Ruelo Patisserie

Hands down, the best macarons I have ever had. I didn’t expect this because the store in unassuming and was manned by a Chinese teenage girl who didn’t know much English, but the macarons are near perfect. I love the flavours, my favourite being the crème brûlée and the rose-​raspberry-​lychee, and the macarons are just how I like it. A delicate shell with a moist, dense but still airy centre. The fillings were sweets but not to the point it is off putting.
I would definitely recommend it. I hope to try their cakes and afternoon tea sometime.

The place is small but comfortable, good volume of music. Really liked how they had a variety of tea selection and there are actually testers which really helps you to choose the right kind of tea for you. The service is actually pleasant, smiled and greeted me upon arrival and asked me about the food after I’m finished. The food is okay, nothing too special. One if the desserts is pretty good with strawberry filling, forgot to ask for the name. The macaroons are good, had the blueberry lemon and had a blueberry filling inside of the middle layer. The overall experience is not bad, might come back again.

Came here earlier this week and was really excited to try something new — a little sugar never hurt anyone…
So we went in and dazzled by the lovely colours and sights, my friend I ordered just two macarons — and lattes. I didn’t bother trying the pastries as they didn’t seem to look appealing — not bad, just not amazing for the price they were asking. I don’t even think pastries in Paris were priced this high…
We ordered the Rose Lychee and Pure Chocolate. After biting into them, I noticed mine had a slight freezer-​burnt taste. My friend also noticed the same — after exchanging bites, it was confirmed — they were definitely directly from freezer. Maybe it was the day? Not sure but it was a let down — simply because visually, they looked so good. We didn’t finish them and won’t go back :(

Came here courtesy groupon for the tea for two. I had read about their macarons and was looking forward to trying them here. They ask for one to reserve in advance which just alright as the other dinning companion had some dietary restrictions.
Parking is quite close and reasonable in a Green P lot.
We just confirmed and waited for the our stuff to arrive it consists of the following:
Two scones with Devon cream and Kusmi jam (good)
Mini danish (decent)
Mini Atlantic smoked salmon sandwich on a scone (average)
Mini shrimp salad sandwich served on a crispy croûton (average)
Daily quiche (good)
Macarons, crème brûlée, and banana bread (good)
cappuccino (OK)
Macarons actually have layered filling which is interesting. The baked good are worth a visit again.
The service was kind of slow even though they were not busy when we dined.
I would say for desserts 3.5 stars.

We came here with a Groupon at around 3pm on a weekday. The service was kind and the the food came out on time. We were treated very nicely despite having a Groupon, I give the shop a bonus point for that. The tea was all right, but I’ve had better quality elsewhere, the boyfriend really liked his tea though. The foods were very good. I enjoys every item the were served on the tower. I especially liked the mango salsa, proscuitto and the macaroons they’ve included. Compared to afternoon tea at Windsor Arms, this place offered a much better selection of food/​dessert items. Overall it was a very enjoyable meal.

Their Macarons are one of the best I’ve had in Toronto with very unique flavours such as Green Tea Seseme and Wasabi Grapefruit! They definitely taste ultra fresh. I especially loved that they’re not too big and not to small — the perfect size. If you’re a Macaron lover, you must visit this place. Especially with the La Bamboche (yonge/​eg location) closed, this will definitely be my new to-​go place for a Macaron-​fix.
I got a half a dozen packaged for a birthday gift for my friend, but I couldn’t resist getting a couple for myself! I got the Ruelo & Green Tea Seseme. Both flavours that I haven’t tried before.
The Ruelo contains milk chocolate ganache with a crispy praline center. So yummy! I can see why this is their signagure flavour. The Green Tea Seseme contains green tea ganache and a crispy black sesame praline center. Very delicious as well.

The storefront seems relatively average, nothing exciting, no fireworks going off here. I instantly regretted the three freaking blocks north I had to walk from where I was visiting to go to this place on a hot humid day. But since I was already here, displaced three whole city blocks away, I thought that I may as well check this place out. My laziness knows no bounds. The interior was arguably nicer, gives off the impression of a small quiet place, tucked away from the rest of the city.
What was I here for? Macarons of course. Ruelo Patisserie is truly inventive with their macaron flavours, they have your typical chocolate and vanilla macaron that every run-​of-​the-​mill French bakery have, and they also have flavours like Green Tea Sesame, Yuzu and Wasabi Grapefruit (I’m seeing an Asian influence here, don’t you?).
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After hearing mixed reviews for Ruelo, I finally decided to try it out since I was in the area and wow I wish I had spent my money elsewhere. $ 8.50 on three macaroons which were mediocre at best.
The girl there was not enthusiastic and did greet us but there were limited amount of macaroons left. I also walked out after looking at the selection but decided to try it since I was there. My friend and I ended up getting the Signature Ruelo, Raspberry and Cassis (Black Currant). After paying, she went to the back and we didn’t even start walking out the door. We both felt she was rude and decided to eat it elsewhere. Mind you, the décor was really pretty with the purples and looked very chic.
The filling tasted bitter, each bite I expected something to stand out but it was nothing special and nothing outstanding. The only one that tasted decent was the Signature Ruelo unfortunately.
Would I come back? No thank you. I’ll go spend my well earned money elsewhere.

