Dimpflmeier Bakery — Restaurant in Toronto

I took the subway from Scarborough today. The width of urban Toronto. No quick feat at anytime. Had a list of everything I hoped to pick up, no matter the expense. I expected the final total to be pretty pricey. And, before grabbing everything, I was certainly looking forward to a coffee and a pastry in the Café.

And what did I see when I got there?

CASH ONLY

This singular phrase appears NOWHERE on their website to warn possible customers that Dimpflmeier Bakery still operates as if it were the 19th century. I know that credit cards cost the retailer but what about a debit machine? How about having an ATM as a last resort? Sorry but since the start of covid, every other retailer in Ontario has been forcing cashless transactions on us. If you want to act as if you’re running an Amish operation, then frickin’ TELL US!

[Fair is fair. Any firm who has survived 66 years in the cut-throat food preparation business deserves a second chance. And any business who is so attentive to its customers, regular or not, as to read their reviews on a daily basis (an act that even the audacious tremble before) are deserving triply so. As a result, I hoped in my car, detoured to the bank to pull some cash out (for the first time in 3 years), and drove back this morning. And actually got to peruse as a paying customer.

The French patisserie may have earned their fame but German-Austrian pastry doesn’t have to take a back seat to anyone. The offering at any European konditorei are numerous and seductive enough to blow out any budget or waistline. However, even in the city the size of Toronto, reliably getting your hands on the most basic Swabian delicacies isn’t easy. Too often, the selection is limited and the results are pale imitations of the real thing. I’m delighted to say that is not the case at the Dimpflmeier Bakery.

To be honest, I wasn’t so interested in their wide selection of different breads (I have a connoisseur friend who raves about them) but in their pastries. I’m a sucker for their Christmas stollen and stock up on their rum and marzipan varieties in December like they were fire logs. A lot of fruit pastries are dependent on the season but the range from orange pound cakes to what looked like zwetschgenkuchen (sheet cake topped with plums) that were on display was impressive. As were a half-dozen different kinds of strudel and the numerous cakes, pies, and pfannkuchen.

But I was looking for two traditional German desserts that had been recommended to me in particular. Bienenstich (aka bee sting cake) which is a cake topped with sliced almonds and filled with vanilla custard, buttercream or cream. And nussecke (or nut corners) which has a shortbread base, topped with hazelnuts, then is edge-dipped in chocolate. I almost swooned when I saw both of them at Dimpflmeier. I also picked up a small Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest cake). The two women at the register not only insisted that I wish ‘happy birthday’ to the lucky recipient but gave me a small sign saying that to be placed on top of the cake. I didn’t have the heart to tell them it was for me. I consoled myself by visiting their café and having a strong caffè americano and the best piece of chocolate mousse cake I’ve ever tasted.

So, five stars to the the Dimpflmeier Bakery for not only going above and beyond in customer service but for waving the flag for German baking. Here’s to...

We have been coming here for years and never had any issues. My mom was visiting from out of province and wanted to stock up on things she couldn't buy in NB. Today we had the worst interaction with a really nasty woman who worked there. We moved 2 chairs from one table to another to seat the 4 of us as the place was packed. Suddenly this woman dressed in a red dirndl started shrieking that we couldn't have the grey chairs at our table. We looked at her, stunned and confused. My mom told her to bring us new chairs then. The woman said she was really busy and couldnt deal with this and that we shouldn't have moved the chairs. ????? We were completely turned off and could barely finish our dried up pastries. We were left with a bad taste in our mouths. We had intended to buy a lot of bread and baked goods and ended up buying only the bare minimum. My mom went to speak to her at the counter and told her she was extremely rude. She asked to speak to the manager and the woman said she IS the manager. My mom told her she shouldn't be in that position if she spoke to people that way. I doubt I'll ever go back after the way we were treated by this...

Hadn't been to Dimpflmeiers since my son was four years old. We used to get our pastries, bread and of course the chocolate mousse cups the kids ALWAYS ask for. Went today for some bread and to kill the chocolate mousse craving. We didn't see the assorted mousse they used to sell near the cafe area though. When we asked the cashier lady she was rude, kept shaking her head saying they never made the mousse we described and proceeded to show us mousse cake with a rice crispy base from the assorted cakes area. When l tried to explain and point where we used to get them, where the ready made cakes self serve area was she just kept rushing us through saying "maybe years ago. Ok, that's it?" and motioned for us to pay. It wasn't even busy so why she was having an attitude l couldn't tell you. How dreadful to have an employee with that ignorant attitude, and representing Dimpflmeier's, yikes. We never had a bad experience or dealt with any rude employees there before. What a turn off she was. Dimpflmeiers is still great for pastries, organic bread and enjoying the cafe, but definitely won't...