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Sweet Smiles Pastry Cafe
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Food Bakeries Event Planning & Services Caterers Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Caterers [Edit]
639 Portland Hills DrDartmouth, NS B2W 6P4
(902) 405-3595
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 6 pm
Sat 10 am - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
9 reviews for Sweet Smiles Pastry Cafe
9 reviews in English
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Review from Navoda S.
2/20/2012
There aren't many choices for good coffee and pastries in the Cole Harbour section of Dartmouth so I was pretty pumped when a friend told me about this place!
Been there a few times and have made a few converts to the place. The owners and staff are friendly and the atmosphere is fun. The cinnamon and other buns are delicious as are the other pastries. The cakes weren't fantastic, but get a pretzel. Seriously, SO GOOD!
Overall, a great place to meet a friend and catch up with a great cup of coffee and a snack or two! -
Review from Jim C.
5/2/2012
Was attending 9th annual Halifax mainland community volunteers recognition dinner with Sweet Smiles providing the catering during the event.
Menu consisted of Mesclun green salad with fig balsamic vinaigrette. Grilled breast with citrus & cranberry quinoa with carrots.
Nice simple meal, the dishes had a decent amount of flavour, nothing was cold or lukewarm. The crowd was around 68 people.
This is a solid 3 starts (A-OK), nothing bad to say about the meal. This is certainly one business that smaller community groups might want to look into as I have a feeling they provide fair value for the dollar. -
Review from Adam S.
3/31/2012
After hearing that the placed sold macarons, I put Sweet Smiles near the top of my to-visit list and promptly made my way across the bridge for my daily helping of sweet.
Perhaps a bit of the beaten path, this place is nevertheless a nice little spot to grab a treat. Mike B. and I ordered a selection of macaroons, as well as a few pastries (the lemon roll for me) for another time.
The good:
- The lemon roll was excellent. Tart and moist and full of yum.
- The cafe itself looks bright and clean and very welcoming.
- The staff person was very nice and helpful.
The bad:
The macarons. I hate to say it, because I love locally owned shops and in particular love those that sell macarons... but I'd have to say they were almost the worst macarons I've ever purchased. (The worst macarons can be found at Pete's, once they've become completely dehydrated and stale and, for some reason, are still sold.)
These macarons had very little taste to them (apart from "sugary") and the shells had gigantic air bubbles throughout, which is huge no-no when it comes to macarons. I liked that the filling was piped on using a shaped tip, though. But ultimately, these were kind of a disaster.
Considering how lovely everything else is, though, I wonder if this may just be a case of the pastry chef not having enough experience with macarons to know the proper texture and flavour. From the outside, they look just about right (though you can tell that the shells are not made properly by looking at the little feet and seeing the air bubbles).
Bottom line: I'll be back, but I won't be buying the macarons again. -
Review from Shannon K.
Lake Echo, NS
3/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
I recently dropped into Sweet Smiles with a friend, and we indulged in some sweets while catching up.
Once I found the cafe - as per other reviews, it's tucked away in a mall as one of the only tenants - I was pleasantly surprised by its bright decor and the plentiful case of treats.
The staff was polite and helpful, and we dared to have two treats each; I, a cinnamon bun and orange macaron, and my friend, the carrot cake and peanut butter chocolate pop.
After trying the carrot cake and cinnamon roll, I really felt the same about the both of them - the appearance/presentation was great, but the flavour fell a little flat. While the carrot cake had a spicy bite, it was still somehow a little bland, and the cinnamon roll was the same.
As for the macaron, it wasn't to my taste (I'm not a huge meringue fan) but if you love that kind of sweet treat, then I'd recommend trying them.
While we were chatting, we reviewed the cafe menu of calzones and quiches, and I do plan to return again to give their more savoury dishes a try.
Sweet Smiles is definitely a good addition to the Portland/Cole Harbour area as a local owned cafe and bakery. -
Review from Ben B.
When a four-star review starts to make you noticeably uncomfortable after a few stellar visits back to a business, you just know it's time to throw in that extra star. And when that business seems to be still one of Dartmouth/Cole Harbour's best kept secrets, it's even more satisfying to give them a little extra love.
Since my first Sweet Smiles experience, I've made a habit of popping in for a sweet treat to take home every now and then. Mostly because feeling like you need a reason to have more delicious things in your life is a sad way to live...
From saving surprise weekend visits with their glorious cinnamon buns (also available in more berry-filled varieties), to adding an extra something special to a take-out night with a slice of carrot cake or their incredible peanut butter pie (BEST!), it's like grabbing dessert at a gourmet restaurant without all the fuss or price tag. Two desserts usually ends up around $10, which I usually top up with a bit of a tip.
Every time I'm in, I just get happier and happier that they're in the neighbourhood!Listed in: Soul Harbour, Baked goodness., Delectable Desserts!, Cater 2 U
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/24/2011
For every time that I complain that there aren't any nice, locally-owned shops and services out in… Read more »
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Review from Lisa B.
Dartmouth, NS
10/25/2011
Coffee? Amazing.
Pastries? Even better!
Lunch? Great.
I started going to Sweet Smiles weekly a couple months ago. The owner is great and friendly. The food made daily. And when you stop by you must try their soft prezels!
It is located in a hidden location by the Portland Hill terminal... another one of Dartmouth's hidden little secrets! -
Review from Lori M.
Just a few minutes away from my home is a nugget of a cafe in Portland Hills. Bright and fun decor, blessedly close to the Bus terminal and has plenty of parking.
The brewed coffee is excellent. Always hot and Fresh. I think it is Java Factory (locally owned?).
Cinnamon Buns are spectacular! They have a lavender biscotti that is excellent as well. Those are my two top picks but there are plenty others... They even offer lunch options such as sandwiches, salads and quiches.
Open every day of the week. -
Review from Philip H.
Halifax, NS
Went to the "grand opening" of Sweet Smiles Pastry Cafe in Dartmouth... wow what a cool place. An excellent selection of baked good, freshly made, all natural ingredients, no preservatives. The blueberry rolls are my favorite, picture a love child between a blueberry muffin and a cinnamon roll.
The cafe/bakery is nicely lite with large windows at the front and high ceilings. It's very clean and is very child friendly. There is a play room/section to the rear of the store with a couple tables by it so you can enjoy your hot beverage of choice and watch the kiddies play.
Cheryl (owner) is very pleasant and down to earth. You can custom order pretty much what you want and they'll do their best to accommodate.
Organic fair trade coffee, bagged tea and all the sweets you could ever want.
Free wi-fi with purchase, wheelchair accessible. -
Review from Derek S.
Dartmouth, NS
9/4/2011
Yet another of Dartmouth's hidden gems. Anyone who frequents the Dartmouth Farmers Market will be familiar with Cheryl's wonderful pastries, macarons, and other sweet treats. She now has a bright, tidy, kid-friendly location located in that upscale looking strip mall next to the Portland Hills transit terminal. The permanent location allows for an even broader array of sweet goodness, as well as a range of drinks including fair trade coffee. The only thing missing (at least when I was there) is an espresso machine!
Listed in: Best of Dartmouth
