Columbus Bakery

Ask for the hornado…
I don’t believe i saw a menu… so you’ll basically need to know what you’re looking for.
The hornado is a delicious breakfast/​brunch dish… rice, beans, colombian style eggs, pork, arepa… (hope i didn’t miss anything)…
The empanadas are pretty good but i love the bread items with a coffee… their chicharon is pretty good too, as is their fritada (pork pieces)… :)
Their flan is also pretty good… can easily compete against some of Toronto’s best high end restaurants.
Toronto has many great restaurants but it lacks good latin american spots… and gladly this one is close to home… already looking forward to brunch next weekend :)

Whenever I travel to Toronto I make it a point to visit this bakery. They carry most of the ditional Colombian food that I grew up with. The only issue I have it is with the almojábanas, pan de bono and pan de yuca. The cheese they must use it is not correct or they are using way too much salt. And, if you get it to Go, be careful that they don’t pile everything into one bag crushing the almojábanas.

The empanadas are amazing — both the fried & baked ones. We ordered 8 fried beef empanadas & my boyfriend tried the baked chicken empanada. The pastry used for the chicken empanada was really buttery & flakey. The lady behind the counter was really friendly & patient while we asked many questions about the food behind the glass. My advice though: ask for the empanadas to go because you will also get the salsa in a small to go container rather than using the communal salsa that’s been siting out.

A fortuitous miss of Yorkdale’s entrance brought my Colombian friend and I to this place. The little bakery is a one-​stop shop and a Colombian nostalgia emporium. The shop is adorned with flags and little religious figurines. In case you are still confused as to where you are, the tv will be showing a Telemundo-​type soap or a soccer commentator will be screaming GOOOOOOOOOAL… GOOOOOOOOOAL! The only more stereotypical thing would be for Shakira to be playing in the background.
The treats include a wide variety of breads, pastries, arepas, sausages, and empanadas.
The bacon wrapped sausage tasted very gamey and chewy. The morcilla or blood sausage had a much softer filling with and an interesting spice blend that took my mind away from the fact I was eating blood. The sausages were nicely complemented by the aji, which emerged as a new contender for my favourite hot sauce.
Malt beverage was incredibly rich. It tasted only slightly lighter than drinking pure molases. As my Colombian pal downed the bottle, I had to take it sip by sip.
The bunuelo was possibly the highlight of the feast. The baseball sized cheese-​infused dough was hot and fresh so we just could not pass up on it. Golden crispy on the outside, soft and cheesy in the inside. Also for dessert, empanada with a queso fresco and jam filling, which neither offended nor impressed.

One of the most delicious bakery I have tried in Toronto, sure there might be other good ones, South American bread is really good. but as far I have been this one is awesome.
Go get the Pan de Bono. perfect combination with coffee: D

I absolutely love love LOVE this place. My mother and older brother are Colombian (from Bogotá), and they both agree that it is the best and highest quality Colombian food they have ever tasted in Toronto. Trust me, we have all visited many places and this place is BY FAR the best. I’ve also visited Colombia and tried these items, so I agree on the accuracy of taste. Just like «back home».
Whenever I go I order empanadas (beef and potato patties), morcillas (blood pudding «sausages»), chicharrónes (fried pork rinds), buñuelos (deep fried corn flour and cheese balls) and tamales (polenta-​style steamed corn flour with beef, pork, chicken, veggies wrapped in plantain leaves).
Obviously, it’s not a place to visit if you are watching your weight. It’s a place to INDULGE to high heaven!
*The staff are able to speak some English, but it doesn’t hurt to try and speak slow and point if you need to. No one expects you to just know Spanish like that!
**Also, to save a little money, specify IF YOU DO NOT WANT AREPAS. Otherwise, they will be charged and added along to every cooked food item you buy. That adds up really quick, but just tell them «no arepas» or «sin arepa, por favor.»
***If you like the aji (pronounced a-​hee), which is the spicy red salsa served in bowls around the places, and want to take some home along with your order, you can possibly ask for some in a cup.
I’m not a fan of spicy, but aji adds a wonderful complement to the empanadas, and if you’re weird like me, even to the chicharrónes and morcillas.

Cute little bakery with lots of munchie food and some spanish products. It’s a little bit pricey, but it’s nice to visit once in a while.

Specialty: Colombian Baked Goods
Reviewed: All Breads and Pastel de Platano con Bocadillo y Queso
The taste of Colombia in Canada is this bakery’s modus operandi. All treats, sweets and even savories are 100% authentic. Their assortment of breads from Pan de Queso (cheese bread), Pan de Camaron (bread in the shape of a shrimp) and Pan Aliñado (traditional Colombian bread) are Columbus’ best asset in my mind. With my family, we always come here for the bread, and when we do, we consider it a treat because of two main reasons. One, we drive over all the way to Dufferin just to get the bread; and two, it means none of us are dieting at the time, so its green flag for us to indulge in the goodies.
The goodness of the breads, especially as they are made the Aliñado way, comes from the use of corn flour, cassava, white fresh cheese (2 ways) and eggs. Its a very unique way in which Colombians make bread, that make the taste and texture something else.
Another one of my favourites at Columbus is their Pasteles. Colombians speak of flaky pastries or deep fried pastry as «Pasteles», and pasteles is what we are known for. Columbus’ Pastel de Platano con Bocadillo y Queso (plantain pastry filled with guava spread and cheese) is one ooey-​gooey treat.
One bite into this pastry will have you reaching for a napkin to wipe-​off all the guava that has just re-​melted on your hands as you continue to dig your teeth onto this sweet treat. The cheese, although it could have used a little bit more of it, joins the slumber party as you are half-​way through the pastry. This is definitely one of those treats, that on a nice Saturday morning, will have you start the weekend on a right note.
Buen Provecho,
Foodies Inc.

the Toronto Lover system:
5 stars = Must visit!
4 stars = Really good. I take my friends here.
3 stars = Somewhat worth it… if you have nowhere better to go.
2 stars = Below average. Attend only when necessary.
1 star = Do not visit!
Columbus Bakery is a terrific Spanish café with delicious coffee and treats. Try the deep fried empanadas ($ 2) and other authentic Columbian dishes. Everything is reasonably priced. Lattes and cappuccinos ($ 2.50) are very popular here, but the coffee ($ 1.50) is just as fulfilling. They have a nice number of homemade pastries too. Don’t expect quick service — they’re on Latin time in here. This place is worth visiting, and many South American immigrants drive to North York to visit this slice of home.
4 stars

Excelent food! A bit expensive, but great.