Toronto’s five best house-made breads

Toronto’s five best house-made breads

Best house-made breads

An obscene amount of butter goes into Lucien’s brioche—it’s like a Parker House roll from heaven. Also great: the restaurant’s crisp-on-the-outside, pillowy-on-the-inside pretzel bread, made by cold fermenting and a pre-baking lye bath. 36 Wellington St. E., 416-504-9990.


One of the finest things to emerge from Woodlot’s giant maple-fuelled oven is a Red Fife wheat braid. The hint of smoke from the baking process gives it extra oomph. 293 Palmerston Ave., 647-342-6307.

The chefs at Buca brush their ridiculously addictive nodini—or pizza dough knots—with rosemary-infused olive oil. They finish them off with dots of garlic. 604 King St. W., 416-865-1600.

J. P. Challet of Ici Bistro dresses up his Provence-style focaccia with savoury black olives. He enriches his pain au lait with milk, butter and eggs to make the Veuve Clicquot of sandwich bread. 538 Manning Ave., 416-536-0079.

An icewine-infused dough starter makes for a tangy, airy Parisian baguette at Biff’s. 4 Front St. E., 416-860-0086.

(Image: The heavenly brioche at Lucien, by John Cullen)