Fresh Baked Adventure Cafes

Carrot cake is one of this lively coffee shop’s most popular items, but the display cases also brim with brownies, cinnamon buns, lemon loaf, date squares and other treats. Seeking something more substantial? Try the breakfast special, panini, wrap, salad or bagel, or a cup of the daily soup. Whatever you choose, you can complement it with a latte, cappuccino or other gourmet beverage made with organic, fair-trade coffee or tea.

205B St. Lawrence Street, Merrickville, Ontario
Centrally located in a bustling historic shopping destination.

thevillagebean.ca

613-269-4646

Hours: Year-round, daily

This family-run shop is famed for its cinnamon buns, fresh bread and hot pizza. In summer, families sit at outdoor patio tables enjoying ice cream cones. The Village Pantry has the vibe of an old-time general store, with locals popping in and out to pick up snacks, milk or just a bit of news. Lunch items include hot dogs, submarine sandwiches, salads, fish and chips, and poutine. Get takeout and you can enjoy it at a picnic table beside the nearby South Nation River.

8 Spencer Street, Spencerville, Ontario

On the main street, steps from the South Nation River and the Spencerville Mill and Museum.

facebook.com/Village-Pantry-Spencerville-101700639212777/

613-658-3029

Hours: Year-round, daily

Fresh-baked scones and cinnamon buns are highlights at this downtown Brockville café, which also bakes up everything from gingersnaps and butter tarts to red velvet brownies. Ask about gluten-free options, including muffins, banana bread, and bake-at-home cookies and scones.

You can also pick up a homestyle sandwich, a salad or a bowl of soup—in flavours such as potato bacon or chicken corn chowder—and have a waterfront picnic at Blockhouse Island on the St. Lawrence River.

20 Market Street West, Brockville, Ontario

In the heart of a historic downtown close to Canada’s first railway tunnel.

facebook.com/thesweetlifecafe

613-803-8882

Hours: Year-round, Monday to Friday

In this aptly named cozy tearoom, you’ll feel as though you’ve dropped into a corner of England as you sip Earl Grey from a vintage cup. Nosh on British-style pasties, Eccles cakes, crumpets drizzled with butter, or scones accompanied by jam and clotted cream. This is very much a place where the Old World meets the New: British-Canadian owners Alison and Paul Goodyer make many of their treats with local ingredients, including strawberries, apples and ground pork.

45 King Street West, Brockville, Ontario
In the heart of a historic downtown near various attractions.

cosiestearoom.com

613-865-9179

Hours: Year-round, Wednesday to Sunday

Housed in a former school, the Recess Café may make you feel like you’re back in class, with its retro wall murals and stacking chairs. However, the food is anything but institutional—think baked French toast dripping with Blair Brothers maple syrup from nearby Westport, or a breakfast club sandwich made with local Bushgarden Farmstead cheese. Scones, carrot cake, cowboy cookies and cinnamon rolls are among the best-selling items. Soups, sandwiches, salads and bowls are available, along with premium brewed coffee, lattes and cappuccinos featuring latte art.

2761 Ontario 15, Unit 103, Portland, Ontario
On a tree-shaded site on Portland’s edge.

recesscafe.ca

613-390-1596

Hours: Year-round, Wednesday to Sunday

Beloved for its fresh, hand-rolled bagels, Vanilla Beans also sells scones, butter tarts, whoopie pies and other baked treats. With its stone walls, pressed-tin ceiling, ceiling fans and wood floors, it feels like an old-fashioned ice cream parlour—and, indeed, in summer it does a brisk business in ice cream cones and dairy-free sorbets. You’ll also find espresso, grilled sandwiches, popcorn and other light fare. Many products feature local ingredients, such as maple syrup, honey, berries, produce and ham.

34 Main Street, Westport, Ontario
In an old stone house across the street from the harbour.

facebook.com/VanillaBeansWestport

613-273-5053

Hours: May to October, daily