My neighbourhood is full of potential and has been progressing quickly over the past few years. Progress Bakery, however, has been here forever. She is old and solid. Think of her as your Portuguese Grandma, filling your bellies on the regular, old-school style. Tosta mista sandwich is my favourite: they take a big soft bun, put ham and cheese on it and then crush it and grill it to make it a crunchy, hot pocket-like perfection. Progress is pushing my drug of choice, bread, so I see her on the regular, and if you’re looking for a cheap sandwich, strong coffee or loaf of the good stuff, pop on by.
Sonam R.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Toronto, Canada
Every neighbourhood needs a local bakery and Dovercourt Village has Progress. Thank goodness! If you’re into desserts or pastries this place isn’t fancy, but the desserts are delicious and the Portuguese egg tarts, pastel de natas are some of the best around. You can get everything from croissants to spring rolls here. They do lots of sandwiches, pizzas, warm meals, a variety of different breads and even slab cakes. Best of all everything is remarkably cheap. I’ve never spent more than a tenner here. I can’t help but think all bakeries in Portugal are like this one. It’s a hidden Toronto gem. NB — cash is king
Hilary K.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Toronto, Canada
Covers the bases. Nice tosta-mista(ham and cheese) with a quick crunch on the outside and melty cheese on the inside. She makes Americanos right, and their bread is pretty fantastic. I like the dark rye especially. It’s a basic experience. The feeling is pure. You can buy an ice cream sandwich.
Randy M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Toronto, Canada
I pass by Progress Bakery on a regular basis – it’s in my neighbourhood, the laundromat I regularly use is just across the corner – and on a reasonably regular basis I stop in. It’s a nice place. The food is good, whether we’re talking about the large variety of baked goods(sweet and otherwise) or about their veal sandwiches. The service can be a bit slow, but it’s a small enough place that customers are never forgotten altogether. Progress has undergone a bit of a relaunch, introducing more«mainstream» food items – they now sell a Portuguese-style BLT that’s not half-bad. They are cash only, though, lacking any kind of electronic payment system.
Lauren M.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Toronto, Canada
This place is just down the block from my boxing gym so I like to pop in en route to the gym for some kind of ridiculously unhealthy snack/breakfast before my workout, especially if I’m slightly hungover. They have these deep fried doughnut things with sugar coating that taste just like an elephant ear/beaver tail you get from the CNE. But they only cost $ 1.25 here. OMFG. So delicious. They are also do veal sandwiches, mini pizzas, custard tarts and the usual Portuguese crap you can get everywhere else. Coffee and fresh baked bread too. Friendly Portuguese lady working the counter and a few tables for sitting. OMNOMNOM donut
Daphne B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Toronto, Canada
The pizza dough is fresh and so is the bread. The ambiance is typical of a local portuguese bakery, but its handy to have around. Just like the previous review the tarts are better.
Val G.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Toronto, Canada
This is a small Portuguese bakery on the SW corner of Dovercourt & Hallam. I’ve only ever tried the custard tarts and coffee which comes in an old school styrofoam cup. They make the tarts fresh in house unlike the bigger Portuguese chains. Service is spotty because it a very sleepy operation. The only other customers seem to be elderly Portuguese men who linger for hours. I’ve had to actually holler for service because there was no one in sight. But the tarts are good enough, better than Caldense and Nova Era in my opinion.