Wonderful, just wonderful. An unpretentious french cafe settled in the middle of St. Clair West. The venue is small and seats maybe 15 at most. With fresh baguettes, pastries and great coffee, this will bring back memories of France for anyone. Order an Espresso and Almond Crossaint and take a seat facing St. Clair on a bright Saturday morning (they open at 8am here). Do some people watching, take in the fresh pastries being baked, take your time .. and relax. When you're done. Take the cities best Mille-feuille to go (or well, any pastry :-)) and share with a loved one. The staff are wonderful and always have a smile, and I am a sucker for the accent. read more

Thought I would try this place out a second time and found the server with the brown hair to be just as rude. I waited patiently in line behind three people only to have her tell me the lady behind me was next and the lady said she was when she knew she was. Then I walked toward the door and she said fine I'll take your order since you're here (rolled eyes reaching across counter) and then I said my order was for here and she said "well you're supposed to sit down!" Found it to be rude and embarrassing since the place was crowded so I didn't know if I should sit down or not. Sand which on croissant with ham and cheese was sloppy and cold read more

Pain Perdu - Sloppy cold croissant - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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This used to be such a cute hang-out with great pastry, excellent soup, best quiches, and lovely people behind the counter. Quiche is still the best! For that, 5 stars! But: best to go. Unfortunately, this place is not customer-friendly for those of us who want to sit down for a conversation over breakfast or read their book over coffee/tea and dessert. The RADIO is the main customer here: always first, always on, always on the same channel, ads and all. How disrespectful to guests! We have come here and asked to have the radio turned down, at least a bit, especially when there is hardly anybody else in the cafe, but we are told that the owner insists on the radio blaring and blathering on, at the volume only he decides, no matter what. What a shame for an otherwise cute, French cafe! read more

It seems that very recently they have changed the recipe for their croissants? Used to be some of my favorite croissants which were flakey and double-baked and now they are entirely different, limp and cheap tasting but still as expensive as before. Not sure why they would make a decision like this considering the quality of their pastries was the most successful part of their business. read more

I showed up one Saturday 15mins before closing wearing construction clothes. They were friendly, informative, and (perhaps because it was the end of day) they even threw in 3 additional pastries for free with my order. I've tried 4 items thus far and as far as the quality is concerned, in true french fashion its very rich and delicious. Also, the ambiance is warm and cozy. while other pastries shops may offer something different, very few if any can claim to offer anything better in terms of quality. read more

Best croissant and patisserie in general , i personally love this small bakery . Totally suggest you all yo grab something here . Good coffee also! read more

Delicious, fresh and classic french cuisine! Highly recommend the croque monsieur and the fresh pastries!

Small and charming place that always smells terrific. The coffee is good (not great, but very drinkable). My wife always goes for whatever kind of quiche they have going that day while I can't resist their croissants... almond and almond/chocolate are my favourite. The service is always very pleasant. I always enjoy going there. read more

Bookmarked this place as I wanted to get my husband some croissants and other flaky treats for his birthday as he's not a fan of cake but loves a good croissant. I called ahead to confirm open until 6, and rushed here after work one day. When I arrived it smelled wonderfully of butter in the air and I was looking forward to grabbing a few things. I was there around 5:30 which was plenty of time before closing. I ordered a few treats to go and then because I was starving I ordered a quiche to eat. I was informed that it's only take out from 5:00 - 6:00 and I would have to take the quiche to go. I said sure... Assuming I could still have the quiche warmed with a fork to enjoy. Apparently "to go" means you take it as is and I had to ask for a fork. Feeling a bit confused and foolish I left. There were no other customers in the place and I would have wolfed down that quiche in 15 minutes or less, so it seemed a bit odd to me. I spent around $30 on the handful of pastries and a slice of quiche and left. I ended up finding a Mexican restaurant nearby to have a proper dinner since I was still hungry. Customer service for me is huge... And I didn't feel I received it here. read more

Went in on a friend's recommendation of "best croissant in town", and picked up a pain au chocolat and plain croissant to go. Like a true North American I ate them while driving. In a word: Stale. In more words: Stale, small and expensive, almost $5 for the two. I should have thought about the fact that there were so many croissants sitting there. As far as I'm concerned the place should be called "Customer Perdu". If you want a great croissant always fresh, go to Clafouti on Queen Street West. read more

A decent coffee....very attentive service and a buttery cinnamon roll. You can't ask for anything more. A very french atmosphere. Pleasant and we will be back to sample more items. read more

The only brunch/breakfast place in Toronto that creates a culinary experience second only to some café in a sleepy old French town south of Bordeaux. Magnifique! read more

