The uptown outpost of Queen East bakery Bobbette and Belle looks like it was plucked straight from the pages of Architectural Digest. The decorative touches are charming: baskets filled with antique rolling pins, a wall bedecked with silver serving trays, and a teal Louis XIV sofa that begs to be reclined upon (regally, of course). Retirees and stroller-pushing parents sip Balzac’s coffee at a handful of marble bistro tables while others peruse the Victorian armoires lined with pretty packages of peanut brittle, chocolate-dipped marshmallows and English toffee. The counter is crammed with even more treats, including palm-sized fruit tarts, Instagram-ready cupcakes (pumpkin, lemon and red velvet, to name a few), and a rainbow-hued selection of delicate macarons. Your inner voice might urge you to stick with a sensible blueberry scone, but consider splurging on a slice of the intensely rich chocolate-hazelnut cake.
3347 Yonge St., 416-466-8800, bobbetteandbelle.com
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Caroline Aksich, a National Magazine Award recipient, is an ex-Montrealer who writes about Toronto’s ever-evolving food scene, real estate and culture for Toronto Life, Fodor’s, Designlines, Canadian Business, Glory Media and Post City. Her work ranges from features on octopus-hunting in the Adriatic to celebrity profiles.