Delicious baked goods are a real treat no matter what month of the year it is, but there’s just something about holiday baking that hits differently.
Whether it be that the items are baked with an extra dose of passion or that they provide us with a nostalgic reminder of simpler times, we’re not entirely sure. What we can say with utmost certainty is that if there was ever an occasion to treat yourself to a little festive indulgence, now is the time.
Calgary is home to so many wonderful bakeries—the old, the new and everything in-between—so we decided to put together a list featuring some of the most iconic bakeries that have been baking all types of glutenous goods for a decade or more.
Byblos Bakery
The Byblos Bakery story began back in 1975 and in the time since then, Byblos has grown to be one of the most recognizable brands of packaged pita bread in all of Western Canada. The bakery is the best place to head to get freshly-made pitas (grocery stores typically have previously-frozen bags of pitas on their shelves), but it also known for its high quality naans, bagels, and tortilla wraps.
Glamorgan Bakery
Specializing in Dutch heritage baking since 1977, Glamorgan Bakery is most famous for its cheese buns, but many make a case for their rolled florentines and Texas-style doughnuts too. In addition to its delicious baked goods, the family-owned bakery is also known for its exceptional customer service.
Italian Bakery
Starting out as a small family operation in 1962, the Calgary Italian Bakery has grown to become one of the largest and most successful bakeries in Western Canada.
Now situated at a 40,000 square foot facility in southeast Calgary, Italian Bakery is one of the city’s most reliable sources for many types of Italian bread, bun and English muffins. They've got a pretty tasty sandwich bar too, if you're feeling like a quick, satiating bite.
La Boulangerie
Long known as one of the premier places in Calgary to find tasty French pastries, crepes, and Parisian-style sandwiches, La Boulangerie Bakery and Cafe has been a Mission neighbourhood institution for roughly a decade.
Lakeview Bakery
Lakeview Bakery has been around for almost as long as Lakeview itself. Opening in the Lakeview Plaza back in 1990, Lakeview Bakery has continued to innovate its fine British baking philosophy to offer new products such as spelt and kamut flour. The bakery was also one of the first to offer gluten-free options, and now owns an additional bakery location in Oakridge dedicated solely to gluten-free goods.
Patisserie du Soleil
For many living in south Calgary suburbia within the last two decades, Patisserie du Soleil has been the go-to option for authentic, made-from-scratch French pastries. Nowadays, the bakery continues to operate in the Woodbine neighbourhood, while also providing catering services to businesses in the downtown core.
Rainbow Bakery
No list of iconic Calgary bakeries would be complete without arguably the most popular in or around Chinatown, Rainbow Bakery. The bakery is probably best known for serving some of the best house-baked buns in all of Calgary, but you can also count on Rainbow Bakery for custom cakes, mooncakes, Lunar New Year offerings, and a whole lot more.
Sidewalk Citizen
Since the day it opened in 2009, Sidewalk Citizen has been blending time-honoured baking traditions with creativity, innovation, and passion. Now with two locations in the city, Sidewalk Citizen has become a certified staple for Calgarians in search of organic baked goods, sourdough bread, pastries, desserts, and more.
