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Although I've only ever had pie here, I think that still qualifies me to write a review. I highly recommend the sour cherry pie. The slices are a generous size and loaded with plump juicy cherries. Thank god I don't live close by, or I would go every day!
The establishment itself is not air conditioned but is perfectly adequate. The staff are friendly and easy going, and they provide a jug of tap water for people to help themselves to, which is nice on these hot summer days.
I'm a pie snob. Sorry, that's just the way it is. My granny used to make a pie a day when my mom was growing up & I've learned how to make pie from each of them.
If you're not used to amazing homemade pie, you'll probably think Wanda's is fine. But it also has slightly gruff service (it's pie! smile a little...) & my most recent visit left me with really subpar quiche & my friend ordered a sandwich without cilantro or red onion & ...well, it had both cilantro & red onion.
I'm not going to pay that much for subpar baked goods. Sorry Wanda!
Hmmm.....a 3.5 I think. It took a few too many calories, but I'm finally ready to write my review of Wanda's. I had just watched Waitress again the first time I wandered by and it was as if the shop had been deposited in my path by an act of God. I almost ran in, all ready to pie it up!
It's kind of quirky inside. Very dark so that you can barely see really, but that also means it's pleasantly cool on a humid July day.o There are 2 chilled display cabinets of full pies and pie by the slice with a cupcake display on top and a display of cake slices on the counter nearby. All looked yummy!
The first time I went in I decided on the coconut cream pie. Service was OK-just. I wasn't too keen on the pie itself. Perhaps it was the too high expectations from recently watching a movie heavily involving delicious and adventurous pies....but this didn't do it for me. It was a bit bland with huge bits of shredded coconut running through it. I didn't finish my slice. Second attempt-decided on a slice. I tried to peer through the gloom inside to figure out which slice was which and eventually asked the girl which one was the peanut slice. "The one with the peanuts on it", she snapped. Nice! Anyway, I bought it. Again, not impressed. Pretty tasteless, especially considering that it's quite pricey. And I don't really like being treated like an imbecile when I'm trying to buy comfort food. I had more than enough of that while I was in training for my job.
So.....today I decided to see if it was 3rd time lucky. it was hot and humid and had started to rain. My diet is starting tomorrow (marking day one number 10,004) and it seemed appropriate to try another pie. The guys serving me today were lovely-really friendly-and I got nods of approval for my choice. It seemed like the obvious one when my eyes landed on it-red velvet cake. They packaged it to take away and I carried my precious cargo home with me. It was delicious. Really excellent. I hate the word moist, but I don't know how else to describe a really good cake that practically melts in the mouth with not a hint of dryness. The layers were interspersed with cream cheese and it a cream cheese topping. All of this is past tense considering it didn't last long once I had put a fork into it! It is a bit much for an everyday treat at $4.99 per slice but the portions are generous.
So....final verdict? I'll probably go back for the red velvet but it hasn't dragged itself up to a full 4 stars yet!
Thank you Wanda. You were the vegetarian salvation of a lunch that had almost been ruined by a sad-ass burrito across the street.
I could smell your pies from half a block a way and the small was warm and inviting and drew me in. Inside there was a bit of a crush and a wait at the counter, but the pay off was so worth it.
I had the mushroom and cheese pie. When I asked for an inside piece no-one mocked and promptly warmed it up. The crust was light and flaky, the filling tasty and the chutney it came with was so good I could have eaten it by the bowl.
I also had pecan pie. I wasn't going to get pie bet there were samples of both that and a lemon coconut square on the counter. I sampled both and both were excellent. Not just good, but excellent. After that I needed more, and being as standing by the sample plate clearing it off is frowned upon I ordered my own piece. If my lunch date had been able to hold back from stealing pieces I would say I ate every crumb. As it is I will have to say I ate every crumb my lunch date did not.
Said lunch date also had the raspberry chocolate soft serve which was conversation stoppingly good.
It was less that $7 for a hot lunch with dessert that I would have paid twice that for happily. I'll be back.
I was not really impressed with the pies here. The setting is nice and quaint, but my review reflects the pie, because the place is called Pie.
