Decent, but not amazing. Had a chocolatine and almond croissant for $15 + tip Chocolatine was good, maybe even above average. Almond croissant was not good, and I threw half of it out. Not sure it was worth the money or not. So 3 stars might be generous, when 50% of the baked goods didn't work out. This review is based on only one experience. read more

This bakery's placement at the entrance to Byward Market is genius, and I was immediately drawn in by the vast assortment. We went ahead and ran through the rest of the building but came back for a pastry. We couldn't stay (flight to catch) but I chose a sturdy pecan tart to go. My husband chose a more delicate pastry that didn't fare so well in the travels, but when we got home we devoured our food. The service was ok. They did a good job boxing up our order. I would like to come again when we have more time so we can sit down and take in the atmosphere. read more

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I always stop in here when the kids and I are in the market to let them choose a sugar cookie. The staff are usually decent and smiling. When we stopped in yesterday, the cashier that I was dealing with should not be working with the public. While she did get the cookies my kids asked for, the constant rolling of her eyes and huffing and puffing while checking her watch during our interaction could have been saved for the backroom. If I was ordering something ordinary for myself and my children were not there, I would have just told the cashier to forget about it and walked out. It was almost humorous as I watched her putting on a pity show for taking my order. While the pastries look appealing, they are grossly overpriced and they really don't stand out regarding taste. 2 stars because my kids like this place and its a convenient location in the market. 1 star for the cashiers attitude. Meh, I won't be coming back. read more

Le moulin de provence has so many items on display it can be a bit overwhelming. The shop is large, they have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, and the service was fast. I ordered the "obama cookie" which is a shortbread cookie shaped like a maple leaf. The cookie was crumbly and not too sweet, but I was disappointed because the cookie was broken by the time I got it from the cashier. read more

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TLDR: touristy bakery/cafe in the Byward Market. Baked goods range from ok to excellent. Haven't had anything terrible there. This is a very popular place in the Byward Market, mostly with tourists, but locals such as myself pop in once in a while too. This place was made famous by former USA President Barack Obama. When he was president he visited this place and bought some cookies. After his visit, they renamed those cookies he bought "Obama cookies" and Obama fans have been coming to try those cookies ever since, lol. They are shortbread cookies with icing on top. I don't like shortbread cookies, so I've never tried them. They are in the actual Byward Market Square building and the decor is quite pretty. It's a nice place to grab a pastry or even lunch. Their items are on the pricey side, but that's to be expected given they are in a touristy area. I've had many items from them over the last decade plus, and I'd say items range from ok to excellent. Their cheese bread sticks were a bit dry and lacking in cheese, but their danishes and cakes were tasty. Service varies from neutral to good. Metered street parking or paid parkade parking. (34) read more

Le Moulin de Provence - Blueberry Danish $4.50 - Cafes Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

We have been visiting this spot for years. Always consistently good. Something for everyone, any time through the day. Nice place to sit and watch the folks walk by the market. And pleasant service. A must visit in Ottawa. read more

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Great environment and location. The coffee was ok. It has many cute cookies. (why 85 characters...)

They have a MASSIVE selection of baked goods, cakes and pastries! We ordered several items to share between 4 and had leftovers! They are a little on the heavier side, unlike asian inspired dessert! They portions are also very big per piece. We definitely over ordered, but was great to try a variety of treats while we're there. They're a little sweet for me but goes well with a black coffee! read more

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average (a bit pricy) breakfast my husband and I were making a quick stop in Ottawa. so we decided to visit Parliament Hill and also the Byward market. as tourists ourselves, we decided to visit this tourist spot. this place was most famous for its Obama cookies, which we did not order. we had not had breakfast yet, so we ordered the breakfast combo. i found it a bit pricy, around 15 per breakfast. the portion was small. the taste was average. I would not recommend breakfast here, McDonalds breakfast would probably have better value. maybe just visit here for the cookies and desserts as tourists. read more

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Sometimes touristy places are good and this is one of those times. They are strangely famous because Obama once ate a cookie there, had to be about a decade ago, but they are still talking about it. Anyway, the cookies are good. A standard shortbread style but my son loved it because it had a Mario design. I got the German Strudel which was good and had a bite of the Black Forest danish I got for my wife which was really good. No complaints, I'd go back. read more

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Small little corner shop for grab and go. Have anything a bakery have ranging from sandwich, bagel, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, quiche and more. I took a ham and cheese sandwich warmed in panini. Was good but maybe a bit bland since I didn't taste anything like mustard, mayo or other condiment. But overall was good, would retake for a quick light snack. There is a different cashier for different section so you enter and walk to the counter offering what you want, following the arrows and you pay at each of them. read more

