Until recently, Pain Perdu was our favourite neighbourhood coffee spot. Now, there seems to be a change in attitude by the establishment towards wanting people to enjoy a leisurely time with friends over coffee and a pastry. Today, a friend and I were sitting with refreshments and chatting for only 20 minutes when there was a few people waiting for a table. At the same time, my friend and I became uncomfortable with the waitress' behaviour as it felt like she was pressuring us to leave. Not to sound like sour grapes but their once lovely pastries and quiches, made with butter, are often stale and now taste like they are made with palm oil. Gone are the better times at Pain Perdu. We will not return. read more

Best quiche in the city. My personal favourite is the broccoli cheddar. Everything there is yummy. Will only take out as seating area is dark and dingy. read more

The quality of the pastries here is slightly uneven. Croissant had many layers but since I got it at almost 3pm, the texture was only so-so. The taste was OK. When warmed up it was pretty good - pretty flaky. The cinnamon pastry was pretty flaky but tasted muted. The pear pastry was really good - moist, rich & flaky even after 2 days. The Gateau Basque (custard cream cake) was very good - moist & rich. read more

See all

Prior to the pandemic this place served delicious croissants quiches and most of all raisin and custard pastry. Yesterday I returned to buy some of these pastries and found them to be stale and smaller than usual and although I ordered the raisin and custard there was no custard. The quality has sadly gone down while the prices have gone up and portions reduced. The quality of the food used to make up for the lack of ambiance. Now sadly it has neither no wonder it was empty. read more

They told me I could only get my coffee to go because they were closing in an hour. Yikes! There is maybe a nicer way to say that. Wish them well though, but I went and got a coffee elsewhere. It was cold, I wanted to sit down in a welcoming space. read more

So I finally went back for that duck confit and side salad. It was quite disappointing. I thought it would have been better. It was drier than dry and the salad was basically 3 small lettuce leaves (whole, not cut up). Maybe it's different and more effort is put into an eat-in plate, but I doubt it. The desserts are still good and they still offer a wonderful duck pâté, but I'm turned off of making the trek there so often. read more

I LOVE Pain Perdu!! I wish there is a French bakery like that in my hood!! Open daily from 8 AM - 6 PM... it is a great place to grab some croissants, a coffee.. and meet up with your buddy. When I walked into this little place.. the first thing I smell were butter, carbs and baked goods!! This is the prove that they do prepare their pastries and bread on site.. The smell was so intense... and so delicious and yes I am sold! Almond Croissant ($ 2.40) - I really admiring and smelling my croissant before I bite into it.. it looks so perfect.. glossy looking (thanks real butter), firm...and unreal! - hmmm and I have to tell you it tasted better than it looks! - flaky all over... not doughy at all.. (thanks real butter) Raisins Croissant ($2.80) - At first I thought those were chocolate bits on top... but no.. those are raisins.. Sorry I just cannot eat raisins.. but if you love it.. you will be delighted because wait till you have a bite.. there are tons and tons of raisins inside.. - My friend like raisins.. I should have force her to get chocolate so at least I can try that! Cafe Mocha ($3.50) - So pretty... decorated with a little strawberry on the side - Tell me those are not whipped cream on top! My friend really enjoyed that.. but I think that is just too too fattening for me! and I bet you that 2% milk is NOT used! Cappuccino ($2.99) - Good strong roast...and went well with my croissant! Pain Perdu is such a cute little place... yes so French and so cozy and so warm and so fattening!! But eating here worth every calories and fat content! read more

See all

Can someone please tell the lady at the counter how to make a REAL Cappuccino. I went to the bakery for the first time. It will also be the last time. So I ordered a cappuccino and this is what the lady at the counter did. She poured coffee into a paper cup and added foam. My God! Are you serious? I also ordered a sour dough Baguette. That was not sour dough and it was horrible. After cutting a slice when I got home I could barely take a second bite and had to throw out the rest of the Baguette out. It was the most disgusting piece of bread I have ever put in my mouth. Gross. The Almond Croissant didn't taste good either. Surprised for being a French Bakery you would have thought they understood what quality really means. Definitely horrible and a waste of money. read more

Stopped in after my 30th birthday brunch to check out the place (I have lived in this hood for 4 years, but never went in here, always wanted to!) and ended up ordering a croissant with a side of homemade raspberry jam and custard filled pastry to go. The shop keep was super sweet and gifted me incredible pommiers after my silly BF told her it was my birthday. D'aw! You shouldn't have! Loved the service and the pastries were absolutely incredible. Can't wait to come back to enjoy a treat and coffee in this really cute little shop. It is a bit pricey, but worth it, IMO. Try their housemade jam, it is redonkulously delish!! read more

