Artisan

Artisan has been a staple of Old East Village for more than 15 years, baking from scratch in a protected heritage building on Dundas just east of the downtown core. Sourdough, croissants, and pastries carry the bakery's name into cafés, restaurants, and specialty shops throughout the London area through a seven-day wholesale program. Local ingredients wherever possible, seasonality at the root of the rotation, and a from-scratch kitchen that runs from viennoiserie through sandwich buns to Japanese-style milk bread.

The counter covers croissant sandwiches, among them The Classic, with smokey bacon, local egg, and cheddar. There's a curried chickpea sandwich on ciabatta for the meat-free side of the table. Croissants are the draw here, particularly the almond one. Weekend features swing with the season, which is how a stuffing sourdough, seasoned with sage and rosemary and built on vegetable stock, ends up beside an apple pie croissant in the fall. Coffee keeps pace, and the lattes hold their own next to the pastry case.

The Backyard Social is the recurring one: an evening out back with pizza by the slice, a rotating vendor market, and live music. The pantry shelf handles the take-home side, with chili crisp, wildflower honey, and a sourdough starter kit for anyone ready to commit. Pre-orders for features and pantry items go in a few days ahead, and the bakery also sets up at the Western Fair Market on weekends.