The. Best. Croissants. Ever. They were buttery and flaky and super fresh. The place was packed so go early for the best selection. The chocolate croissant are also very good. I have yet to have a croissant that tops theirs. read more

This is a small, cozy place to have a cafe au lait and a croissant. It smells delicious at Pain Perdu and the pastries are delicious. The croissants are buttery and flaky and remind me of what I'd eat in Paris. If there's no room to sit and eat make sure you grab some pastries to go! read more

Best croissants in Toronto! Excellent friendly service and consistently delicious, fresh food and coffee

I have alway loved Pain Perdu, but recently they renovated and I'm afraid it may be new owners. The chocolate croissants have ALWAYS been the BEST in the city BUT the chocolate croissant no longer has real dark chocolate, instead it seems to be some sort of pudding like paste? They are also no longer doing the amazing deserts - like lemon curd tart. What is happening? Last time I was in there was also no longer any french music playing either. I was told they do the croissants for The Common on College (which does have the BEST coffee in TO) so maybe they are just mass producing the croissant for other coffee shops now - I'm not sure. I love this place as it was such an amazing, authentic french cafe. My son is in french immersion so I like to take him there to get a bit of fresh culture in Toronto. Please tell me it's not over... read more

This little neighbourhood gem is a great standard for my friends and I. I always swear I will try something else but every time I go I try a different kind of quiche. They are always delicious and each bite transports you to a little cafe in Paris. The restaurant is small but as I tend to go on weekdays I never have had a problem finding a seat. The service has always been courteous, professional and efficient. This place is a must try if you're in the neighbourhood! read more

Great place for brunch !!! Really fun staff if you like pastries and hot chocolate they probably have the best in the city, a bit overpriced in my opinion, but i guess it suits the neighbourhood, also very cozy place to relax. read more

Super adorable French style cafe. It's small so don't assume you'll get a table on a Saturday or Sunday morning but if you do, embrace it! The coffee is great here and the breakfast quiche was perfectly made. The croissants looked amazing as I saw several customers take one to go. Next time I'll follow the masses. read more

the coffee was excellent but the croissant was okay. the space for this place is pretty small but very warming. the service was good as well. read more

Pain Perdu - French Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Some of the best baked goods ANYWHERE. I am here almost every weekend. The quiche is excellent. The croissants...I want to be buried in one of them when I go. Oh my God, it's the second best buttery experience I've ever had (I really can't mention the first in this review). The staff is friendly and attentive. I love it. From coffee to croissants, from soup to croque monsieur it is a wonderful cafe experience. Enjoy. read more

Best hot chocolate in toronto, we shared pain perdu and took pain chocolat, croissant and almond pain chocolat and almond croissant, we got full for the day :) read more

I have dined here for years with my mother & sister. We still cannot get enough of their infamous raisin-rich Jocelyn croissants and have fun getting them for other friends & family-- watching their reactions to having a piece of God in their mouths. Even people who detest raisins are blown away by the sheer number & exceptional quality of the black beauties. Jocelyn has gorgeous delicate flaky layers, an addictive crispiness of the outermost shell & a buttery fresh-baked chewy goodness within. The wonderful cascading effect & array of divine flavours and textures make your molars & taste buds euphoric with glee. They would dance pirouettes if they could. We also enjoy their pleasantly bitter yet fairly robust coffee and try to come here on weekends/holidays/everyone's days off. I wonder if some of us have lied to our bosses to come here. Wouldn't be surprised. Eh heh heh. read more

mmmmmmmm CROISSANTS!!!!! Buttery flaky and you can't just eat one - so I grabbed a seat with a couple of friends and ordered a latte and another croissant and than moved onto the best onion tart I have ever had (outside of Paris)... It was the last piece so I had to share ( the little selfish kid in me came out because I really did not want to). Perfect balance of crust and onion and it is sweet and savoury and just yummy. The place is small and cozy. Haven't tried the quiche yet so I may have to visit again sometime very soon! read more

The food was wonderful. Great little cafe with friendly service.

It's the real thing, a French/Basque bakery complete with a Basque owner and a Basque flag on the wall. The best croissants in town, flaky and buttery. First rate chocolate in the croissants and in the sinfully good hot chocolate. It's tiny, the eat in seating was likely an afterthought. But take the baked goods home or to work like I do and you'll see a lot of smiles. Delicious. read more

Not just a place to eat but an experience. It is a spot for local regulars but it never gets too busy which makes me think it doesn't have city-wide exposure. It actually makes you feel like you are in France, a lot of the staff are French themselves adding to the authenticity. The music is also French as well. Their coffee is one of the top coffees I've had in Toronto. The pastries, quiches and sandwiches are amazing as well. They make their own jam and mustard in house which are to die for. Good place for a breakfast or lunch, or even dessert. Their namesake the 'pain perdu' (French toast) is amazing and authentic. Prices are very reasonable but not cheap. However, much cheaper than flying to Paris, so definitely the perfect place to get away or for a romantic rendezvous. The service is always great. No reservations (just a bakery with seating) and not a lot of space so would not recommend for large groups. read more