See all

Yes, the quiches are very good. The pastries are good. The baguettes have always been a disappointment, very much like the kind you would get in any so-so in-store bakery at a supermarket. But I used to always count on their croissants: flaky, buttery, even a little crispy on the outside, and fluffy & buttery on the inside. The last couple of times? Meh! They could have doubled for any packaged croissants at a grocery store. And a previous reviewer is right. They have always been lame on the coffee. So now, it's off to Nadege down on Queen St near Bellwoods park for croissants read more

Dropped by on Sat morning for some croissants. This place was so packed for brunch I couldn't even get a seat! This cute little spot reminded me of being in a Parisian cafe. I bought an almond croissant to go and it was wonderful! I definitely need to go back to the their other baked goods and lunch options! :) I was ignored for a while and other walk in customers were a served before I was even acknowledged.. so the service could have been better. read more

Quaint french bakery and cafe! We were walking along St. Clair looking for a brunch spot to help warm up from the cold. As we neared the location, we noticed a steady stream of people entering and leaving so we thought something must be good. We popped inside to the delight of the smell of freshly baked bread and pasteries. Inside, the cafe is quite small and cramped - there are about 3 tables in front, 2 on the side and more seating for 8 people at the back. The highlight is definitely the counter where can salivate over the croissants and quiches. We managed to grab a table and the server told us the menu is written on the wall. Food wise, the menu serves simple french sandwiches, quiches and a couple of traditional french dishes like duck confit. We settled on a croquet monsieur and tomato+onion quiche with tea. Food took a bit longer than I expected but we were pleasantly rewarded with a giant sandwich and quiche. For the sandwich, it had lots of gooey cheese on top hand a big slice of bread. Taste was good but I found it to be a bit greasy. The quiche is definitely the winner of the two - lots of toppings in the egg with a nice crust. This was supported by a ton of people coming in to buy the whole quiche as take out! Overall, food was good but space was a bit cramped and service a bit slower. We will come back to check out the baked goods next time. read more

Pain Perdu - Croquet monsieur - bit greasy - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

My exposure to pain perdu was due to the reputation they have for their croissants. So while on a espresso crawl in the vicinity , when we couldn't find a suitable dessert we decided to to give this place try. Just to give an idea the setup is very tight and most tables are just packed together. (they even had a sign asking people to leave their strollers outside) Service was below average on this visit as we had to chase the server to get our order in. My friend ordered a chicken sandwich I went for their namesake dessert (added a croissant for good measures as I still recall it being very good.) The baguette was good for the sandwich, the meat itself was seasoned poorly. Now the main event for me at least Pain Perdu looked very nice covered with anglaise sauce and lots fresh fruit. However the taste left a lot to be desired. The sauce overwhelmed and egg soaked bread was quite dry and didn't have the eggy taste. This version is best left lost/forgotten. The croissant is still good. I would say 2 stars for the mains we ordered. With a half star bump for the still good croissant.; read more

See all

I used to come here a lot until I discovered so many other cafes that are way better. The service has always been poor, but i would usually put up with it because their quiches are really good and I love their warm goat cheese salad. I even came back after finding a big worm in my salad! But their croissants taste like lard and are often stale and dry. Their coffee is nothing to write home about, but it isn't the worst. The worst thing about this place though, is that it is super overpriced. I would end up paying 40 bucks for two person breakfast of quiche and coffee.... anyways.... That plus the lame service finally turned me off for good. I started checking out the Baker and Scone across the street, which is clean, fresh and has welcoming staff. Save yourself a crapload of money and go elsewhere! read more

Pain perdu is one of Toronto's hidden gems, a little bakery / restaurant tucked away between generic stores and if you blink you miss it. This is as close to an authentic french food as you can get, I love the quiches, they are so fluffy, airy and delicious, the pastries are outstanding, made with lots of butter (as they should) and really everything is good here. The only drawback i have is the average coffee and the very tight space. If you like french pastries this is for you (just bring coffee from mcdonalds next door) read more