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I'm usually stay a couple of blocks away when I'm in Ottawa. It's now just tradition that I grab a cup of Joe here in the morning and some kind of pastry. It's a solid reliable place like an old comfy blanket. You kinda just know what you're going to get. read more

We stopped in for some funny, def tourist cookies, a coffee, and a place to sit. It was a bit pricy, but thats what you expect from a tourist trap, but the food was still decent and I get them again. read more

Baguette sandwich, croissants, cinnamon pastries. The options were endless. We managed to grab a seat (with our wheelchair) and sat comfortably. read more

Le Moulin de Provence - Allllllll the pastries - Cafes Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

This bakery was my favorite part of the Byward Market. With plenty of street parking available, this was a perfect place for a quick and delicious breakfast. Ordered some croissant sandwiches and macaroons, with cappuccino on a cold December morning. This bakery completely satisfied by cravings! And strangely I learned Obama once ate cookie there-we thought that was pretty funny. Service was good, the market is slow in a winter, so not many people in a bakery either. Ambience is casual. read more

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This was a very cute French bakery. The service was fast and friendly. B/C it is winter I didn't get a chance to sit around and enjoy the scenery but I'm sure in the spring and summer this place would be hopping. The croissant, scone and macaroons I got were all delicious. If you are in the area you should stop by. read more

So much bread and pastries to choose from! Lovely bakery and cafe with cute seating. This place can get crowded so be prepared!

Love this place on a Sunday morning. Get my Pistachio scone a cafe au lait and people watch. Good entertainment for 1-2 hours at least. Service is always fast and baked good and hot dishes are worth every cent. Return many many times read more

We went here because it's one of those places that's recommended on the tourist blogs and such, but honestly, it wasn't worth it. We ordered 4 things: - croissant : just ok and didn't taste too fresh. Was also made with margarine instead of butter, so it had more of a bready texture and taste than a classic croissant. - mini pepperoni pizza: also just ok. The pizza sauce was obviously not homemade, and they didn't heat it up before serving. - fruit Danish: This was probably the best thing, in my opinion. The pastry was soft and chewy, and the fruits were fresh. The custard in the middle was pretty thick, so I tried to spread it out across the entire pastry, but overall, this was tasty, and the only thing I would probably get again if I went back - obama cookie: they kind of really played this up, and it made the establishment look tacky and dated. The cookie itself was just meh. Your typical shortbread cookie. Thick and dry and mildly sweet. You can get something similar in any grocery store, though to be fair, it won't have the Canadian maple leaf on it, so there's that! read more

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Good gracious, they haven't stopped talking about the Obama cookies. It's been thirteen years! The cookies are just icing on shortbread! I finally decided to get a pastry here in an attempt to find cool bakeries and cafes in Ottawa. I can't complain too much about the service. You have the option to dine in, but since it was nice out in the market, I soaked in the sun. As a benchmark to compare with other bakeries, I went for the chocolatine/pain au chocolat. The ones they have here ended up having less chocolate than I'd hoped. Of course, the bakery is also known for its more complex confections and desserts. I'm not sure if I'll come back, but if I wanted to get something more decadent (or if I suddenly wanted to pay homage to Barack Obama), Moulin will be considered. read more

Prices are ok. Breads and pastries are excellent. The service is always nice with a decent speed of service. Place is clean and always well staffed. read more

Already a landmark in Byward Market in Ottawa and made more famous by now ex President Obama when he was in Ottawa and walked in the area and picked up some cookies for his daughters. Now the cookies themselves are called Obama cookies and several pictures of the event adorn the walls and counters of this cafe. Picked up some cookies (yes, the Obama ones) because they look really pretty. A coffee for me and a Pougasse for our daughter as a breakfast item. Basically a large pretzel shaped bread made from pizza type dough, olives and cheese and yes, a lot oil (olive I hope). The coffee was good, more of a European or French brew, but good strong taste and not acidic we found. The bread we requested to be warmed up. The size was impossible to finish and daughter and Mrs had as a snack a few hours after. The bread was good made with quality ingredients and nice flavour to it. A lot of oil to the liking and wish there was something to dip into like a marinara sauce or like. Lots of Olives and a fairly decent amount of cheese although not as visible. read more

Le Moulin de Provence - Cafes Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Lots of choices staff not the best. Overpriced items Guy killed my croissant sandwich. read more

Absolutely amazing, I make sure to stop in every time I'm in the area - especially for the delicious macaroons! Everyone is always so pleasant and knowledgeable when we have questions! I always make the mistake of coming hungry and I end up ordering a bunch, but I never regret it! There were so many different cakes, pastries, sandwiches etc. That is almost hard to choose - but nevertheless we just end up getting a few things to have each time. Perfect location in ByWard Market, and easy to get to when passing through. There is street parking and a parking garage near by if you don't want to park on the street. But I would definitely take the chance to visit if you're in the area! read more

