting with flavors and seasonal ingredients. Even if we come here every day, there’s always something new to try, and in our experience, it never disappoints.
They also take pre-orders for pastries with at least 48 hours’ notice, which is very convenient especially if you’re simply passing through Halifax.
3. The Bread Lounge Bakery & Cafe
| Website | http://breadlounge.ca/ |
| Location | 5880 Demone Street |
| Opening Hours | Mon-Sat 7 am to 7 pmSun 9 am to 5 pm |
| Phone | +1 902 405 2374 |
| Specialties | Vegan sandwiches, vegan croissants, vegan ice cream, fruit tarts |
If you’re looking for vegan options, drop by Bread Lounge. This vegan-friendly bakery and cafe has a few solid options for plant-based eaters, ranging from sandwiches and croissants to cupcakes and cakes.
Truly, we wish they offered more vegan baked goodies because not everyone can do them justice. If you’re looking for a savory plant-based meal, we recommend the veggie pesto bocconcini and vegan hummus sandwiches.
To satisfy your sweet cravings, try their vegan chocolate mousse or any of their cupcakes. But in the summer, their soft-serve ice cream on a gluten-free sugar cone is a refreshing and delicious way to beat the heat.
4. Birdies Bread Co.
| Website | https://www.birdiesbreadco.com/ |
| Location | 380 Pleasant Street, Dartmouth |
| Opening Hours | Sun-Mon CLOSEDTue-Sat 9 am to 5 pm |
| Phone | +1 902 407 0939 |
| Specialties | Sourdough, Danish pastries, croissants, sandwiches |
Birdies Bread Company mills their flour in-house using an Austrian stone mill, giving their baked goods an extra depth in flavor. We love their Danish pastries, which are buttery, flaky, and generously packed with a sweet or savory filling.
What we look forward to every week is their featured bread, which is always a pleasant and yummy surprise. While we do have our favorites like German Rye and Everything Bagel sourdough, we like seeing the new flavors they whip up.
It could be something we’ve never heard of before like Currant and Coriander sourdough, which now we’ve learned makes an incredible base for a grilled cheese sandwich. It also pairs well with curries.
5. Luke’s Small Goods
| Website | http://www.lukessmallgoods.com/ |
| Location | 2393 Agricola Street |
| Opening Hours | Mon-Sat 8 am to 6 pmSun CLOSED |
| Phone | +1 902 465 2184 |
| Specialties | Pain au chocolat, blubbery buttermilk scone, honey oat sourdough |
Luke’s Small Goods is a small shop where you can get bread, pastries, and other gourmet specialty products for your pantry.
Everyone comes here to get pain au chocolat, which is arguably the best one in Halifax.
But another well-loved item you shouldn’t miss is their blueberry buttermilk scone, packed with Nova Scotia’s lowbush blueberries and topped with coarse sugar.
They do have indoor seating, but it’s only limited to a small counter area at the corner of the shop. You can either have the baked goods to go or enjoy a quiet meal in their patio area when the weather is warm.
6. Two If By Sea Cafe
| Website | http://twoifbysea.cafe/ |
| Location | 66 Ochterloney Street, Dartmouth |
| Opening Hours | Daily 8 am to 3 pm |
| Phone | +1 902 469 0721 |
| Specialties | Croissants, scones, muffins |
If you’re planning a picnic and want to bring something special, check out Two If By Sea Cafe. You can actually get all of the items on their menu for takeaway—that is as long as you give them a heads up 24 hours in advance.
Though their classic croissants are great, we really like their weekly specials, which are usually sweet treats. Some of the flavors they’ve served include Pina Colada, Cookie Dough, and Peaches ‘n Cream.
They do have a smaller menu compared to other bakeries. However, they have one of the more exciting ones as they’re constantly coming up with new flavors even for their muffins and scones.
7. Pane e Circo
| Website | https://www.panecirco.ca/ |
| Location | 1515 Queen Street1475 Lower Water Street |
| Opening Hours | Daily 7 am – 9 pm |
| Phone | +1 902 405 0828 |
| Specialties | Panini, cannoli, Tiramisu Supreme croissant |
Pane e Circo is an authentic Italian cafe serving incredible breakfast paninis and croissants to help you start the day right. It’s also a paradise for pastry lovers as they’ve got quite a diverse selection of treats.
Their Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse and Tiramisu Supreme croissants are always crowd-pleasers, but their traditional cannolis are pure bliss. Crisply, generously stuffed with ricotta, and topped with crushed pistachios, they’re simple but very satisfying.
We come here for Italian aperitivo, which has become our quintessential pre-drink ritual. We’d get a spitz along with their salumi board and perhaps one of their savory Danish pastries.
8. Julien’s Patisserie, Bakery & Cafe
| Website | http://julienshydrostone.ca/ |
| Location | 5517 Young Street |
| Opening Hours | Sun-Mon 8 am to 4:30 pmTue-Sat 7:30 am to 5 pm |
| Phone | +1 902 455 9717 |
| Specialties | Cinnamon buns, canelés, eclairs |
Julien’s Patisserie has been making artisanal breads and French pastries since 1993. Their displays are always lined with fruit tarts, lemon squares, apple strudles, almond croissants, and samosas.
If you ever see canelés on their display, get them. When you sink your teeth into the thin, caramelized shell, you’ll be treated to a moist, custardy interior, which goes so well with your tea.
They have indoor and outdoor seating, so there’s plenty of room to sit and nurse a cup of coffee while savoring every bite of your fruit tart. We like its slow-paced atmosphere as it makes it a perfect spot for a weekend brunch.
9. 24 Carrots Bakery
| Website | http://24carrotsbakery.ca/ |
| Location | 3200 Kempt Road |
| Opening Hours | Sun-Mon CLOSEDTue-Fri 9 am to 4 pmSat 9 am to 3 pm |
| Phone | +1 902 482 2424 |
| Specialties | Vegan, gluten-free bread, oatcakes, muffins |
Tucked away in the North End neighborhood of Halifax, 24 Carrots Bakery is known for its wide range of wholesome breads.
One of our favorites is the muesli load, which is packed with apricots, raisins, and sunflower seeds, but it’s seasonal. Something you can get all year round is the oatmeal brown loaf, which pairs well with chili or soup.
Their cookies, squares, and muffins also come in a dizzying range of flavors to satisfy every kind of sweet tooth.
10. The Gingerbread Haus
| Website | https://www.gingerbreadhausbakery.com/ |
| Location | 1138 Queen Street |
| Opening Hours | Sun CLOSEDMon-Sat 9 am to 5 pm |
| Phone | +1 902 425 4333 |
| Specialties | Buttercream tortes, cheesecakes, almond rings |
The Gingerbread Haus is a local favorite. They’ve been serving artisanal breads, pastries, and other European desserts for over two decades. We like that all their treats come in generous portions and at an affordable price.
You can get sourdough and croissants weekly, but you’ll have to wait for the weekends for their Bavarian pretzels, raisin bread, and breadzel buns. Their artisanal breads are light and airy, which can easily disappear with your morning brew.
They have one of the most diverse displays in Halifax with tiered rows of chocolate brownies, chewy coconut macaroons, and rum-infused cake balls. You can’t go wrong with any of them, but their apple strudels and almond rings are especially good.
