The Baker — Restaurant in Ottawa

I’ve never written a Google review before, but I feel compelled to after my experience at The Baker this evening. More about the food below – what I really want to share, first and foremost, is information about the tremendous customer service. It was actually so warm, thoughtful, decent, and lovely that I hesitate to even call it “customer service.” A few months ago, I won a gift card for this restaurant which had been donated by The Baker as part of a fundraising raffle for my child’s not-for-profit daycare. After a very busy day with my family, I called in an order from a community pool deck for pick-up on the ride home, which I immediately realized was a huge error on my part . . . it was so loud on my end of the call that I spent most of the call apologizing because I couldn’t hear anything and hoping for the best that the person on the other end had heard my order!

When I arrived at The Baker, it took a little time to figure out that the order had been taken down but mistakenly set aside because someone thought it was for the following evening. The owner (I believe?) explained what had happened with good humour and grace, and he let me know that it would be a short wait while they assembled and cooked the pies. All of this was completely and utterly my own mistake (and it was pretty funny, too), so I was not fazed by the delay; however, I was very touched that my daughter was given several cookies while we waited, and the owner also gave us a discount and waived the remaining amount owed so that the gift card covered our meal. This was completely unexpected and unnecessary, and it did not at all feel like it was just about pleasing a customer . . . it sincerely felt like the owner was such a kind, friendly, generous person. Thank you.

The food? Another first for me today –Lebanese pies! I agree with every positive review posted here. The food was delicious, flavourful, filling, fresh, and extremely affordable. We ordered a variety of pies so that we could sample the different flavours, and everyone in the family enjoyed the meal. My daughter (4 years old) can be picky when trying something new, but she loved the sausage and cheese. We will definitely be returning to The Baker for many...

Disappointing Customer Service Experience

I stopped by today hoping to get an afternoon snack and support a local spot, but unfortunately, the customer service left a lot to be desired, to say the least.

When it was my turn at the counter, I wasn’t greeted, acknowledged, or even looked at.

The person behind the counter avoided eye contact entirely and made no effort to engage — not a “hello,” not a “how can I help you,” nothing. He deliberately kept on starting in a different direction.

It felt as if my presence was unwelcome, which is not something you expect (or want) when walking into a neighborhood business.

As a small, community-based establishment, it should be second nature to treat customers with a basic level of courtesy and friendliness or at least a decent acknowledgement. That simple interaction can go a long way. Sadly, that was completely missing here.

I did still buy a small desert item, much less than the original intention. After the transaction, the young man behind the counter turned his back and simply walked away.

In the world of small neighbourhood eateries, customer service is not just a courtesy, it's a cornerstone. At least don't ignore them.

This review is strictly about the customer service. I will not...

Finally got out to Farrhaven to try The Baker! Ordered 4 different pies- meat and cheese, cheese, basil pesto & halloumi, and the filler (chicken, veggies, and cheese). Waited about 15 mins for them. My partner and I ate them right away in the parking lot to ensure we had them fresh.

The meat and cheese was good. The meat was well seasoned and the pita had a good crunch to it. Only problem was that it didn’t come warm/ hot which was a shame because it would’ve definitely tasted better. I feel like the pie was warmed right at the beginning and then left in the bag while the other pies cooked.

Cheese was pretty basic. It came cold and wasn’t melted whatsoever so I wasn’t very impressed with it at all. It was a bit disappointing.

Basil pesto & halloumi was super tasty. This pie was nice and hot so definitely freshly made. The pesto was nice and fragrant and the halloumi added a nice salt to it.

The filler: This pie was piping hot and was the winner out of all of them. Well seasoned and generous amount of fillings. I like the assortment of veggies that were in it- mushrooms, peppers, onions and broccoli were the ones I noticed. It’s definitely a filling pie...