bakeries

The best bakery in the city is Pan Chancho, winning by a landslide. Owned and run by the same people that brought you Chez Piggy, the 'Chanch' is a Kingston staple and a place you wish you could frequent .. if only you had the cash.

Pan Chancho is located at 44 Princess street, across from Coffee and Company. It's in a beautiful old limestone building and they've won numerous architectural awards for reclaiming the space. In the front of Pan Chancho you have the deli and bakery section. There are all kinds of wonderful breads: baguettes, olive and rosemary loaf, foccacia ... pastries like pain au chocolate, scones, biscotti, hot cross buns, muffins, croissants.

There's also a cheese section with imported cheeses .. and the deli section that serves up takeout sidedishes like black bean salsa, marinated olives, wild smoked salmon, salads and much more. They also have some incredible soups for takeout too! It's all extremely tasty (and NOT cheap).

Last but not least, there is an amazing dessert section -- with cheesecakes, cakes, pies, profiteroles .. everything sinfully delicious.

In the back of the building, and upstairs as well is one of Kingston's best kept secrets. Pan Chancho operates as wonderful full service restaurant as well. They call it a 'cafe'. In the summer they have a big patio open out back, and sometimes have great live bands (including Joel Plaskett!) play there. The food is incredible -- try their famous burgers -- the staff is friendly, and the atmosphere can't be beat. It's also a great place for sleepy breakfasts during the week. You can have any of the pasteries from the bakery served in the cafe, and it's a wonderfully quiet place to enjoy a croissant, have a cappucino and do some reading. On the weekend they are packed for brunch, so make sure to arrive with lots of time to spare, or make a reservation.

While Pan Chancho certainly isn't cheap, it's worth every penny. If you are in the mood for great food, fresh bread, or just a little local colour, then it's a worthwhile trip down Princess Street.

Above: Pan Chancho is very welcoming, and you can often smell the fresh baked breads from blocks away in the early morning.

Above: Try the decadent pain au chocolat or the olive and rosemary loaf!

Above: The cafe in the back is one of Kingston's best kept secrets.