Trillium Bakery

what a sad combination — amazing baked goods with perhaps some of the nastiest customer service I have ever encountered. If you’re going to spend $ 2.50 on a small bun, you want to at least have a pleasant exchange with the person selling it to you Not the case here. You are more likely to be chastised or shamed or simply ignored. I have had 2 really negative experiences here with the staff being explicitly rude; one woman actually seemed to disdain her customers. I have never encountered anything like this — I couldn’t tell if it was the owner or an employee. I’ll admit, the pastries and bread have been great both times. For me, it’s just not worth it. I won’t support them again.

Last weekend I was in Ottawa and needed a birthday cake. I wanted something better than a grocery store birthday cake and I found it at Trillium Bakery.
I had called a few other bakeries, but Trillium was the first one to quickly confirm that yes, they had a cake suitable for eleven people and that I could pick it up within the hour.
What a lovely surprise the bakery itself was. It’s like stepping back in time with the cozy wooden shelves, glass display cases and old time general store counter. You see the love that goes into these baked goods.
When I got there, the cake was ready – personalized and ready to go.
I will say I was surprised by the number of gluten free goodies available. I’d say about 75% of what was on display was gluten free, so much so I was surprised that the birthday cake was a straight-​up birthday cake.
Along with the cake, I bought a couple of very delicious maple tarts. They were all love and butter. The hot cross buns I bought seemed a bit dense and not all that tasty, but the cake and tarts more than made up for those.
I highly recommend this bakery. The delightful staff were super helpful and obviously proud of what they do there. The cake itself was lovely – an amazing looking white cake with a nice buttercream frosting at a very reasonable price.

I stopped by this bakery more times than I could count while in Ottawa this past fall. First and foremost, Trillium caters to people with special diets, including individuals with food allergies. As the mom of a child allergic to eggs, I was thrilled beyond belief to find a bakery that made baked goods for those on restricted diets.
Whether you have food allergies, a special diet, or are one of those lucky people who can eat anything and everything, Trillium is terrific. Their cakes are special treats — their cake frosting is especially sweet and yummy. We ordered an egg free cake for two birthdays — both cakes were lovely and delicious.
In my mind, Trillium’s most singular offering is its Chelsea buns. Soft wheat buns, covered with a caramel and nut topping. They are absolutely delicious, although a little pricey at $ 3 per bun. (Trillium sells day old baked goods on a rack by the door, and Chelsea buns and other goodies can often be found there for cheaper prices)
Overall, a terrific place for people with allergies or restricted diets. Don’t forget to try the Chelsea buns! :)

I remember when my friend Caroline was diagnosed with Coeliac disease — a strong reaction to gluten. That was in 2003 and I had never heard of the condition. Here it is many years later and suddenly SO many people I know have discovered they are sensitive to gluten. If you are in this boat, or just want some variety in the grains found in your bakery goods, then you need to go to Trillium Bakery. No matter what your food issue is (no dairy, gluten-​free, no enriched flour) Trillium Bakery has something for you. They make bread, cookies and other sweet treats — and, best of all, you can sample most of the goods! And, the bakery also has a day-​old section for bargain hunters. But, if you are looking for baguettes, then you will need to shop elsewhere. The owner says they don’t make baguettes because «we are not a French bakery»!