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Rideau Bakery
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
4 reviews for Rideau Bakery
4 reviews in English
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Review from Hannah V.
Vancouver, BC
6/30/2011
Judging by previous reviews, Rideau Bakery is very polarizing. If you're someone drawn to old world charm and Jewish nostalgia such as myself, you're probably willing to overlook its flaws. Yes, the pastries go stale. That's what happens to bread products baked without preservatives. The coffee will not taste like what you would get at an espresso bar, but that's because it's cheaper, made by at a one-woman lunch counter and probably topped with palm oil pareve creamer.
That's right paerve creamer. Rideau Bakery is one of a small handful of kosher establishments in Ottawa, which is another reason why some consumers will continue to patronize it. All products are pareve or milschig and supervised by Ottawa Vaad Hakashrut. For this reason, do not expect fresh baked good on weekends. Like many bakeries, the baker doesn't work Sundays and the bakery skirts Jewish law by having employees selling but not baking on Saturdays.
So, nu. On to the goods. I personally recommend the rye bread and prefer the buch challah over regular challah. Their black and whites are more cookie in texture than the cake-like NYC variety, but I still enjoy them. Vegans and those with allergies can also benefit from the kosher production, as Rideau Bakery offers dairy-free products such as paerve tofu cheesecake and all ingredients are labelled clearly.
In addition to baked goods and the weekday lunch counter, the back of the bakery has a small selection of kosher and Israeli dry goods, a refrigerated section (cheapest Sabra hummus in town!) and a Judaica products section with Shabbat candles, Yahrzeit candles and Kedem kosher grape juice. They also offer seasonal things like fresh hamentaschen and latkes, plus Hanukkah coins, dreidels and groggers.
Take note that in addition to closing for Canadian and Jewish holidays, the bakery shuts down completely over Passover for at least a week.Listed in: Ottawa Favourites
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Review from Barry Z.
Ottawa, ON
11/22/2008
This is one of Ottawa's last strongholds of times gone by i.e. frozen in 1950's/60's glamour. To me, the dated decor is part of the charm.
It's your basic 1950's bakery with an assortment of pastries and cakes, with an old time breakfast bar (diner stools!).
Rideau bakery makes some reportedly mean rye bread, so much so that I know of people who are asked to bring "a rideau rye" when they visit former Ottawans. There is a small selection of deli staples like pickles, milk etc., but this place is known for their bread.
The bread is available in a lot of local supermarkets, but if you've never been, it's worth the trip down (albeit surreal) memory lane.
Note: Kosher, and closed on Saturdays. -
Review from Hintonburg R.
Ottawa, ON
11/15/2009
Get yourself to Rideau Bakery if you haven't already. Places like these are true gems. Unpretentious quality with no need for overly fancy breads with overly fancy titles, this place has bread, rolls, donuts, coffee cakes, croissants and a host of other specialities at their Rideau location.
Here you can find tasty, and one could even say, heirloom recipes that lend what is becoming an increasingly rare authenticity to bakeries in general.
On top of that they have a homey and pleasant coffee bar that serves a kosher breakfast (ie, no bacon or other meats). -
Review from Out of Towner R.
Kenora, ON
1/31/2010
I sought this bakery out based on the 5 star rating. Not sure what the people who rated 5 stars got that I didn't on my visit. The service was terrible even though there were three people working and I was the ONLY person in the establishment. My first bagel was burnt to a crisp so they inquired if I wanted another. YES!! The second one wasn't toasted justed warmed up. Also had the chocolate croissant and cinnamon croissant. The chocolate one had little flavour the cinnamon was much better. Coffee was mediocre.