The blueberry pie was so-so. There was enough fruit filling, but it didn't really taste of blueberries. Plus the crust was bready, dry, and bland. Not flaky at all, and not buttery enough.
Stay away from the chocolate mousse pie. They commit the cardinal sin of putting gelatin in their mousse. Sure it makes it hold its shape, but the mousse loses its smoothness, and the gelatin blunts the flavour of the chocolate. The crust was likewise bland, dry, and not flaky.
I suspect that the recipes are the way they are because they are trying to make their pies low-fat. Low-fat crust = dry boring crust. Gelatin in mousse means you need fewer egg yolks, which means less fat. If you like your desserts low-fat, that's up to you, but to me that's just a recipe for torture, so I can't recommend Wanda's for pie. Some of their grain salads looked interesting, however, perhaps I'll go back and try them.
OMG if you love decadent desert and cappuccinos as much as I do - I pity you AND I must direct you to Wanda's here in Kensington Market.
Crowded with tables and chairs and attractive, interesting, mostly young (and diverse) urban professional types, with some alternative folks as well, Wandas is obviously hugely popular and probably usually jammed on the weekends. Warm and cosy, playing great music, and vegetarian, they served me a wonderfully creamy and frothy cap and a piece of Monkey Bread - a huge slice of sticky, gooey, crunchy, pecan-y (yay a new word!) sweet-roll like decadent goodness I estimated weighed in at 2000 calories, putting it on my brand new gotta-have-it list for Kensington Market visits in future.
Also struck me as a great place to include in the agenda for a date on the weekend as it would provide a great energy for pushing two people together. Come and enjoy!!
Cutest place ever. Bumping on a Sunday afternoon. I'll have to come back for a full meal. I'm talking appetizer, lunch, dessert, dessert, go shopping around Kensington, come back, rinse, repeat but with dinner.
I managed to snag a little table with a friend to enjoy a 6 inch cherry pie. Gorgeous buttery crust with leafy and circle designs on top. It's a personal preference that I like a higher ratio of filling to crust but still very, very good. Tart and sweet.
Having said that, I ordered a strawberry rhubarb pie, not cherry. I like cherry too and I know both pies have ruby red filling but it's a pie shop. Shouldn't they be able to tell which pie they are giving me? Guess that's one way to keep 'em coming back.
When it comes to pies I don't mess around. I make ridiculously good pie so I have high expectations for bakery made pie. On several occasions I've stopped by Wanda's (both the old Yorkville location and the new Kensington location) for a slice only to be disappointed by mediocre pie. Every so often I go back thinking that I just went on a bad day last time since I hear such good things about Wanda's pies. But, each time I'm disappointed again. My conclusion: most people have no idea what a good pie is meant to taste like.
My suspicion is that if Wanda made a single pie it would be amazing, but when making the dozens required for a bakery her method just doesn't scale well. The pies look and sound great but the crust isn't flaky, the filling is missing something, and the pies don't taste fresh.
Having said all this, Wanda's pies are decent and better than most places in the city. They just don't measure up to my high standard.
Wanda was out of water today.*
This both literally and metaphorically describes my experience at the first "real" stop on Sunday's UYE pie crawl. I say "real" because our first scheduled stop in Roncesvalles was scratched, and because the paninis that Shari "do YOU wanna drive?" M. and I enjoyed at Pennylick's before arriving don't really count as pies (though they scored an honourable mention on the day's record).
It was cold, so we waited inside for Stephanie "Kartman" C. who delighted us with her impressions whilst her pie was warmed. While waiting for Stephanie I had been greeted by one very friendly pie lady (who had been kind enough to explain what 'ambrosia' was), surveyed the unique beverage offerings (I opted for Muskoka Dry Ginger Ale) and selected our slices (Just Pecan for me).
We all went sans ice cream (I don't think it was offered, come to think of it) and when I asked for water, I was scorned by the other, considerably crankier pie girl who advised that water was available "over there" (by which she meant the water station on the far side of the restaurant). I headed over, grabbed a cup, and pulled back the faucet. Nothing. Back to the bar.**
Turns out the Sour Cherry would have been a better bet than the Just Pecan - Stephanie's pie gave me some serous plate envy. Mine was OK, but not mind-blowing, and since I'm not a blueberry fan (thanks to traumatic memories of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) I passed on a bite of Shari's.