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We came here after reading all the great reviews. The pastries emanated the air which was most drawing! Upon entry our eyes lead us to the gingerbread cookies, the cherry strudel, the cafe eclair, the croissant and the pumpkin cheesecake. All were nicely put together in our take away goodie box. Our only recommendation would be to have a ticket system as people came in front of us. We were forgiving but it would be helpful to ensure equity. read more

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Living in Montreal, we are already spoiled for choice when it comes to Patisseries & Boulangeries. Seeing as we were in the area though, we had to make a stop at Byward Market's famous bakery - Moulin de Provence! Inside it is very basic and not as cosy or fancy as some of our favourite bakeries in Montreal. It is spacious with a lot of seating, though it can get busy and overcrowded very fast. There is a lot of variety to choose, from pastries and cakes to sandwiches and the famous Obama cookies. We visited a day or two before Christmas so they had special festive delicacies such as beautiful chocolate logs and cakes, which seemed quite popular as many people were purchasing these. I was happy with my choice of a Jésuite - layers of flaky pastry topped with almonds and filled with sweet frangipane cream, absolutely delicious and a good size too. Prices are a little steep compared to Montreal bakeries but the location is unbeatable. Worth checking out if you're in the area! read more

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There is ample seating inside/outside on their patio area. Some of the tables were messy. They pride themselves on being a bakery that Obama visited in 2009. They have a video clip (around 2 minutes long) of news anchors talking about it on loop. They also have huge pictures of Obama both inside and outside the shop. I tried a raspberry mousse cake, a longer eclair-like pastry with berry cream inside and a tart that had pistachio. I thought the raspberry mousse was the best. The tart was a little dry. The mousse was moist and tart. They have a huge cookie selection that include decorated sugar cookies. They have Canadian themed cookies that would make a nice souvenir. I was impressed by their dessert selection and the number of tortes. This place is located in Byward Market. Overall, it's a fun bakery with a ton of options in a busy and popping area. They do not accept tips. read more

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I drove to Ottawa on Sunday evening. I decided to check out my surroundings, so I walked ByWard Market after I had unpacked at the hotel. I love a good bakery. I was more interested in getting a bite to eat that night, but this patisserie caught my eye. I put it in memory to return. Tonight was the night. I wanted dessert and deliberately walked over there. I walked into the store and was greeted by a ton of sugar cookies. The store offers polar bears, colourful leaves, Obama, Justin Trudeau, owl, and so many other types of decorated cookies. You can also get traditional oatmeal, chocolate chip cookies, and so much more. These cookies are huge. I walked over to the croissants section. My weakness is chocolate ones, so I bought one. I also love a good, tart lemon dessert and settled for the tarte lemon. I just devoured it. It is perfect. The dark chocolate is a nice contrast. The bakery also has tourtière, quiche, and a variety of sandwiches. I must return. Everything is so tasty. It's a gem of a find. read more

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ike most tourists, we chose to come for the Obama Cookies. Like most tourists, we paid an overpriced amount for this experience! Upon reading the reviews, my family chose to order a Trudeau Cookie (classical), the Almond Croissant, and the Chocolate Almond Croissant. The Almond Croissant was overly sweet (according to my parents, for I did not try the actual product myself). The Chocolate Almond Croissant was likewise, but it was a bit better as the chocolate acted as the main sweetener, and the almond parts were very rich. My main complaint would have to be that the lower part of the pastry was soaked and wet, which ruined its texture and taste. The Trudeau Cookie turned out to be a good and hearty shortbread cookie (we picked away at the icing - in case you haven't noticed, my family are not big fans of sweets). I then ordered an Abricot Brioche to consume by myself (I copied the order of a friend). It was good, but I spent a good couple minutes picking away at the rocks of salt on the surface (super sticky and sweet). I also left the entire custard center area, which was too heavy and sweet for my liking. It's more of a tourist experience, and I probably won't come again! :) read more

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I've passed by this place soo many times yet never decided to try and I was so wrong! Their macarons are amazing - super fresh, moderately sweet and have a huge variety of flavours to choose from! I tried their other pastries and they were pretty impressive as well - some of them are real piece of art and look mesmerizing. They also have pizza and sandwiches but I would personally return here for their desserts (I tried their pizza and it was nothing special - it is a french bakery, not a pizzeria after. If you are looking for a dessert on a special occasion - this place should definitely be on top of your list! read more

Le Moulin de Provence - Macarons: coffee, salted caramel, pistachio and dark chocolate - Cafes Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

As an American working in a new city/country, you know I had to grab the infamous "Obama cookie". I love the ode to President Obama presented in the bakery. The cookie was delicious, your typical sugar cookie. I do wish that the cookie was softer which is a personal preference. Regardless, if you're an American in Ottawa you have to stop here! read more