Pain Perdu is a fabulous patisserie not far from downtown Toronto. They have a large selection of pastries and lunch items. It's a little pricey but most French cafes in the city are. They have recently expanded their seating int he cafe, allowing for more tables. Before that, you would be lucky to get a table on a weekend morning or afternoon. The only thing that takes away from this fabulous place is one of the waitresses who is rude, loud and obnoxious. I know of several customers who prefer to take their coffee and croissant out rather than deal with her and her patronizing rudeness. I have heard other people actually talking to the owner about how rude she was to them. Unfortunately she is usually there when we go in there and she also gives us attitude, although we have been going to PP since wayyyy before she even started there. She is italian and I have heard her speaking in the language her family members who are seated at the table during a lunch rush, while she was being rude to us and everyone else. Another Yelper has written a review about her and her attitude. I just can't understand why she is still working there!Replace her with someone friendly and warm and the place would be perfect!! read more

Amazing food. Love the croissants and lunch food. Gateau Basque dessert (weekends only) is the best! also recommend the weekend bread with dates and nuts. Best coffee in the area read more

Nice ambiance, small cafe feel. Marred by a brutish server/owner with a grizzly beard and noticeable paunch. Had the coffee and was waiting on the chicken and mushroom quiche with a salad. Waited about 10-15 minutes and it wasn't even busy. Finally the two items arrived in the same plate. Sampled the slightly warmed quiche - not bad, and was about to sample the salad when...damn...I noticed the dead fly on the plate. An immediate turn off! Like what on earth?! It is the beginning of March, so where did the fly come from? I of course pointed it out to the brutish server/owner. He said "there are no flies in here", not a sorry or anything of that nature. He said he would replace the dish. Yeah right, scrape away the fly, rearrange the lettuce and bring the same thing back. No thanks. We left with his fond words of "we've got the best quiche in the city". Maybe so, but Pain Perdu also has an unclean kitchen, and unaccountable service. read more

The eponymous pain perdu is great, the staff is super friendly, and the atmosphere is great. The only thing to be aware of is that it is almost always packed, so consider coming at less popular times if you want to be sure you'll get a spot--especially if you've got more than two in your party. read more

Wife and I stopped in for a quick lunch. The ham and cheese croissant (me) and the spinach quiche (wife), were excellent. The cafe au lait fell flat....should have spoken up as they would have given it an extra shot (they were very generous and did not charge for them). Great place, food and service. read more

Amazing croissants, on par with Europe.. Always a dependable delight each Saturday morning...ignore the other review calling them "lard" and then suggesting to go across the street to the scone place as an alternative. That's clearly someone who works there. read more

Gain a few pounds here because it hard not to devour all the buttery flaky pastry, danish and crossiant. Croque monseiur yummy, chessy and crisp. Mmmm. read more

Excellent breakfast, good quiche, decent baked goods, yucky bread.

We occasionally visit this bakery for their croissants. To date, we have been satisfied with their product up until our visit last week. We purchased two tiny croissants (for a whopping $7) to go. Once we got home and tried to bite into them, it was like biting into a rock...we literally banged the pastry onto the table without a flake falling off. We called the bakery to let them know that customers were discerning enough to recognize a STALE product, and got a VERY, VERY rude response in return. Talk about the customer always being right??? WILL DEFINITELY NOT RETURN read more

honestly, this joint is over rated, especially the pastries. the baguettes are way overpriced. i spent the last 5 years in St Maur, and travelling France and this is simply average read more

Overpriced croissant. Strollers are not allowed inside even if you just want to buy something to go. Service is rude. You can be ignored for quite a while before ordering anything. Maybe it's one time experience. But it's bad enough to prevent me from going there again read more

Pain perdu is a lost cause. They had a great reputation because they had a great French baker but he is gone and they have gone through 2 since, and their current one can't speak French (which can make ordering hard if you do, or want something spelled in French on your cake), and he's pretty unaccommodating (e.g. was going to make me wait 20 min. to write something on my cake when I was picking up a $200+ order). It takes days to get someone on the phone who can tell you the products this baker will bake.... And then, the cakes I ordered - freshly made, I had thought - turned out to still be frozen for my party guests. Don't bother. read more

The coffee is not as good... what happened? And the servers don't seem to notice. When we ask for a second, it's just as bad as the first, so we give up. Also, when we ask for a double espresso we get a cappuccino; when we ask for a cappuccino we get a latte.... read more