I'm not a huge stickler for cleanliness (read: I'm a huge stickler for cleanliness) but the tables were dirty and this is never a good thing with me. I don't blame the staff - the two behind the counter had enough on their hands and they could have used a third.
I think one could do better for pie. But if you're in Kensington Market and you want pie stat, come here.
* If you skipped down to this footnote, either you didn't get it, you're wondering if I did, or you're wondering how lame one man can actually be.
** Lucky for the both of us, Cranky Pie Girl was rather cute. I endured her scowl in exchange for a second look.
Listed in: My Epic Reviews
Ever since Pushing Daisies I have had a whole love affair with pies. I like baking pies, eating pies (mainly my own though, Toronto is lacking severely in pie places), even looking at pictures of pies! Just coming in to a place and being overwhelmed with the smell of butter and fruits and chocolate. Than you break a piece of flaky buttery crust and dive into the warm gooey apple slices...
Okay I'm rambling. Anyways, after a few recommendations I've decided to check out Wanda's. Their website looks really charming and the pies THERE looked really delicious.
Now the place does look nice, cute and pretty. I had a croissant which was pretty good although I prefer more butter, their croissant were more bready.
However I came there for the pie! There was six of us and we shared an apple pie. Something really classic and I did not like it one bit. I know in bakeries when you bake something ahead of time you keep it in the refrigerator display thing but it's an APPLE PIE it NEEDS to be piping hot! I think because it was quite cold the center was not nice and gooey, it was a bit grainy and dry. The filling was in some ways too sweet and too sour at the same time. Also, the pie crust was neither flaky nor tender and I think they use an all shortening crust cause it was very bland.
Overall, it was very disappointing. Of course I think I might have set my expectations too high but with the kind of reputation they have I didn't think I was being picky. The place is very nice, great atmosphere and everything and the croissant was good but I think it's ridiculous that a pie place have the worst pies I've ever had.
For better pie I think Madeleines are better although I only had a cream pie which is supposed to be cold so I guess I'll see if their warm pies are better but the cream pie had a better crust and better filling already and Madeleines atmosphere was much quainter.
Listed in: Places That Needs To Die In A…
Decent hipster location. A bit disorganized but a great corner spot in Kensington. Service with a smile but slow. Excellent sandwiches and pies are a bit pricier than you would expect. Lattes are done well, but the spacing and overall flow of the place make nice weather and a seat outside a must.
Eh... not so impressed by this place, mainly because of the price.
The pie at Wanda's was highly recommended to me by my hosts in Toronto. In my opinion it was no better than and probably inferior to the pie my dear mother makes (maybe she makes extraordinarily good pies?).
I went for a slice of classic cherry pie, which ought to serve as a good baseline. They warmed it up for me, which was nice. Again though, it was kind of thin, sad looking pie and not anything really remarkable. If I had paid less for it then it might have been okay, but for the $6 (tax incl.) I paid, I felt it was overpriced.
I can't begin to tell you how much I love this little shop.
First, let's discuss the pie. Fantastic. Delicious. Not over-priced (this pie is worth every fucking penny). Oh, and a huge selection. You can buy a slice to stay in their cozy little shop and you can buy pies in a variety of sizes to enjoy at home (mini-pies suitable for 1-2 people, small pies, medium pies, large pies - pretty much every size you could ask for). Oh, and they have VEGAN OPTIONS. How rare is that? Yes, I said VEGAN!
Second, the place is cozy and friendly and the staff are very welcoming and are patient every time I take up to five minutes to make my final pie slice decision. As an added bonus, they have a water tank there for you to help yourself which, to me, is the sign of a restaurant who wants their customers to feel relaxed and welcome.
Lastly, the location in Kensington is much more convenient than the previous one in Yorkville. Win-win for me!
Definitely go to Wanda's and eat their pie. And then buy one to take home with you.
Listed in: Best Vegetarian in Toronto, Where Vegetarians and Meat…
Almond croissant a bit too crispy. Should have had pie for breakfast.
