Best Breads in Greater Vancouver

[Daddy-A]

The Famer's Markets have closed, my stash in the freezer has almost run out, and I'm at least a month away from a trip over to Wild Fire.

I have been unable to find a new supplier of good bread. The kind of bread baked with a nice crust that can be enjoyed without anything on ... the bread.

Help, oh please help! I may have to resort to Wonder Bread!

A.

[Sam Salmon]

Have you checked out Artisan Breads on Lower Lonsdale in North Van?

Some exceptional product especially the Ciabatta.

Of course the Transilvanian place on W. Broadway as well.

[Foodie in Vancouver]

Not too sure where Wild Fire is but if you don't mind going as far as West, West 10th - 4430 to be exact, the bread at Mix is my current favorite. They supply Elixir which is where I feel in love with their baugette. But they have an incredible range of breads from hearty to sweet. So far this week we have had both types of baugette, the 3-Chili pepper cheddar, the lemon-ginger-cranberry (not a favorite) and several hearty whole wheat/levain/rustic loaves.

One of these days we should have an eGullet taste-off. You know, get loaves from all the great and nearly great bakeries in the area and then do a side-by-side comparison. Wine flights and vertical tastings - why not bread flights and vertical tastings (I can just imagine how much fun Jamie will have with this possibility - eGullet hosts bread fights, I mean bread flights!).

[Explorer]

How about Lebeau patisserie or Ecco Il Pane ?

Unlike Toronto, I don't find a shortage of reasonably good French bread in Vancouver in other places too.

[Coop]

My current favorite is the Pao de Casa at Westview Bakery in North Van. Actually the best place to get it is at the Santa Barbara market on Commercial. In the 90's Costco used to have a large dense bread that came in huge loafs. It was remicent of the Poullaine bread at the Urban Fair. Of course the only one who seemed to buy it was me.

[peppyre]

OK, so this is a little farther away than all the other suggestions, but it's damn tasty bread. Of course, I've completely blanked out on the name. On the road that runs right into Crescent Beach there is a little tiny plaza on the right hand side, it has an Esquires and something else. In the "basement" level there is a bakery that makes the most amazing bread. I'll get the name for you later today. It's worth hunting for.

**I need to go back to bed***

Edited November 1, 2004 by peppyre (log)

[Keith Talent]

I don't know if it's a factor of humidity or something else, but even the best bread in Vancouver seems weak in comparison to bread almost anywhere else. Crust is generally too soft, or if it does have a good crunch, is too thick. Anyone else perceive this, or am I a lone loon?

And there isn't a single grocery store in the city that shouldn't be burnt to the ground for the massive crimes against bread they all commit.

The Ecco Il Pane take home and bake from Save on Foods is disappointingly poor. I thought it would be much better, five bucks a loaf and you get an insipid flavourless spongey loaf.

[jschyun]

I thought the multigrain (sliced) loaf I bought at the Terra store in Kits was one of the best loaves of the multigrain variety I've had. It was stretchy, moist, yet full of multigrain goodness. I believe I ate almost the whole thing in an hour.

I haven't had anything I liked as much in the SF/Bay Area, thus far, or Southern Ca, where I live.

[Daddy-A]

I don't know if it's a factor of humidity or something else, but even the best bread in Vancouver seems weak in comparison to bread almost anywhere else. Crust is generally too soft, or if it does have a good crunch, is too thick. Anyone else perceive this, or am I a lone loon?

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Do I hafta answer that Keith??

I agree with you, that's why I posted. I thought perhaps I was just going to the wrong places. The only decent breads seemed to be from the farmers' markets (can't remeber the vendors' names). Cioffi's carries Eco il Pane which I tried a couple weeks ago ... it was good, but not great.

Keep the recs coming ... I'll post my findings. I also like Foodie's idea of a tasting. Perhaps we can work in some olive oil as well?

A.

