Got a gluten free strawberry shortcake from here for my 26th birthday a while back that looked nice but was pretty much inedible. Sopping wet, flavourless dense cake with the most bland frosting I've ever tasted, and somehow even the strawberry filling tasted like the juice at the bottom of a recycling bin. It genuinely tasted like they forgot to add sugar to the cake at all. I had one bite from it and the rest had to be thrown out. Save yourself the $100 and just bake your own cake. Or just have nothing, that would honestly be better. read more

Strawberry Blonde Bakery - Strawberry shortcake - Bakeries Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Very happy to spend my money on a small business. We got lucky and there was nobody in the store. The limite is two, right after we walk in a client walks in. Everyone arrived at the same time. I didn't put much thought in what I got. I didn't want to keep everyone waiting. I Just wanted to try a few things. Everything was 3.75 to 4.50 size are very small. Nanimo was a normal size but the cheesecake was about 3 bite. Wish they had a mix box. That way you could try the donut and other treats. Maybe a best sellers box with 4 bites. I like that everything I get her is celiac. I didn't know vegan could taste this good. It is definitely a treat and not something I would treat myself to everyday. They had a coffee menu and tables on the other side. Maybe I will try it the next time I go. read more

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Visiting from NY and excited to find this place (Ottawa location). I bought a bagel, loaf of bread and savory scone. So good! The service was super friendly, the staff was knowledgeable and suggested a few items to try. read more

The baked goods are good, imaginative and varied but over-sweetened. But their attitude sucks I won't be back. There are better, more natural vegan desserts in Ottawa at the two buffet style veggie/vegan restaurants. It's crowded and bustling inside which are at the expense of customers and customer service. Snow and ice are obstacles and they didn't do enough to keep their entrance clear on my last visit. Good concept, indifferently executed. read more

Located in Hintonburg, Strawberry Blonde Bakery is a vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free bakery that produces outstanding treats. Focusing on creating delicious food for the people with food allergies Strawberry Blonde Bakery excels at demonstrating you don't need to compromise taste in making vegan baked goods. For the past year I've become a fan of Strawberry Blonde Bakery, initially visiting to pick up vegan treats to share with friends and family, but later on, I continued to visit as I find their baked good just as delicious if not better than many other local bakeries. read more

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This is a vegan, gluten-free, nut-free bakery. I love supporting local businesses and I think it's awesome that there is a bakery that vegans, celiacs and people with nut allergies can go for treats and not worry about cross-contamination. That being said, I am very sad that I am unable to give this place more than 3 stars. I got a half-dozen of cupcakes here. I had a Groupon, so it cost me $10.25. The regular price for 6 cupcakes is $16. If you buy them individually, they are $2.75 each. The cupcakes were really small. You know when you go to the grocery store and buy cupcake liners to bake your own cupcakes? Well, the size of the liners they use here is either "small" or at best "medium". It's definitely not "large" or "giant". The cake just goes to the top of the liner, no significant overflow. There's lots of icing on top, which makes the cupcake look a little bit bigger, but the actual "cake" part is very small. The appearance of the cupcakes also looks like cupcakes that I make at home. I suppose that the advantage of this is that you can buy them and try to pass them off as home-baked and likely no one will accuse you of buying it from a store and pretending that you baked them yourself! The taste was ok. Completely edible, but nothing spectacular. The cakes were a little too mushy for my liking, but I find it's very difficult to get gluten-free cakes the same texture as cakes with gluten (it's either too mushy or too dry), so perhaps my expectations to have them taste like "regular cupcakes" are unfair. I had 3 different types of cupcakes (2 of each type). The first was a vanilla cake with cherry flavoured icing (from their website, this appears to be the "Very Cherry"). If it indeed was the "Very Cherry" it was not "loaded with cherries" like the website claims. There was 1 lone cherry in the middle of the cupcake and a piece of dried cherry on top of the icing :( Fortunately, the icing was full of cherry flavour. The second type was a coconut cake with chocolate icing and shredded coconut on top. I don't see it on their menu online. It might have been the "Queen Elizabeth" but there weren't dates in the cake, just shredded coconut, and the coconut on the icing was not toasted or browned - it was white. The third type was a coconut cake with a lime icing with toasted coconut on top (from their website, this appears to be the "Sax on the Beach"). The frosting was an intense tangy lime. The cake part of each cupcake tasted the same to me except the "Very Cherry" didn't have any coconut in it. I really liked the frosting of the "Very Cherry" and the "Sax on the Beach." I found the cupcakes expensive for what they were, considering they were small and didn't wow me - although I realize that one does pay a premium for "specialty items" (vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, etc.). I may come back to try other items. read more

The baked goods were adequate, it was the service which was lackluster. I asked for a fresh cake, and baker/sales person ran off to find one. However when I arrived at the cash i found a frozen one waiting for me. Which would have been okay if that was communicated before reaching the point of purchase. Something as simple and straight forward as "Sorry, we're out of fresh baked cakes, but we do have frozen one. And, I promise you, once thawed you won't be able to tell the difference.". "sigh" I was then being rung through the cash and i asked if they could write Happy B-Day on the cake. the cashier said "sure" and then told me it would cost an additional $0.86, at the same moment my payment completed. I'd like to suggest you "bake" that cost into the price of the cake. If a customer had just been let down on the frozen front and is now being asking to process a sub dollar transaction - i would posit, and i did suggest at the time, this is the the perfect moment for an eight-six cent customer service gesture. (i also asked if i could run out to my car and grab a dollar coin, and was told it'd be better to run it through the cash) "sigh" i'll head farther afield for baked goods the next time my GF family members are coming to dinner. read more