Miss Wanda's was stop #2* on the Pie (or Pye) Crawl where I met up with Shari M and Dale M. I had been to Wanda's before and had only sampled their ice cream, which I remembered being necessary to cool down with on the hot summer's day.
All previous reviews are accurate: it does smell deliciously good inside. It's a pleasant welcome on an overcast and cool autumn afternoon. You do feel overwhelmed by the large selection of pies, and cookies and sandwiches. My only question is how does the staff remain slim? It's beyond my understanding as I would gain 100 pounds if you found me working behind the counter.
Ignoring the other edible choices, my focus was on pie and only pie. Upon careful inspection, I finally decided on a sour cherry slice. The filling was good, not too sweet and a little tart however the crust seemed hard and not very appetizing. I'm not epicurean but it seemed to me that the crust was made with shortening rather than butter. Butter's the way to go personally so I felt disappointed by this but it was no less edible as I ate the entire slice. I also tested Shari M.'s fresh blueberry pie and Dale M.'s pecan pie, and theirs were equally delicious so my first experience at Wanda's was good.
Now, having said this, I can live with a hard crust but I'm giving my review 3 stars. The reason for this is the set-up inside was highly disorganized. When you designate the order line, the cash line and pick-up line in one spot, it becomes very congested. After placing your order, the friendly staff doesn't necessarily tell you where you should stand or which one pie slice is your own as you wait. I nearly grabbed someone else's order by mistake because no one told me that it would take a few minutes longer to warm up my slice. My suggestion is to separate the order counter and pick-up counter, it would make life a little easier for us patrons, who are overwhelmed by the delicious smells wafting in the air.
UPDATE:
* Wanda's was stop #1 as the Pie Crawl did not begin at Queen of Tarts as originally planned.
Recently I was invited to a friend's place for dinner and was in charge of dessert... Because I was so undecided on what to get, I ventured over to Wanda's Pie in the Sky. They were very helpful and the great sizing options they have there helped me make a challenging decision (I really like dessert), a fun one. I opted for 2 of their small pies (Pecan and Apple Crumble), and this worked out beautifully because we had options when dessert rolled around.
My favourite is the pecan pie although I would say the apple pies are delicious as well. My only meh with Wanda's is the pricing. Their pies are a bit steep in pricing.
I can also vouch for their coffees. When I do laundry in the area I usually go there to pass the time and have some delicious roasted beans. Very tasteful.
Listed in: My Holiday Hot Spots
Oh, mah gard. While waiting in line to purchase some of their gooey monkey bread, I inhaled almost the entire plate of the chocolate chip cookie samples.
I almost wished the line was longer than it was.
Anyway, it's rare to find a soft, moist chocolate chip cookie that gets my eyes rolling to the back of my head. Miss Wanda does it again.
I'LL BE BACK. (And for the sake of your business, hide the sample tray! Please.)
Listed in: Toronto: Meals under $10! (And…
Sour cherry pie is so boring, but feels soooo right.
So, it bothers me that every time I come in here…
Read more »
Little known fact: you can get sandwiches by the half ($3.75, wholes for $6.75) at Wanda's! But why would you want to do that, you ask?
Well, Wanda's makes some pretty interesting sandwiches by pairing inspiring flavours and ingredients and it can get quite difficult to make a choice - especially when you're the type of person who loves to try new things (and of course you are). Avocado with cilantro? Brie with watercress and cucumbers? Warm cheddar with mango chutney and apple? Warm portabello with cilantro? All delicious.
So why should you have to choose? Just order a few halves and have your own little sandwich taste test! Just don't mention my name if the poor sandwich maker gets annoyed. They're already really busy and the half sandwich option is not actually offered on the menu. This is just too good of a food adventure and I had to share it.
My last visit was quite disappointing. The croissant wasn't as good as it normally is and to make matters worse the girl behind the counter picked the gimpy croissant with one side missing. So I got ripped off on the size of the croissant, and it was stale! So disappointing! Why do I get the feeling time after time that Kensington market restaurants don't care about taste, quality or service? How is this even ok in the world we live in today??
Yummy! Mmmmm sugar, butter, carbs and chocolate... All done pretty nicely. So good! One of the… Read more »
This afternoon I went with a few colleagues to Wanda's for a spot of lunch.