I can't believe I hadn't been here before. This place speaks "Mel C."! Not only does it meet my "open early on Sunday" requirement, the Pain Perdu is the best thing I've ever eaten for brunch! Love the décor/ambience of this quaint café. Service was fantastic. I even got some goodies to go (various croissants) and they were all amazingly good. Keep in mind I've had croissants in Paris, so I feel very qualified*. Make sure you get there early enough to get some Pain Perdu. Once they're sold out for the day, that's it! *not officially qualified read more

Between this place and the Stockyards it's a wonder that I don't weigh 300lbs. The croissant are all very good - the plain and the Jocelyn (maple and raisin) are my go-to-girls. I try not to think of how much butter was sacrificed for the cause. The pain perdu, which is the French toast, made with egg bread and topped with creme anglaise is sinful. The croque monsieur is satisfying as well. There tends to be a crowded jumble of takeout and eat-in customers on weekends who inevitably need to pay all the same time in the tiny space which means I stand at the counter wistfully trying to catch the eye of someone behind the counter while all four staff bustle around getting orders for the sit down customers wow this sentence is a crowded jumble. Depending on the croissant style, four of them will set you back about $9. Yes, you can get cheap croissant by the clamshell at your local grocery store but you won't want to call them croissant once you have Pain Perdu. read more

CROISSANT REVIEW. Yep, still my favourite croissant. A couple of things I didn't include in my first review, which are more apparent after having sampled many croissants: - solid outside structure, not soft - its on the well done side (which I like) - the thing is flaky. Pleasant texture but its not good walk-around hand food because you can get flakes all over yourself. - its a little bready in the middle but very flaky around the outside (I'm thinking this is about as flaky as a croissant can get) - the flavour is not as distinctive as I remember but still a good amount of flavour. read more

Am I only one who finds the service here to be terrible as of late? I remember the days when the French staff were efficient but friendly. French music was playing and you felt like you really were somewhere else, maybe France or somewhere in Quebec. Now every time I go I am met with a brash non-French** woman who can't even give you her attention for long enough to say 'I'll have a cappuccino with a pain au chocolate" before she gives you an annoyed look of impatience. Every time we order table service, she literally begins to walk away or cut you off before you can even finish. This is not a one time experience, and I have observed her being rude to many other customers and co-workers over and over again. And then yesterday amongst the overt disinterest and and obvious distaste for having to work on Thanksgiving, she is coyingly sweet to a particular table that were clearly her friends or family. Or perhaps they were customers that somehow won her over. I haven't been able to and believe you me, I have tried. She's just far too busy cutting you off mid-sentence. I consider myself to be patient and friendly and open to to the fact that none of us are strangers to having just a plain-old-bad-f*cking-day. But when it happens over and over, its clear that its not just a bad day, but a bad attitude - and this is a SERVICE based business. This woman does not enjoy her job and it shows. She can't handle stress and it shows. And for me, it takes away from the experience that I assume the owners of Pain Perdu expect that they are providing for their customers. The food is good, as the other reviewers have said. And in theory, the place is sweet and perfect for a Sunday. I just wish I didn't have to take it off my go-to list now. **The only reason I say 'non-French woman' is so that you fellow Yelpers can identify her when in there, as I don't know her name. read more

This review is based on one thing and one thing only, the baguette. I've heard tell that this place had a good baguette and since I was in the area I figured I might as well take a look. They fall into the same category that I would expect from a supermarket or someplace that doesn't know how to properly make one. Here's the thing, a baguette is not just skinny bread. The crust is an integral part of it. Without that bite and without that crunch you might as well just be eating cheap sandwich bread. Very disappointed in this. read more

This is by far my most favorite tradition - I pay homage every time I visit Toronto. Patisseries like this just do not exist anymore - a pastry art that is far and few! Butter croissants, almond croissants, french almond custard tarts and windows of endless quiche - try the onion & bacon or the roquefort....COMPLETEMENT EXCEPTIONNEL!! In my travels, I search for comparable pastry but I am secretly proud that nothing compares. Get here early so you can have your choice of goodies. I love the small, quaint feel of only hearing French spoken over coffee and a newspaper. I am told the Pain Perdu is all low-calorie ha ha ha!! and worth every little bit!! Ah such a blessing to visit every time - A BIENTOT!! read more

I come here for brunch frequently, even though this is more of a cafe/bakery than a brunch place (no fried eggs/hash browns etc at this place). But they have a lovely selection of sandwiches and quiches, and some other meaty stuff, but I don't pay attention to that. The seating is limited and this place has a very cozy feel. The staff are very friendly and nice. I super love their quiches and I'm really digging bibb lettuce these days, so I usually get their side salad as well. Simple but delicious. Great coffee and pastries as well. Tip: you won't be brought a bill, you just go to the register when ready to pay. read more

