Discover 12 delicious bakeries between Kemptville and Gananoque!

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Clothes may make the man, as the old saying goes, but I’d argue that good snacks make the road trip. And if baked goodies are your definition of the ultimate road trip treats, then point your car to the 1000 Islands Rideau Canal Waterways region for your next day trip or weekend getaway.

In this pretty region just southwest of Ottawa, bakeries are whipping up everything from scones and tarts to cookies, pies and puddings. And you can find them by following the brand-new 1000 Islands Rideau Canal Waterways Fresh Baked Adventures Trail! Once you’ve been inspired by the bakeshop profiles below, check out the trail’s website to get addresses, phone numbers and more information. Happy snacking!

Disclosure: This sponsored post was produced in cooperation with the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville Economic Development Office.

First things first: Where is 1000 Islands Rideau Canal Waterways?

The region covers a wide swath of Eastern Ontario, stretching roughly from Kemptville and Cardinal in the east to Westport and Gananoque in the west. In between, you’ll find countless charming communities large and small, including Merrickville, Portland, Athens, Jones Falls, Lyn and Brockville. If a picnic on a scenic waterfront is your summer ideal, you’ll love this region, as many of its communities are located along the Rideau Canal Waterway or the 1000 Islands/St. Lawrence River.

Now that I’ve set the scene…let’s go discover some bakeries!

Great bakeries to discover

The Crusty Bakers, Kemptville

Craving British-style baked goods? Then the Crusty Bakers is your place, as you’ll find scones of all descriptions (try the cranberry ones), as well as imported British teas and foods. However, lots of Canadian goodies are also available—bacon butter tarts, anyone?—along with Ontario cheeses. Check out the regularly changing menu of fresh-made sandwiches, with choices like Bonnechere cheese with blackberry chutney and pears.

Grahame’s Bakery, Kemptville

Baking doesn’t get much more traditional than at Grahame’s, where bakers use a wood-fired 1885 oven to turn out breads, cookies, turnovers and buns of all descriptions, as well as butter tarts. Depending on the season, you might find hot-cross buns, mincemeat tarts or other holiday treats. And if you’ve got the early-morning munchies, drop by for hot-from-the-fryer doughnuts—they’re usually ready by 5:30am.

Violets on Main, Merrickville

Artisanal breads are the calling card at this sunny bakery in Merrickville. If you come early in the day, the shelves will be heaped with baguettes, sourdough loaves, ancient-grain cheddar bread and other picnic-perfect treats. Call ahead to find out when specialty breads, such as dark rye or rosemary, are available. You can also pick up cookies, mini-cheesecakes, tarts, squares, doughnuts, croissants and more.

Katarina’s Coffee Shop, Prescott

If you’ve never had a double-baked croissant—and I’d never even heard of them until I stopped at Katarina’s—don’t miss the chance to sample this café’s version. How are they made? They’re baked, flattened, soaked in rum simple syrup, then baked again. I’m still thinking about them! You can also pick up cupcakes, oat fudge bars and more, along with tea, kombucha or Rideau Roastery coffee.

Hall’s Apple Market, Brockville

Open the door to Hall’s Apple Market and take a deep breath—the air in this welcoming country shop almost always smells like warm pastry. That’s because the ovens are usually packed with pies! Apple pies are top sellers, of course, but Hall’s actually bakes 20 types of pies, in flavours from peach to pumpkin. You’ll also find other classic treats, such as cookies and squares.

Tait’s Fresh Start, Brockville

Ask just about anyone in Brockville, and they’ve probably popped into Tait’s for a quick coffee and pastry, or something more substantial. After all, the iconic shop has been in business since 1908! Danishes, apple fritters, muffins, date squares and oatmeal cookies are just a few of the many baked goods you may find in the packed display cases. Quiches, pies and cakes are available, too.

The Pastry King’s Princess, Lyn

In this hidden bakery tucked away on a rural road, Ingrid van Dusen uses traditional Dutch recipes handed down from her dad—the area’s original Pastry King—to whip up delicious baked goodies. Don’t miss the cupcakes; they’re iced with European buttercream, which isn’t quite as sweet as its North American counterpart. You’ll also find Canadian-style cookies and other treats, as well as Dutch groceries and cheeses.

Panache Bakery and Café, Gananoque

In this award-winning bakery in downtown Gananoque, you can indulge your sweet tooth with all sorts of treats. Along with a wide range of cookies, tarts, squares, muffins and pies, you’ll find lots of uncommon desserts, including Japanese cheesecakes, napoleons, Bakewell tarts and mango pudding. The bread selection includes innovative choices like sun-dried tomato pesto sourdough, and you can also pick up breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads and more.

Willard’s Village Bakery and Deli, Athens

Plan ahead if you want to snag some fresh doughnuts from this family-owned shop—they’re only available on certain days of the week, and they sell out quickly! (Check the shop’s Facebook page to find out when the next batch will be ready.) You can actually fill your whole picnic basket here with submarine sandwiches, wraps, salads and other lunch fare, as well as fresh oatmeal cookies.

Nut-Free Gourmet Bakeshop, Elgin

If you or one of your travelling companions is allergic to nuts, put this charming bakery—which just opened for business in 2023—on your road trip radar. You can pick up cookies, ice cream sandwiches, gigantic cinnamon rolls and more, all made in a nut-free kitchen. Enjoy your bounty while watching boaters pass through the adjacent Jones Falls Locks on the Rideau Canal Waterway.

Sunflower Bake Shop, Portland

You’ll find this popular bakery at a country crossroads, in the same building as the Forfar Dairy cheese store. Fill your picnic hamper with familiar treats like carrot cake, cinnamon buns and raisin-cinnamon bread, but keep an eye out for Sunflower’s specialties, too. You might spot loaves of hearty peasant bread, which deliver a pleasing crunch because they’re packed with poppyseeds, cornmeal, flax and rye.

Tasty Goodness Bake Shop, Westport

Sure, you’ve had butter tarts. Perhaps you’ve even resolved the perennial “raisins or no raisins” debate. But have you had Skor butter tarts, chocolate chip butter tarts, or maple and caramelized bacon butter tarts? If not, beat a path to this friendly bakery beside Westport Harbour, where you’ll find all that and more, including brownies, mini cheesecakes, cookies, Nanaimo bars, tourtière, lasagna and chili (selection varies daily).

If you go

You’ll find maps, addresses and all the information you need to discover these great bakeries on the Fresh Baked Adventures section of the 1000 Islands Rideau Canal Waterways website.

As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.