I love the Salted Carmel Macron! This location is close to my house and I have stopped in a few times. Everyone has been nice enough, although their prices are high and selection is low. Everyday I walk by their BMW parked on the side walk and it doesn’t exactly give off the «local artisan» vibe they are going for. I guess what really stopped me from visiting was talking to an ex-​employee who I am sure was very biased but she said they arent very hygienic ex., don’t use dish soap because it «takes to long» and that they are very rude to their staff. Ultimately that made me dislike giving them my money. Although I am sure «ex-​employees» are «ex» for a reason, so I didn’t take it as fact, but I did take it into consideration. Basically I only go there for the one flavor.

Afternoon tea *2 stars*
Chocolate pastry dessert cake (Ruelo) *4 stars*
Went specifically for afternoon tea but it was a little disappointing. I expected the sweets to be better considering it was a patisserie but, the best part of the 3 tiered afternoon tea set was the savoury appetizers! Surprisingly, the macaroons offered were not the best, a little too sweet and a little on the artificial side. Even at $ 15.99/person it could have been better!
The Kusmi tea was nice, not spectacular but aroma and taste were good.
Aside from the afternoon tea set, we also shared a chocolate pastry dessert, It was a chocolate mousse dessert with vanilla crème brûlée filing and crispy praline layered on top of chocolate cake. The dessert was covered with dark chocolate ganache and gold leaf sprinkles. It was really good, light and creamy with just the right amount of sweetness and a good balance of textures. Buy again? YES!
Service was on the plus side as it was friendly and we had several hot water refills. We also stayed long after we finished eating, but were still offered ice water.
I would skip the afternoon tea and stick with the desserts! Some of the flavour combinations were also quite enticing and unique, so worth a check!

Apparently this location is where Ruelo makes all their macarons, including the ones for their Richmond Hill location.
I used a Groupon for a box of assorted macarons, and the flavours were all a bit off. It was like testing out different colored jelly beans. I didn’t enjoy the Yuzu or Wasabi Grapefruit. Why can’t I just have a macaron that’s just plain Pistachio?
The macarons themselves were different in size and there was too much filling in proportion to the exterior shell.
Some may like Ruelo’s creativity in mixing different/​exotic flavours together, but I still like the basics better.

I wrote this quick review as I sat in the Patisserie itself and while walking around the neighborhood so please pardon any grammatical errors. Considering the macarons were $ 3.00 and $ 2.25, I had my expectations set quite high! Alas, I was to be greatly dismayed!
The $ 3.00 Ruelo tasted like a Ferro Rocher macaron… you would expect a Patisserie Chef from LCB with a Diplome de Patisserie to be a little more inventive. The hostess very sweetly mentioned that it tastes like the mass produced chocolate too. I mean if you are you going to create something that tastes like a mass produced chocolate… a. Why price it at $ 3.00 and b. Why make that of all your macarons your SIGNATURE macaron!
Not sure if Chef Jacqueline Lo was trying to be adventurous with the recipe of the Salted Caramel Macaron! In addition to being hard and dry, it was also sticky… kind of almost like a Sticky Salted Caramel Toffee. If that was the taste she was going for… SPOT ON! If not, either I got a really bad batch or may I suggest the chef make some changes in the recipe.
My sister who had the Blueberry Cheesecake didn’t seem impressed and told me the crust of the cake borders on overwhelming the taste of the cheesecake.
The reason I awarded Ruelo 2 stars is because my friend on facebook mentioned that their Croissants were great and since I have tried it, I ll just have to take her word for it. On a plus side, great customer service!
If you are looking for French Patisseries in the neighborhood, La Bamboche is the closest and best bet.

I visit this location and their original one in Markham several times a year. It seems there are more unique macaron flavours available here tho.
I stopped by last weekend to see what they’re offering and got real excited when I saw the last mandarin olive oil macaron in the display. I had been waiting for this flavour ever since macaron day when Jacqueline (the owner) mentioned she will be experimenting with this flavour.
This was good, but when the only comparison I have is Pierre Hermé’s mandarin olive oil, it’s not quite there… it needs a bit more olive oil flavour.
Still… Ruelo gets a solid 4 stars for having the best macarons in the city and using quality ingredients in their macs and cakes.