[Keith Talent]

I should probably clarify and say my complaints are specifically geared to white Franco/Ital style loaves. Getting good brown bread in Vancouver seems to be no problem, getting a nice baggette or ciabatta slightly more problematic.

[Sam Salmon]

I thought the multigrain (sliced) loaf I bought at the Terra store in Kits was one of the best loaves of the multigrain variety I've had.  It was stretchy, moist, yet full of multigrain goodness.  I believe I ate almost the whole thing in an hour.

I haven't had anything I liked as much in the SF/Bay Area, thus far, or Southern Ca, where I live.

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Terra Breads is a second home to me.

IMO the Multigrain is the one of their blandest offerings-totally undistinguished.

The Olive Oil rolls are a outstanding for soft bread lovers and while I do on occasion like crusty breads of late they have gone to a generally darker crust which isn't at all to my liking.

[nwyles]

No one has mentioned "Cobs ".

I have not been there or have had any of their product. I will grab some Terra Bread if I am in the G.I. market but as I do not do the shopping and will eat whatever is put in front of me, I do not choose very often. I enjoy bread, and will eat a whole loaf at one sitting. My wife hates that and warns me not to fill up on bread - please, I am just getting ready for dinner and do not want to have to consume two dinners !

Comments on Mix ?

Nice people, have had a few of their products but I am not the bread expert, just the consumer.

[peppyre]

I just threw out a loaf of Cobs. Not very good, kind of cardboardish....now their cinnamon buns looked pretty damn tasty and gooey, but I was so dissapointed with the bread that I didn't bother.

[Daddy-A]

I just threw out a loaf of Cobs.  Not very good, kind of cardboardish....now their cinnamon buns looked pretty damn tasty and gooey, but I was so dissapointed with the bread that I didn't bother.

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Cobbs is to bread what Starbucks is to coffee.

I bought some of their cinnamon buns a couple weeks back and was informed I'd "won" a prize ... 3 of their multi-grain buns!! (Who the f**k buys buns in 3's???) The cinnamon buns were okay ... not the best but certainly nowhere near as tastless and pasty as the mult-grains. We broke them up and put them out on the patio for the birds. A weeke later I was cleaning them up off th patio. Smart birds.

A.

[Foodie in Vancouver]

Even my kids won't eat the bread at Cobb's. They stop at the French bakery at 10th and Arbutus, near Grammercy Grill, as it is on their bus route home from school. I inevitably get hit up for money when I drop them off in the morning with the rationale that at least they get their pastries from the French patisserie and not Cobb's. They swear Cobb's makes their bread from styrofoam.

[Chef Metcalf]

We really enjoy the boule from...

Le Pic-Nic French Breads and Pastry

1443 Clyde Avenue, West Vancouver

604-925-2880

Limited supplies so phone ahead.

Crunchy crust, soft and tasty on the inside...total bliss .

No need for butter even....but it's better with!

We pick it up frozen (she undercooks it by ten minutes) and throw it into a 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

Spray it with water prior to baking if you want an even crunchier crust.

[lemon curd]

OK, so this is a little farther away than all the other suggestions, but it's damn tasty bread.  Of course, I've completely blanked out on the name.  On the road that runs right into Crescent Beach there is a little tiny plaza on the right hand side, it has an Esquires and something else.  In the "basement" level there is a bakery that makes the most amazing bread.  I'll get the name for you later today.  It's worth hunting for.

**I need to go back to bed***

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pepprye,

The bakery's name is Fieldstone's. It's my favourite bakery in the White Rock/South Surrey area (close to home). I also pick up bread from Terra Breads any time we go to Granville Island.

[eatrustic]

There's also Translyvania of whom we've spoken in the past. He's the wacky Roumanian who makes one (or by now maybe two) kinds of bread out of his little wood fired oven on Broadway near Alma. (I still can't figure out how he got past the rules and regs boys at city hall). He makes a decent loaf for five bucks. Although I haven't tried it lately.

