Bench Bakehouse is a top spot for baked goods

Their Danishes are expertly done

When I first started biking, I rode around the city one time, very hard, and didn’t realize I needed to desperately eat. Being a lover of French baked goods, I stopped by Bench Bakehouse.

Now, almost three years later, I was in the neighbourhood and decided to try it again. Luckily, the team is still excelling at a high level. 

Bench Bakehouse display

Bench Bakehouse display. Vancity Lookout/Geoff Sharpe

I ordered the seasonal Danish and the Kouign-amann. Danishes are a blank canvas, showcasing baking skill level, and the toppings a place’s creativity. Kouign-amann, a laminated bread-dough pastry, highlights the more traditional French options.

Bench Bakehouse danish

Bench Bakehouse danish. Vancity Lookout/Geoff Sharpe

Bench’s Danish is a winner, with the day I visited showcasing a pumpkin topping. It’s a big one, laminated properly, and the pumpkin cream, at first glance rather pitiful, reveals there’s far more filling than expected after a few bites. The pastry cream is well-made, not overly thick, and has a fresh pumpkin taste, the opposite of something like a pumpkin spice latte.

The Kouign-amann appeared to be made traditionally, with a more dense bite owing to, I think, the use of bread flour. It’s a sweet, easy-to-eat pastry.

The place has a range of bread options, including traditional, toasted sesame, baguettes, ciabatta, and the classic French bread fougasse.