Top 5 places Downtown Toronto to grab dessert this summer

BY DANIEL FORRESTER

The sunshine is finally here people and it feels great. If your hopes are high for a hot summer, you’ll need something to cool you off after all that navigating through the concrete jungle that is Toronto. So if you’re ever downtown Toronto and you’re looking to cool off, satisfy that sweet tooth or grab a bite to eat, look no further than these culinary wonderlands of scrumptious treats. These five restaurants spread across the downtown area are known for creating some of the most enticing crepes, ice cream sandwiches and Belgian waffles throughout the city

 

Bakerbots Baking

 

Bakerbots Baking at the corner of Delaware Ave. and Bloor Street W. is famous for its ice cream sandwiches that are among the best in the city. If you’ve got a hankering for ice cream, choose from owner Rosanne Pezzelli’s list of pleasantly soft ice cream flavours like sweet cream, French mint, cinnamon and raspberry gelato, sandwiched between two cookies of your choice like the everything cookie, oatmeal, birthday and ginger molasses. Pezzelli and the Bakerbots team don’t just focus on ice cream sandwiches however, they’re also passionate about creating French macarons and beautiful cakes like the southern red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, coconut, chocolate and banana layers. Others with milk chocolate ganache and carrot cupcakes are just a few of the many treats that make this a really special place.

Dovercourt
205 Delaware Avenue
Toronto, ON M6H 2T4

 

DT Bistro-Patisserie

 

Since 2005 chef Donald Duong has been creating stunning French desserts, pastries, gelato and much more, all inside a little café in Harbord Village. Over the years Chef Duong has transformed the little café into a full-service restaurant and introduced the community to French cuisine. Vietnamese-style macaroons, chocolate raspberry tarts and rich gelato ice cream, it’s all there. With beautiful décor and an amazing combination of savoury and sweet flavours coming out of the kitchen, DT Bistro-Patisserie reflects the chaotic yet relaxing nature of the city in which it calls home.

154 Harbord Street Toronto, ON M5S 1H2

 

Millie Creperie

 

This Japanese dessert shop puts an interesting spin on the way we eat French crepes and parfaits. Even though small in size, this tiny shop in the heart of Kensington Market turns out some really yummy crepes. Making everything from parfaits with layers of whipped cream, corn flakes, strawberries, in-house made gelato adorned with Asian pocky sticks, to massive pork belly okonomiyaka with okonomi sauce, Japanese mayo and a healthy dose of bonito flakes. Thin, crispy, crepes rolled into cones are the canvas on which they create art. They pride themselves on creating crepes stretched well beyond the realms of what’s normal. Health conscious eaters should try the Rabbit Food crepe with spinach, eggs, spicy mayo and tomatoes. Some of the options may sounds a little intimidating at first but be brave.

Kensington Market
161 Baldwin Street
Toronto, ON M5T 1L8

 

Wanda’s Belgian Waffles/ Cafe

 

Everyone knows Wanda’s in Ryerson Square, with those light and fluffy fresh-baked waffles and crepes for under $10. Even with a budget of, say, $5 you can still grab something hot and sweet to eat. Wanda’s is home to the famous Brussels waffles or liege waffles that were first created during the latter part of the 19th century in southeast Belgium. They incorporate a special sugar and at Wanda’s you can get them topped with either Belgian chocolate, caramel, Nutella, apple cinnamon or vanilla ice cream finished with a layer of whipped cream. Smoothies and shakes, low-fat frozen yogurt, orange juice and fruits are also on the menu and make this a good pit stop when cruising around the city. This location is one of three throughout the city with two on Yonge Street and another on Queen Street W.

Ryerson, Downtown Core
361 Yonge Street Toronto, ON M5B

 

deKEFIR

 

deKEFIR is all about bringing the fresh taste of kefir to the people of Toronto. Don’t know what kefir is? Think of it basically as a grain fermented with cow milk and turned into frozen yogurt. Centered in the Financial District inside the Bay Adelaide Centre, PATH Concourse Level, co-owner Teresa Chang is transforming the kefir grain into something really special, modifying the way we eat frozen yogurt. You can get kefir either as a smoothie, parfait, on a waffle, or just as a frozen soft-serve with plenty of toppings to choose from, like cookie crumbs, chocolate chips, shredded wheat, Smarties, mango and more. The choice is yours.

Financial District, Downtown Core
333 Bay Street
Toronto, ON M5H 2R2