Cobbs, who it appears have decided to take over the bakery world, makes bread just a cut above Safeway. (Although they at least have the decency, unlike Safeway, to not call their soft, chewy products "Artisan".) Most of their flavoured breads are shite with the savoury ones reeking of uncooked garlic or the sweet ones (like their apple loaf) tasting of preservative soaked fruit.

I liked the Po de Casa from Westview as well and thought I'd go to the source (N. Van) to check out what they've got but the majority of their breads are old school (Euro/American) boring. It's about the only bread that they make well and it is not very consistent.

[Coop]

I echo this threads comments on Cobb's. Bread for the masses. as for the Westview Bakery i as very dissapointed when I went there. Even the pao de Casa seemed different then what they sell at The Santa Barbara. So I will continue to buy it on The Drive.

Terra Bread is pretty good especially the fig and anise. It just seems a bit gimmiky.

[Redhead]

Personally I'm not a fan of Cobbs, either --- isn't it pathetic to find a Cobbs just a few steps away from the fabulous "Cheese Shoppe" at Park Royal, what an insult to the cheeses --- but I have to admit that the two large loaves of sandwich bread (one white, one whole wheat) I bought stood up amazingly well on a camping trip this summer, especially when compared to the horrible WonderBread-style our American friends brought along. Discerning kids may prefer your pricey French patisserie, but mine went bonkers for these loaves. Soft, springy, politely bland in flavor but with enough homemade appeal to put Dempsters, et al, to shame.

My kids prefer the loaves from my bread machine, esp. the version made with unbleached white and a cup of Anita's organic rye flour (sold in brown paper sacks at Capers). A bit of Maritme molasses, some brown sugar, water, yeast, salt and a splash of vinegar -- voila, a wholesome brown bread with great texture, addictive when toasted.

[maxmillan]

I agree with Mix Bakery. I bought a pumpkin loaf which I ate on it's own. Their baguette had a nice thin crust with a velvety inside.

Terra Bread is also very good.

Fieldstone is good if you want to make the trip.

All the suggestions above are good.

Cobbs is definitely like cardboard and their sweets are mediocre.

I make my own bread. If you do it often enough it's not a chore at all. Ive been experimenting with a spelt bread recipe which takes a little over an hour to mix and completely bake! Maybe you could do this with white bread. My recipe entails only one rise, in a warm oven. Then I crank up the oven to 350F without taking out the loaves.

[Ling]

Most bread recipes that I've seen call for 2 rises, so I don't make my own bread very often. I made foccaccia last week and though it was good, I had to throw half the pan away because we couldn't finish it. Actually, I was probably being a little picky about its "freshness" but I just don't like to eat bread that's not super fresh.

I like to buy the small loaves of olive bread from Terra. That way, my boyfriend and I can finish the whole loaf at one time. I've stayed away from Cobs because of the comments on this board, so can't comment on their bread. I had really good Multigrain from Ecco il Pane a while ago. It was a good chew.

Edited November 3, 2004 by Ling (log)

[DameD]

I personallly am a fan of Savory Island Pie Co. breads, esp. when they are warm out of the oven. Also I think the best rye and corn bread is from Union Street Market in Strathcona, a small mom and pop shop but great bread and great little porturguese custard tarts

[Sam Salmon]

Panne From Heaven has a wonderful Peasant Bread-chewy and alive.

Patisserie Le Beau - I know someone who applied for a job there, was offered the job but didn't take it because as she said "those people don't know what they are doing"!I agree with her 100%.

An interesting entrant to the Bread Game is Saffron 2800 Block W4th in the old Mad About Food location.

I had a great Baguette from there the other day and some of their offering looked unique-if you know of someone who needs a Baker's job they are 'Now Hiring'.

[Mooshmouse]

Panne From Heaven has a wonderful Peasant Bread-chewy and alive.

[

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Aye to that Sam. I thought I was the only one in the eGullet universe who knew about Panne from Heaven. As an added bonus, they use Salt Spring Roasting as their in-house coffee and espresso. And their desserts are to die for.