Shhh! Don't tell anyone, but this is my secret place for early Saturday morning French breakfast. Yes, I come here to feel a little closer to France, read the newspaper, hear French chatter, enjoy the pastry. Here croissants and especially pain au chocolat are as close to the ones you can get in Paris. And if your waist can afford extra two inches or so, make sure to order hot chocolate with whipped cream on it. It is the real stuff, not from the can, beaten by hand....mmm tres savoureux! Pick up some bread when you leave, you won't regret it, well may be your dietitian will. read more

Let me start off with what I love about this place. For me, it reminds me of those charming little bakery/cafes sprinkled across Montreal. Really, you can just step into Pain Perdu , order some pastry and a cafe au lait, sit back and pretend you just took the VIA train from Toronto to Montreal. To make the experience even more believable all the staff are French and even the radio is tuned to a French station. It's all there to be soaked in, right on St. Clair Ave W., Montreal here I come. OK, about the croissants...They are really good. In my top three for Toronto assuredly. I'll have to go back to try out their other offerings. As for the coffee well...It's OK but not the greatest. Perhaps I was underwhelmed as I had briefly stopped at Cafe Noir for a delicious espresso shot before coming to Pain Perdu. As I mentioned, I need to go back and try more of their food and pastries to give a proper review. One thing I did notice that was rather odd was the fact that their croque-monsieur is prepared ahead of time and then rewarmed to serve. Literally I see a stack of them behind the counter glass, already cooked, just...Sitting their looking most unappetizing. For a place that specializes in fresh baked bread I find it strange that they wouldn't make the croque-monsieur to order. As for service it is quite good, very attentive. I'm giving the place 3 stars for now and will update my review upon subsequent visits. Worth noting is if you are on the hunt for foie gras they got it. read more

A very cute place that feels authentic French that even plays French music in the background! The Croque Monsouir sandwich, which is a grilled ham sandwich with cheese melted on top is great. The mocha coffee is so tasty, I highly recommend this with the whipped cream. The almond crossoint is made well, it's fluffy, tender yet crisp with great flavour. Overall a faboulous place to eat lunch or just to go on a date too. read more

Pain Perdu - Croque Monsouir sandwich - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I came here with a group of girls for a friends 26th. They don't take reservations, so we had to wait a little bit, but we got a good table. We came around 11ish because by this time it's already fairly busy. After my first time here, I can say i would definitely return. The food was great, particularly the Pain Perdu (I split it with a friend, as it is quite big, particularly if you are eating something else beforehand). I had the roast beef sandwich, which came on a baguette. The service could definitely be refined. Despite having 6 people at the table, our server did not take notes, and had to ask everyone three times what we were having. The tea is also not great. They have red rose and some sort of english breakfast, I think Tetley. They don't even have Earl Grey. I would expect a nice cafe to have premium tea, but at least a mediocre brand would have been better. I ordered the coffee on the way out, and it was good! The place is crammef, so strollers aren't allowed. The place gets busy and hectic inside, but if you don't mind, the food is worth it. They have sandwiches, quiches, croissants (I didn't try, but my friends loved them), and great dessert. read more

Our favorite place in the city we come here once a week minimum and it has the best atmosphere, service and genuine French food. read more

Pain Perdu - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

So good! Cafe au Lait! Magnifique! Thank goodness this place exists. read more

Ya, it's friggin awesome.... if you've gone to Paris and had the baked goods and sandwiches and came back to Toronto looking for the same here... keep looking! :) Honestly, it's not the same, but it's damn close and much better compared to the other self-proclaimed patisseries and boulanger's in Toronto. Ham and Swiss are made to order - awesome! read more

Having recently come back from a visit to Paris and having heard about Pain Perdu for some time, we were anxious to try it out. Finally made it there today and yes - the croque monsieur was excellent, staff was very pleasant, but the thing we were hoping to find, was a proper french baguette in Toronto. We kept hearing that Pain Perdu imported the flour (type 55) from France and so it was the "real thing" but wow - we were so disappointed with our baguette. Ace bakery, which we always thought was mediocre, we feel is better than what we bought at Pain Perdu. Theirs is definitely NOT what we bought and ate in Paris (at a proper boulangerie) - nothing like it at all. So sad, we had really hoped to be able to get a good proper french baguette but it was not to be. Not the right consistency, crust really odd and no flavour! So disappointed!! read more