Ambiance: Very basic .. I guess us montrealers are extremely spoiled and surrounded with authentic bakeries around our island. Shall I say It was dull and uninspiring. I decided to come here when They mentioned Obama came in here to have one of their cookies. I heard Obama visited Ottawa and he paid them a visit and bought the Canada cookie label. Service: Mediocre! They really don't seem pleasant. They really don't seem to like serving you! They are also very slow and it took us about 20 minutes to fonally get someone to take our order. That's where they lost 2 stars on my review! The Food: I really can't complain! Id give the food 5 stars if it was based on the food alone. The Cookie was Deeeelicious! Very moist and tender. The icing was sweet and decadent. The cookies were not the best item in their bakery! I also ordered the chocolate almond croissant woooooow was that a treat! It was so delicious. It tasted fresh and absolutely fluffy ! I wish I ordered more of them on my way back to Montreal. Oh well.. read more

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Obama Cookies.... WTF does it take an American to make a Canadian bakery famous?? Not sure but like everyone else I had to stop by and grab one of these cookies. Not sure which cookie the former President ate but these cookies are basically short bread cookies with coloured icing on top with the most popular one being the Canadian Maple Leaf one. From emojis, to pumpkins to birds, everyone wants in on the action...even our PM Trudeau has an image on a cookie. Kinda ironic too that the our PM's cookie is known as an Obama cookie also;) The bakery had a whole bunch of other items such as cakes, breads, sandwiches etc. But we only came for cookie. Go Obama!! read more

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Of the few places I've been to in Byward Market, Moulin de Provence is the one that I remember most fondly. It is a French bakery or, at the very least, a bakery with a French name. You see, the province of Quebec is immediately across the Ottawa River from the national capital's public market, as indicated by bedroom communities with names like Gatineau. I will have to say that the treats here are very good, though not stellar. However, they have so many to choose from and they seem to keep making them throughout the day. I will have to say that the people who worked here when I visited were fantastic and, true to Canadian form, hailed from different and interesting places. The customer service I received was excellent. The prices were fair. They accepted credit cards. There are various tables at which one can sit, unless one wants to have their treats bagged or boxed to go. And, being the center of Ottawa and near the big government buildings, the people watching ought to tide you over for a while, meaning you ought to hang out. However, what makes Moulin de Provence very interesting is that they sell a little treat called the Obama cookie. It was born on February 19, 2009 when our previous President visited Canada. I had my heart set on the more elaborate treats in the display case, so I didn't try one. Also, I don't recall if you needed to buy an entire bag of them or could buy them individually. I knew I had a full plate in front of me and not enough room in my stomach for what I had bought! Despite their treats not being as stunning as they might look, what else are you going to do and where else are you going to go in Ottawa's central Byward Market if looking for desserts, a sandwich, and/or a cup of coffee or tea? For all of its other positive aspects, it pushes up Moulin de Provence's overall star rating so as to nudge a 4. read more

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One of the WORST places to get breakfast. Place is noisy and they have no idea what "crispy" bacon means. They even charge 20 cents for butter after serving me dry toast! Practically ANY place is better for breakfast! read more

It's a huge bakery right at the heart of Byward Market. They have a varied collection of pastries, cakes, bread, small meals etc. Looks fancy and has a big sitting space. But when it comes food, it tastes just average, nothing that would make me wanna go there again. I have tried a lot of things, over the time now. I visited this place many times now and my opinion has been consistent. read more

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Great prices, delicious selection. The services is good, and staff are friendly. The place is doesn't have the best decoration, but I'd rather have the quality food and reasonable prices. read more

Tourist trap bakery. Come on it's supposed to be a French bakery. I order a cafe latter and get a N'espresso from a machine. No. Pecan tart - pastry was too thick and not tasty and tart barely tasted of pecans. It was really sort of tasteless. Cheese tartine was greasy. read more

Obviously one of the iconic bakeries in Ottawa. They have a huge selection of desserts to choose from and their famous lattes that come in large bowls are very Instagramable. However, it's not a cheap place and for the price of the deserts, I expect better presentations. They give everything on paper plates in cafeteria trays and some of the desserts are just hard to eat with plastic forks! They don't accept tips though and the service is always great. read more

Le Moulin de Provence - Cafes Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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So I really liked this place. As someone who doesn't regularly have access to French style pastries I was in hog heaven here! Everyone seems to be harshing on them about the Obama cookies, I really discovered the place by accident though, nothing to do with the cookies. Anyway, I ordered a ham and cheese baguette and it was really just ok. Very simple I suppose. My favorite item was the cherry tarte I had. It was a delicious little tarte filled with almond paste and cherries. I think I came back twice for more tarts! I also had a Trudeau cookie and it was pretty tasty. Sometimes a simple butter cookie can be absolutely delicious! read more

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