Barbershop Patisserie — Restaurant in Toronto

It was love at first bite. This is my favourite bakery to emerge out of 2020. It’s simply puff pastry paradise here. I first visited the shop back in December (2020), and have returned on multiple occasions (I might be a regular here lol). This is one of my top 2 favourite places in Toronto. And I love recommending Barbershop Patisserie to friends and colleagues. Honestly everything here is delicious - and the Pastry Chef & Owner, Jill Barber (ex-Executive Pastry Chef from Paradise on Bloor and ex-Head Pastry Chef from Black Bird Baking Co.) is incredibly talented and kind. It’s the kind of small business I love and want to support.

By now, you must have heard about the famous Sausage Rolls here - I’ll confirm they are the best in the city (the pastry and the housemade sausage are equally delicious). And you must have also heard about the famous, and incredibly unique, Lemon Bichon. It’s truly phenomenal!!

And don’t discount any of Jill’s other creations - from the Chicken Pot Hand Pie to the rotating/seasonal veg puff pastry options (Squash & Goat Cheese, Beets & Boursin, Rhubarb & Ginger, Ramps with Peas & Ricotta), to THE Chocolate Chip Cookie (the cookie that made me love choco cookies), to the Cakes... You really can’t go wrong here!

The bakery space is also super cute. It’s a wonderful addition to the Toronto food scene. It’s a place I’ll keep visiting and keep supporting. Because we need more small businesses like this - unique, high quality offerings run by...

In a city with great pastry shops, Barbershop stands out for all the right reasons!

I went on their first day open, and spent the next week thinking about that Lemon Bichon, a perfectly sized, beautifully carmelized pastry that reminds me a bit of a kouign-amann (the best pastry in the world) with lemon curd inside. I visited again today and satisfied my craving - it was as good as I remembered. We also tried the apple chausson - also delicious!

The pastry itself is perfect. It shatters as you bite into it, but not in the messy way some croissants do. You get the texture of all the individual layers, and the right buttery flavour that tells you that owner (and sole employee!) Jill Barber knows what she's doing.

The chocolate chip cookie reminds me of Jacques Torres' recipe from the NYT - a better version of the one Le Gourmand is famous for. Soft in the middle, crispy on the edges, and loaded with chocolate.

Prices are what you'd expect to pay for the level of quality. Frankly, I'd have paid another dollar for each and still would have felt good about it!

Due to COVID, it's one party at a time in the shop. Combined with how great this place is, it's no surprise that when they opened at 11 on this Sunday, there was already a lineup 15 people long.

Get there early, you...

The chocolate cake is what brought me here. Jill was kind enough to set aside a cake even though I gave less than 48 hours notice. Every bite contained moist layers of cake with the perfect balance of chocolatey richness. The mushroom pastry was very tasty as well. The chocolate chip cookie came highly recommended by a well known food blogger. I’ll be honest, I had my doubts when I heard it contained sea salt and was known as the best cookie in Toronto but I decided to try it anyway. It took me two bites to truly process the different flavours and textures of the cookie. It was warm, crispy and chewy followed by a bit of savouriness with the perfect amount of sweetness from the chocolate chips. I think it is safe to say that this is the best cookie I have tried in Toronto so far. This is coming from a chocolate lover and someone that has tried a lot of different spots. Do yourself a favour and check it out next time you’re in the area - you...