I've loved Pain Perdu since the minute it opened it's doors. The Pain au Chocolats are wonderful, the pastries fresh and flaky and the quiche is always very flavourful. The owner is friendly and very accommodating as well as just plain fun to talk to. A wonderful place! read more

Best f'ing almond croissant in the city. Flaky, Creamy, tender. I only wish that they woudn't over bake them from time to time. Other than that, they are perfect. I am addicted to these croissants, seriously you have to try them. Go early as they sell out often. read more

Butter!!! Yum. It's hard to believe how much I enjoyed quiche, it was unlike any I have ever had before. The crust was flaky and the filling was wonderful. The onion tart dessert was also very French; I love butter and if you do I would highly recommend Pain Perdu. Too bad duck confit was all sold out already. [my husband wrote this.] read more

It was a gloomy Sunday morning, and man friend wanted nothing more than simple bread with butter and jam. "Isn't there anywhere that just has good break with butter and jam?" So we searched. Of ccourse, the usuals popped up for "best baguette in Toronto" search, which I won't name. What's this Pain Perdu? Well, it's not that far, even though St. Clair has a billion traffic lights. We decided to give it a try. I wish my stomach was not already half stuffed with cereal, as I would have loved to try more. Manfriend ordered the asparagus and salmon quiche, with salad, a latte, and I ordered the mushroom and onion tart, with a regular coffee. We of course shared the baguette with butter and jam. We were so impressed with the consistency of the quiche - it was light, fluffy, not overcooked, and not spongy. Even if you don't like quiche, I would suggest you try and order this! I would say it's 4.5 - 5! I've heard of onion tarts before, so decided to go ahead and order this traditional pastry. I was very happy with it, though I still eyed the quiche across the table... OooooOOOohh!! The latte came in a bowl and was delicious. Though the drip coffee I ordered with probably the most flavourful, most rich I've had in months (if you're in the neighbourhood, I don't know how you wouldn't make this your morning stop), I can't help but feel I lost out on my beverage choice against the man friend...again! I don't like jam. But I loved their strawberry home made jam (I think it was strawberry). It was thick, not gelatinous like the jar ones, and it was sooo tasty... We also left with pate, an olive loaf, a croissant and pain au choc.... I took one star off because our original search was the best baguette, and though everything else excelled, the baguette didn't win me over. I'm coming back here again next month :) read more

Pain Perdu has a good chocolate croissant. They have a table and seat, so it is nice to have a cup of coffee and croissant with friends. Other pastries are expensive and they are not fresh. I am not impressed with their pastries. They do not show the price for pastries. Inside Pain Perdu, it was dark. When I was there in the last summer, they did not have an air conditioner and it was very hot and dark. read more

This place is a gem. Really good French pastries, sandwiches, quiches, baguettes, cookies, and the coffee is amazing. The chocolate-almond croissant is my favourite. The ambience (before Covid) is cozy and unpretentious. There's usually music playing from French radio. And the staff are always super nice. Love this place! read more

Thank you for existing. Leek and Roquefort quiche is exquisite Croque monsieur done right, not too salty. The cheese is wonderfully browned and plentiful Superb Gateaux Basque Home-made preserves. Not a fan of the baguette but there are plenty of other choices Wonderful ambiance! Le meilleur! read more

For $12.50 I got 1 baguette and 2 "chocolatines". A great baguette has a good crust with a chewy inside dough! This was not. Rating is a 2. The "chocolatines" or more commonly known as "petit pain au chocolat" were very short of "chocolat"!?! A more appropriate name for this place would be "patissier perdu"!!! read more

Authentic 'old' cafe vibe, delicious croissants and quiche, and good strong espresso. The freshly baked bread is my favourite thing to get here: sourdough olive or dried fruit & walnut on the weekends. Yum! One minor drawback to this place is that it's tiny and dark (not much sunlight) so it's definitely not a place to chill out on a sunny day. read more

Aaaahhh Pain Perdu, I love it!!! I love their almond croissant and their butter croissant.. Nice place to relax with a newspaper and a coffee/tea. I'm not a fan of hot chocolate but when I tried theirs, and my faVourite, Croque monsieur- I'm so lovin' it!!! A Bientot Pain Perdu!! read more

See all