‘Le Beau’ Boulangerie — Restaurant in Toronto

Pleasantly surprised.

I love trying out new bakeries in the GTA and Le Beau was my next stop on a Tuesday morning. The new Cherry Street location, that is…because the other location is closed on Tuesdays.

Anyway, there was a female staff member there with what I believe was an English accent— she was friendly and provided her recommendations on which savoury and sweet items to try. I picked up four savoury items and five sweet items, and a banana hot chocolate. Yep, 🍌 🍫. It was pretty creamy and delicious 🤤

It is evident that a lot of effort was put forth in creating the various flavour combinations (e.g., the Cuban [cheese, ham, pickles], and the seasoned potato and bacon), and in the quality of the baked goods. I had the pistachio financier and it was very moist. The croissants and danishes are buttery, and then crispy and flakey on the outside but tender on the inside. I’d have to say it is one of the best in the GTA from my own personal list.

My only thing is that the filling of some of the more fruity croissants were a little tart for my liking, but that’s just me. I personally would opt for more of a creamier filling, like the cream with berries croissant vs. the berry cheesecake croissant, and the affogato hazelnut.

I was also hoping to see a selection of tarts— I know this is a newer thing and hope to see more of it in the future.

Limited seating at the back behind the front counter and the environment was very clean and chill.

You can find 10 minute parking along Mill Street nearby (next to the Distillery) and walk a very short distance to the bakery for takeout or park in the nearby Green P underground parking on Cherry Street, across the bakery if you wish to dine-in...

I almost never write a 1-star review (check my profile), but after three visits I feel it's valid. I first discovered Le Beau at the Dundas location years ago and quickly became a champion of their croissants. I’ve personally recommended them to friends and coworkers, and even stood up in debates insisting they were the best in town—because to me, the flaky, buttery pastry spoke for itself. That’s why I was so excited to see a location open closer to me.

Unfortunately, two of my three visits here have been marred by poor service. Nobody walks into a café hoping to be met with lazy or rude energy. Coffee is a morning ritual, a pick-me-up. The mood of the staff is infectious—when they’re happy, it makes the customer’s day lighter. When they’re disengaged, the opposite happens. I’ve seen that same flat, unwelcoming demeanor across more than one employee, which makes it clear this is not an individual issue but a management one. It’s up to leadership to ensure staff feel supported and motivated so that positivity can flow naturally to customers.

As for the pastries, they lack the little edge that once made them extraordinary. The croissants are still good, but I miss the slight saltiness in the butter that set them apart and made me so loyal in the first place.

I’m leaving this review because I want Le Beau to succeed—I know how good it can be. But unless management invests in the people behind the counter, you risk losing...

The croissants are very good, and they serve Hatch coffee bean, which is also top notch. There is only seating for a few, maybe 8, people. It is conveniently located next to the Distillery District Loop streetcar stop.

I had rough service at the soft opening. Being the 2nd in line, I was expecting a smoother experience. Instead of asking who’s next, the staff just made eye contact with the party behind me and asked them directly what they wanted. I had to say that I haven’t ordered. She ignored it. She just made a facial expression which I took as “I did a boo boo” but I didn’t hear an apology. The person that was taking my order kept getting my order wrong. I had to repeat my order three times. Once I was at the cashier, I was still missing an item and the cashier had to go back. The cashier also took my coffee order wrong. I’m pretty sure I paid more for my coffee. I wanted a couple of oat lattes but the ticket apparently said it was for oat lattes with dark chocolate. The barista, who is a cool guy that I’ve chatted with at the Dundas location, corrected the order but I wasn’t given a receipt or a refund. I’ve been to the Dundas location many times and the experience is much better there.

I’m sure it’ll be better but just...