O Cantinho Bakery & Pastry

Nova Era Bakery
O Cantinho Bakery
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O Cantinho Bakery is the Second Stop for our November crawl.
No, we are not here because we are doing our laundry next door, maybe we should have include laundry stops because I have been busy Unilocaling and have not been washing my clothes!
I would not even call O Cantinho as a Bakery as seems like they got some of their pastry and bread from Seara Bakery as I witnessed their Sunday delivery.
While I was checking out the pastry display, my Unilocal Friend ordered a espresso ($ 1.60) without me knowing. The nice lady even cut up the Portuguese Rice Cake ($ 1.50) without me even asking… how would she know I’m going to share with anyone?
With almost everyone here, aside from us, waiting for their laundry drying. the vibe definitely was really laid back… no where to go, nothing to do but watching CP24 and wondering when the load would be ready!
READY! NEXT!

This gets three stars not because of the quality of its food & drinks, but because:
a) They put up with the laundromat customers… they put up with them and their endless asking for change in quarters… but it’s also probably why they do so well… there is a door connecting the two businesses! In the winter you can put your laundry in, then go next door for a cappuccino & pastry without putting your coat back on and braving the cold winds of Rogers Road!) Even in the summer, we usually start our laundry, then go sit outside the café (they have little patio tables set up) with an iced coffee or Italian soda.
b) The service is fabulous — they bring your espresso drink right to the table, everything is kept immaculately clean, and they are extremely polite to interact with. Service is fast, and the espresso is WONDERFUL! The one thing that isn’t awesome in the same way is the waitresses/​baristas arguing at full voice with each other, the regular customers or neighbourhood acquaintances that happen to walk by…
c) So to continue the thought from b, the local Portuguese «flavour» you’ll experience here is priceless! And personally, I think it’s awesome — I love it! Maybe normal conversation in Portuguese just SOUNDS like angry words and antagonism, but MAN OH MAN every time I’ve been in to this café, even just to buy a bottle of water, SOMEONE ends up yelling at someone else. It’s absolutely hilarious. I don’t come here to read quietly. I come here for a refreshment and a snack while I wait for my laundry to finish — it’s a waaaay more palatable atmosphere than the humid bench in front of the dryers with CP24 as the best available entertainment!
So yes — maybe I wouldn’t come here if I didn’t do my laundry next door, but as is, I’m really glad this place is here!