Stopped by the Hillside Bakery and Café on our way to Pearson to catch the plane back to Boston. Got to know it when my mother was in a nearby nursing home, and I went there for respite. I have never eaten in the café, but have enjoyed their wonderful bread, Especially to be recommended is the cardamom tea bread with raisins(also available with marzipan filling) and the rye with caraway seeds – slightly sweetish in the scandinavian manner, and delicious. We also bought some terrific herring and beetroot salad to eat when we got home. This we did, and were sorry we hadn’t bought twice as much! Compliments to the chef.
D D.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Markham, Canada
Wandered over to this café for a bite after my mani pedi at BT Nails. I immediately loved all the little bits that could be purchased at the store. I think that’s what I loved, exploring all the different products that I have never seen before. Bought a roast beef sandwich, which was delish(the bread is amazing!) and a box of vodka filled chocolates. I haven’t opened them yet, but I can’t wait! Too bad I’m from Montréal, because I can totally see myself going here regularly!
Alex S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
This is a Finno-Estonian bakery-café(two consecutive hyphenates! WhatddoIwin?) cozily tucked away on the west side of Mt. Pleasant. I’ve never had eat-in, but many smiling customers sitting around tables of coffee, tea, sandwiches, and baked goods lead me to think that it’s not a bad idea. Why? Because I always have carb-regret by the time I get home. And let’s be clear, here, folks: carb-regret because I wish I had purchased *more carbs at Hillside*. Savoury bacon buns? Check. Desserts that are not cloyingly sweet? Yeppers. The best house-made split pea soup since the days of using a booster seat in my Oma’s kitchen? That, too. What I crave most, though, is the humble white bread. Sliced loaves, lightly dusted with flour, might look unexciting sitting on the shelf, but they are sweet. Literally. Slightly sweet dough, with a rough crust and a soft crumb(think: challah), this makes phenomenal toast. It’s white bread with Scandinavian character. Unilocal note: For the more culinarily adventurous, Hillside also offers some European classics that never caught on this side of the pond. Why headcheese has limited popularity in Toronto is a topic for another day.
Kaisa M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Hamilton, Canada
Wonderful, cozy place. Great to have a cup of tea and a delicious sandwich and relax. Of course, the existence of delicious Estonian and Finnish treats is the best part!
