How two pastry chefs turned a Vaughan industrial unit into a destination for croissants

The sort-of secret: Bartholomew Bakery, a European-inspired bakery and pastry shop in Vaughan
You may have heard of it if: You’re a local, you have a nose for butter, or you’ve seen their trending content on TikTok or Instagram
But you probably haven’t tried it because: It’s in an industrial plaza an hour’s drive north of the city

Anthony Lavorato and Michael Sinikas first met while working in the kitchen at Aurora’s Magna Golf Club in 2013. Years later—after both had trained and worked in some of Europe’s most respected kitchens—they returned home with the idea of building a bakery of their own.

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“When I was working at Ristorante Berton in Milan, I was placed in the pastry section under the baker because he was the only person there who spoke English. He taught me a lot,” says Lavorato. “That was when I started working with bread every day in a professional kitchen—and I became obsessed with it.” He later went on to work at Del Cambio, a top-rated restaurant in Turin, before spending another four years in some of the UK’s most reputable bakeries and pastry shops.

Sinikas, meanwhile, spent some time in Munich, where he helped open a new restaurant. He went on to work at some of Europe’s most acclaimed kitchens, including the Fat Duck and St. Hubertus, then moved to BC to work at Mission Hill Winery, where his appreciation for ingredients and the people who dedicate their careers to producing them with care only deepened.

Sinikas soon found himself back in Europe, where he landed a position at London’s Maître Choux. In early 2018, after he had been there for nine months, he received a phone call from Lavorato, who said he had found the perfect production site for a bakery of their own.

A few months later, they opened Bartholomew Bakery in an industrial plaza in Vaughan. Like many bakeries starting out, it was just the two of them running a strictly wholesale operation from a single industrial unit. The bakery is named after the street where their levain, “Principessa,”—a starter they still use today in their sourdough and croissants—was first created.

Through a mutual friend who also worked in the industry, they secured a meeting with the executive chef at the Shangri-La Hotel Toronto, who loved their viennoiseries and signed them on for daily orders of about 75 pastries, both sweet and savoury, including a standout tomato and basil danish.

“We took that contract, then picked up another three hotels,” says Lavorato. “Word really started to get around, and eventually coffee shops began reaching out.”

By 2020, they had about six staff and a driver, and they were supplying nearly 40 businesses across the GTA. When the pandemic hit, they shut down their wholesale operations and pivoted to contactless delivery one day a week. Demand continued to grow, and that single delivery day soon turned into four, eventually leading to curbside pickup at the bakery.

“Michael and I used to say that, because we were in an industrial area, nobody would come to us. But we thought, Let’s do curbside pickup and see what happens,” Lavorato says. “Eventually we realized that people were willing to come to the bakery. That’s when we decided to start building out a storefront.”

From there, the rest is history.

After adding an espresso machine (and mastering how to use it), the duo opened Bartholomew Bakery to the public. The small storefront quickly became a destination, with trays of golden croissants and warm loaves drawing visitors in.

On a regular day, Bartholomew’s bakers usually arrive around 5:30 a.m. “Typically, the team will be here for about seven to eight hours, and Anthony and I stay until close,” says Sinikas. Empowering an inspired team—one that shares the same drive for quality, creativity and craftsmanship—is at the heart of their mission. “People often tell us, You guys are here all the time,” Sinikas says. “And, yeah, we are. We’re here to make sure everyone is learning and constantly improving.”

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The menu balances popular staples with seasonal and holiday creations (hello, eggnog croissants) that rotate throughout the year. Sinikas and Lavorato’s creative process unfolds organically: they often visit the Ontario Food Terminal, building relationships with farmers and sourcing some of the best fruits and vegetables local producers have to offer. Now that their team has expanded, they also draw inspiration from each of their staff’s unique backgrounds to experiment and develop new products. Their head of lamination, Daniela, who is from Mexico, came up with the churro croissant, a pastry that has since appeared on menus across Toronto.

“The butter croissant is a must-try,” says Lavorato. “When you visit a bakery, the best thing to do is taste the plainest product they serve. We specialize in pastries and viennoiseries, and it’s taken years of commitment and R&D to get our butter croissant to where it’s at. We’re super proud of it.”

Their menu features cult favourites like Danishes, double-baked pistachio croissants, chocolate cookies, pies and, of course, sourdough bread. They also serve focaccia sandwiches for those seeking something savoury, of which the mortadella-pistachio is a fan favourite.

They’ve fostered a wide-ranging community, with regulars driving in from across the GTA. Roughly 80 per cent of their customers now come from outside of Vaughan—an unexpected turn that speaks to the quality and consistency of their products. “It makes me feel embraced,” says Sinikas. “Seeing the community come and support us that way is tremendous. I remember when there was nobody around. It was just us working late nights. To see it grow into what it is now is amazing.”

467 Edgeley Blvd., unit 14, Vaughan, 905-761-3363, bartholomewbakery.com