Uncle Reza's Sangak Bread — Restaurant in Richmond Hill

A taste of Iran in Richmond Hill: I’ve been meaning to get to this review; in short, my husband and I were in Toronto (Oct 2018), driving through from Niagara, to specifically try Uncle Reza’s sangak bread (Iranian whole wheat leavened flatbread). Apparently, this bread dates back past the 11th century. My husband, Iraqi but born in Iran, has been going on about sangak bread since I can remember. He has always wanted to have me try it here in Canada but we could never find it until now. We discovered Uncle Reza’s, through a friend, and we were not disappointed.

As we approached the bakery, we could smell the aroma of fresh bread and toasted sesame seeds in the air. To start the owners were charming. We met Farah at the front desk. A lovely warm smile with a lingering Iranian accent she was animated and incredibly welcoming. As we introduced ourselves and began to ask about the bread Farah was eager to show us the process. Looking through their observation window we could see the authentic bread as it came out through the oven. The traditional sangak hung on the walls as though they were garments at a laundromat. The bread is huge and covered with bumps much like the original bread, in Iran, baked over hot stones. My husband said, when he was young, he would get it fresh off the stones at his local baker. He would then have to use a coin to pop out the residual stones from the bread that were inevitably embedded. It was all part of the delightful process of eating this incredible bread. (In fact I should note that the word ‘sangak’ translates to stones or stony)

At Uncle Reza’s they have a huge oven that rolls out the pelted bread. What a unique experience it all was; moreover the bread was delicious, chewy, not tough, and crispy along the edges, etched with poppy seeds and toasted sesame. Fresh and flavourful, we were handed 3 breads laid out on paper. We rolled it up like wallpaper to fit our bag. This is truly quality bread, made with caring expert hands, at the price you’d pay for a sliced loaf at your nearby grocer. I would be there, weekly, if I lived in Toronto.

From beginning to end we enjoyed meeting these beautiful people, their entertaining origin story, viewing the process and ultimately eating their incredible bread.

What a fantastic drive back to Ottawa as we got to enjoy tea (with a classic Iranian sugar cube tucked in our cheek) and authentic sangak bread.

I highly recommend this wonderful little niche-bread-place in Richmond Hill. It’s like stepping into a bakery...

I have been a regular shopper at this grocery store, but a recent experience has prompted me to reconsider my patronage. During my last visit, I was extremely disappointed to witness a manager engaging in openly discriminatory behavior. The manager made derogatory remarks about an employee's home country, stating that "all Afghani people are dumb." This outright discrimination is unacceptable and goes against the principles of respect and equality that are crucial in any workplace and community.

The employee, understandably upset by these comments, chose to leave their job immediately. Witnessing this, I expressed my dissatisfaction to the manager and informed her that I would no longer support their business. I urge the store's management to address this serious issue by implementing training on cultural sensitivity and anti-discrimination practices. It's imperative that all employees and customers are treated with dignity and respect, free from prejudice based on nationality or any other personal...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It was such an interesting and refreshing experience to visit Uncle Reza Sangak Bread in Richmond Hill. What stood out to me the most was that the bakery is entirely run by women — something you don’t often see, and I found it both inspiring and empowering.

The first time I visited, I was a little taken aback by how serious Ms. Farah was. At first, I thought maybe her attitude was a bit harsh. But after a couple of visits, I came to realize that her professionalism and seriousness come from a deep commitment to quality and service. She takes her work very seriously — and it shows in the excellent bread and efficient service.

Highly recommend this place if you’re looking for authentic Sangak bread and a strong, well-run team...