Ruelo Patisserie is a little sleek and cute purple place right off Yonge st. The atmosphere in here is quiet and comfortable and the staff is very friendly.
Ruelo offers coffee/​tea, baguette sandwiches for breakfast/​lunch, sit in desserts, macarons, and bread. You can also order small cakes here and weddings cakes too. Prices here are steep; macarons range in price according to its flavor and can go up to $ 5 for one! Macaron flavors include: wasabi grapefruit, cream cheese orange, early grey etc. Small 6″ cake here costs around $ 28.
They also have a very small list of espresso beverages and a nice variety of loose leaf Kusmi tea. I got an Americano ($ 2.95) and I didn’t enjoy it too much– too watery and somewhat bitter. Tea here will cost you $ 3.75. Extra 75cents for iced or a slice of lemon. I wanted to pair my Americano with a macaron or sit in dessert but they had no desserts on the counter and only a small selection of macarons left over, no flavor which I was interested in. Also, I wanted to see their bread, but they did not have any. Prices for macarons, sandwiches, and cakes are not listed in the store which I didn’t find too helpful.

Desserts for a very special occasion, or perhaps a really extravagant tea party! The cakes and desserts here are so gorgeous and the flavours are unique. I was first drawn here because of their lychee and raspberry macarons. They also have a lot of other interesting options like yuzu and green tea. It’s just fun to try new spins on classics.
They also have individual serving cakes that look like small works of art. You almost feel guilty cutting into them. Their cakes are also one of a kind — I ordered a red bean, green tea and sesame birthday cake for my mom and it received rave reviews! Each layer was created with such care and precision, and you were able to taste and enjoy each flavour.
My only thought is that I wish the cakes came in larger sizes. These cakes are too special not to share.

I visited Ruelo during their Grand Opening. They have a cute, yet just slightly hidden location just off Yonge.
I agree with Janna regarding their variety, — maybe it was a busy day but the emphasis is absolutely on the Macarons. I would have liked to see more single serving cakes and pastries (from what I understand they have full-​sized cakes available, but they’re defrosted).
A greater variety of drinks would also be appreciated. Neither of Ruelo’s locations present themselves as a truly sit in venue. I got the espresso and earl grey flavored macarons, they have lots of east Asian inspired ones. Both were airy, light and bursting with flavour.
Study/​Work friendly? Maybe, but Starbucks down the street is a better option.

I came here three months ago when it just opened and bought 4 macaroons. Then I found out macaroons here are so pricey! $ 3 – 5 each depending on which one you get. But their texture is really nice compared to others. It’s not too sweet, slight crunch on the outside, slightly chewy on the inside with a layer of delicious pastry cream and they are big in size. My favorite is fleur de sel caramel. I also got the earl grey, lavendar, and chocolate, but other people got to eat it. I’ll have to visit again soon so my review is a little more reliable :)

I attended the grand opening of this business on the weekend and was impressed by the variety and quality of the macarons. My favourite was definitely the raspberry lychee. Samples of the other goods on offer were okay, but I don’t know if I would have paid the prices they ask for. An iced latte was $ 3+ and the 14 oz mug was filled with about ¾ ice! I had to knock some of the ice in the garbage so I wouldn’t spill it on myself.
Overall I was very surprised by the limited number of things for sale. The cakes looked very similar and beautiful, but to be honest I didn’t try any because they looked like mousse or cheesecake and I’m not a big fan. I thought they would have more cakes with fondant and other types of pastries.
If you are a macaron aficionado, this is certainly the place for you (if you’re willing to pay their prices). I hope they can stay in business but with this limited offering it might be a challenge.
Note — the tea here is amazing… and I never drink black tea otherwise!

Macaron prices vary by flavour, but nonetheless high. At these prices, they not only have to be the best in Toronto, but also up there with the best in the world. (remember, Pierre Hermé or Ladurée macarons sell for about 2 euro or 2 pound on the other side of the pound, and about $ 3 a piece in Ladurée New York City Upper East Side).
Is it the best in Toronto? Probably.
Is it better than what you could get from PH or Sadaharu Aoki or Dalloyau in Paris, for less money? Not really, perhaps a philosophical way of looking at this is that you save a plane ticket. We are lucky in Toronto to have that many good french patisseries.

$ 5? For a Macaron! That’s my lunch there!
Ruelo Patisserie recently opens a second location just North of Yonge and Eglinton. I always a fan of Ruelo’s macaron in the Richmond Hill’s location and I am happy to see them expanding.
The Patisserie still smell like paint when I came by and they still putting in a lot of final touches before I would consider them «in business».
Black Truffle Macaron ($ 5) is made from real truffle shavings. I have to say I am bias as I always like macaron that has more complex flavour then just pure sweetness… I would have to say I have a fan of the taste and concept. Since it is Ruelo grand opening, the owner was nice enough to offer this for me free to taste.
I also tried their Ruelo ($ 3) and Raspberry Lychee ($ 2.50) Macarons while sipping on an Americano ($ 2.50). They were all excellent…
This Ruelo Patisserie location will also has baked goods (bread) and of course pastries and cakes.
Welcome to the Neighbourhood! I wish them all the best and it will not be easy to compete with all these Patisserie in the area, this is NOT Richmond Hill!