I selected the half sandwich/soup combo for $8.99. For soup I chose the vegetable provencale (lentil was the other option). For a sandwich I chose the avocado on dark wheat.
The following are my thoughts on Wanda's:
- Serving size was perfect. Soup was served in a fair sized bowl and the half sandwich was served on rather thick bread.
- Soup was tasty and served piping hot. The soup was tomato based and came with large chunks of vegetables (some of which I think were potato).
- Included in the sandwich were long slices of avocado with slices of red peppers and mozarella cheese. I was given the option of garlic or spicy mayo. I chose the spicy mayo which gave the sandwich an added kick.
- Atmospehere/decor is rather funky/eclectic, with a communal table and mixed size furniture.
- Beware that the place is quite small and that during a busy lunch hour in the winter, there may be limited seating options.
- Counter service was friendly and efficient.
- For a price point of $8.99, in my humble opinion, I think that it's a touch too expensive for what you are getting in return. I would say that a fairer price point would be $6.99 or $7.99.
- Also, I purchased a small dulce de leche macaroon shortly before leaving. While the cookie was tasty, it cost $1.42, and given the small size of the cookie, I'd say again that it was a touch over-priced.
Given all of the above comments, I'd definitely recommend checking out Wanda's for something a little bit different.
We went to Kensington to have brunch and enjoy the first PS Kensington of the year. We ended up having brunch at Wanda's and were so glad we did. I've wandered in a couple of times before, but was overwhelmed at the choice. This time I finally ate here and it was delicious. We had a strata and a croissant egg thing, of which I didn't catch the name. Both were delicious.
We enjoyed our brunch so much, that after finishing our browsing through the shops we went back and bought some monkey bread, some salad and some scones, so gooood.
Can you remember the best cookie you have ever had in your life? What the exact moment felt like?
Probably not...But I can. Each and every time I bite into one of Wanda's gingerbread cookies.
I'd love to try and describe it, but I really don't think I would do it justice. Just know they are completely and utterly ridonkulous. Aside from the cookies exists a wide array of delectable pies and cakes with a proven track record of success. Wanda's is one of the shining gems in Kensington rocks.
Wanda's runs wholesale to many of Toronto's restaurants and cafés. They typically close around 7, or sundown like the majority of the market. There is some seating available inside, staff is very helpful, and delivery on big orders.
Completely and utterly ridonkulous
I went for a slice of pie and and I'm sad to say I have mixed feelings. The place is a nice, cozy bake shop with great patio seating. The staff were very friendly but they seemed very disorganized. For only 6-8 people standing in line they couldn't move them through at reasonable pace.
For the pie, I had a slice of blueberry and wasn't really impressed. I think I should have gone with my instincts and gotten a slice of the Dutch Apple. I was disappointed at the selection of slices you could purchase as compared to the selections of whole pies they had available. I would have loved to try a slice of apricot or peach. My wife had one of their fudge tarts and almost slipped off her seat she enjoyed it so much.
Overall I'd be willing to give this place a second chance since there are so many different pies to choose from. Next time I'll go for lunch since their sandwiches looked extremely tasty.
While a friend and I were in the area and looking for a sensory OD, we strolled into Wanda's. The only problem...ya can't eat it all at once! lol! Shared an almond croissant...so good. The coffee was so smooth and flavourful.
Will be back to sample more goodness soon....
After reading all these mouth watering reviews of Wanda's I just had to go. And so I did! And I loved it!
Pie is so underated you guys.
You know how Justin T. brought sexy back? Can he bring pie back next? Pie is lacking in our modern culture! Everywhere its cake and cookies! How about some pie?!
Thank you Wanda's for finally showing pie some much needed love. I do not eat half as much pie as I would like to, and without you I don't know what I would do. Thank you.
Do your self a favor. Eat some pie.
Ps. They do sell more then pie here. I just love pie.
I'm a sucker for baked goods; pies, cookies, breads... Then to top it off with non-traditional ingredients and flavours, well, that's a match made in heaven.
There is a trade-off when one has to consider the options between selection and freshness as Chris P. was unhappy with the selection @ Wanda's. I would much rather have the guarantee of quality and freshness that Wanda provides, if that means I'd have a smaller selection. On my last visit I tried the Tomato Bocconcini salad and it was excellent.
On my next visit I hope to see black pepper and salt shakers placed with the cutlery as they are a basic need. All in all, the customer service has a little room for improvement, but the food need never change!
Listed in: My Weaknesses., A Diabetic's best friend.
There's a lot more than just PIE here, in fact I don't think I've even tried any pie here, but it does always look amazing! The location of this place is great, if you're on college you don't really need to venture deep into Kensington to get your baked good fix. They also offer lunch items at reasonable prices and hot and cold drinks.
The staff are really sweet and I've loved everything I've tried here! They also have indoor seating and outdoor, which will be awesome now that the weather is warming up. Definitely a good place to check out if you're craving something sweet or are in the area and need a quick bite!
I like how cozy this place is, it's really nice. The pie is awesome, the food? Let's just say it tastes realllllly healthy =)
Just a note: I got the blueberry pie (or maybe it was wild blueberry?). The crust wasn't as sweet as I'd like it, which brought out the tartness of the wild blueberries. HOWEVER, the pie overall tasted very light and had me feeling like I could eat more!
Mmmmm pie... I'm a fanatic for all things coconut. If there's a coconut dessert, I'm all over it. Unfortunately, it never usually coconut-y for me. Not the Coconut Creme Pie at Wanda's Pie In The Sky.
Even though we came in at almost closing time, the girl at the counter still made us a fresh batch of coffee and was quite welcoming. The buttery flaky crust paired with just the right sweetness of coconut creme with flakes of coconut interspersed and topped with a generous amount of glorious whipped cream made for a heavenly party in my mouth. My friend ordered a Chocolate Almond Kiss cookie. That, too, was excellent - great chocolate-y flavour.
Wanda's is a great addition to an already food-centric neighbourhood like Kensington. Welcome!
Whoa! Banana Cream Pie to die for! Coffee ain't too shabby either. I went to Wanda's for the first time today for a slice of pie and ended up buying a whole one@!
I think it's going to take me years to try everything that looks good at Wanda's. There's ice cream, squares, brownies, tarts, and lot and lotsa pie. Wanda's recently re-opened in Kensington Market (after years in Yorkville), and the new space is a retail café and a wholesale bakery, all in one. You can dine on sandwiches on the busy sidewalk patio, or work your way through the pie menu, one slice at a time. They also have great coffee and all of the ice cream is from Kensington Market Organic Ice Cream Company. My personal favourite items are the cheesecake brownies and the ridiculously sweet OTT (over the top) almond croissant.
I love going to Wanda's Pie In the Sky on the weekends for a quick lunch or to indulge in one of their many expertly baked pies. The strawberry rhubarb is my favourite with it perfect mix of tart and sweet. The selection is great too they have fruit pies, cream pies, pecan pies etc. They also do great vegetarian soups and sandwiches. Staff are super friendly as well. Kinda small inside so it gets cramped quickly but when they do have a sidewalk patio when it's warm outside. A good place to take a breather when you're in Kensington market.
Wanda's Pie in the Sky is a winter afternoon delight. After I was done with my Christmas shopping in Kensington I decided to check out this new eatery in the market and was pleasantly surprised that this pie eatery also has homemade vegetaian soups, sandwiches, and pizza's for a relatively inexpensive price. I had a soup with a name I can't remember (of course) but it had interesting ingredients like oranges and lentils. It was positively scrumptious. I also had a potato, red pepper, rosemary and goat cheese pizza that was crispy and yummy. The soup and pizza was $8.95 before tax and totally worth it. I also purchased a package of gingerbread and short bread cookies ($15) for the office and everyone loved them. I did not try the pie...but on my next visit I definitely will.
Listed in: On a Budget Cafe's/Food…
sour cherry pie.
that's it. the rest are crap.
the sour cherry pie is perfect & reminds me of twin peaks.
i love piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiie, and all desserts for that matter!
Neighborhood: Kensington Market
Neighborhood: Leslieville
Neighborhood: Niagara
Toronto, ON
Toronto, ON
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