I was actually on my way to another bakery when the bright turquoise storefront of Strawberry Blonde caught my eye. Located on the corner of Grange and Wellington, right beside the Bagel Company. The shop itself is really more of a wholesale/warehouse, but there is a display of their goods, and boy are they lovely! I was in the hunt for treats for a business owner seminar, and they did not disappoint. I'm always concerned about allergies and intolerances when hosting, and this place, being nut free and gluten free, takes the guesswork out of that - hurray!I decided to go with easily transportable treats that couldn't go bad sitting out for a bit. I chose some delicious cookies (ginger, mint chocolate, and chocolate chip). I really liked how moist and pretty they were, and they were all delicious. I also purchased a large pan of brownies which were super tasty. I would absolutely come back here when picking up baked goods for guests. The prices were reasonable as well. It would be nice if there was maybe a small table to sit at, but I know they're not really going for a cafe vibe here. It's a great spot to visit if you have an allergy, or if you have guests with one! read more

Strawberry Blonde Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Love that this place is vegan and the staff was awesome but that's where the compliments stop. I got the vanilla bean cake and chocolate chip cookies. The vanilla bean cake was so dry and didn't taste like vanilla. It had an unfamiliar flowery undertone. Icing was nice but that couldn't save the cake. The cookies crumbled on touch and were even drier than the cake. Their flavor and texture didn't resemble any chocolate chip cookie I've ever had. You should know that I'm not gluten free and do not eat gluten free treats often. I'm also from NYC where I thankfully have access to amazing vegan options. I do not recommend this place. read more

"DEAD. DEAD AND GONE TO HEAVEN." That's what I wanted to say after leaving this place. All that actually came out was something that might have sounded like a sob-strangled, "This is so good. Can't talk anymore. Eating." Strawberry Blonde Bakery was able to accommodate everyone in my party, which included nut allergies, gluten sensitivities, and a vegan. And everything I had was so good! (Because, seriously, everything fit my requirements. I was not going to stop at just one item). Usually, when you make that many modifications to a recipe, something is sacrificed. Not so with the brownie, cookie sandwich, or cinnamon roll that I had (what? I already said I wasn't going to stop at one). Each was pleasantly soft and lacked the dry or abrasive texture that gluten-free items tend to have. The brownie was just as rich, chocolate-y, and tasty as any of its non-vegan counterparts. The cookie sandwich was better than any cookie I'd ever had, and I question whether they managed to inject the cream filling with souls of kittens because it was so delightful. I will definitely go back soon and probably try everything else. (Yes, in one visit. That's how I roll!) read more

I'd read about this place prior to visiting Ottawa and was intrigued. I am a huge German Chocolate Cake fan and when I read that this bakery sells them, I placed an order prior to my visit. So, today was the big day--my family and I tried the cake. We all liked it a lot! Almost none of us were gluten-free or vegan and the cake passed the test for tasting like a cake should. It was rich, dense, and moist. Just my taste--the icing wasn't thick and caramel-y enough! Lots of coconut but the caramel was a little thin and runny. Also, if I were making a German Chocolate Cake I would make it two layers to put more of the frosting between the layers. That's why I'm not giving it FIVE stars. However, it was really good and didn't taste like a weird cake even though it was gluten-free and vegan, so it gets four stars. I would be perfectly happy to try their other treats! read more

This place is like a dietary restriction heaven haha. Everything is gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan! So go "nuts" (bad pun) and buy whatever you want here without fear! Pros: -No need to worry about ingredients (gluten free, nut free, vegan) -Many bakery options (bread, scones, cupcakes, cakes, muffins, cookies) -Can special order a cake (as shown in my birthday cake photo!) -They cater -Everything I've tried so far taste great! (bread, cake, cupcakes, cookies) -Convenient location right off Wellington -Freshly baked daily! Cons: -Their desserts can be too SWEET -Some of their desserts can be SALTY (their chocolate chip cookies I noticed) -Small building so it can get very crammed when they are busy -If you don't go there early enough on a weekend, they will probably sell out of their bread and some desserts. (Had this happen to me with bread, so maybe call ahead) -Expensive read more

Strawberry Blonde Bakery - Great vegan chocolate bday cake! So rich! - Bakeries Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

They say nut-free but a lot of products contain coconut. For some reason Canada's allergy guidelines don't consider coconut a nut, even though if you get nut allergy testing, coconut is one of the nuts on it, and coconut allergies overlap with nut allergies, it's just the least common of them, and I think usually isn't severe. And in United States, you cannot call something nut-free if it has coconut. (I used to work at an American chain restaurant, and our allergy menus checked off tree nuts for everything with coconut) They also don't let their employees eat outside food inside the place to avoid gluten, dairy, and nut cross-contamination with is good. I'm not a big fan of vegan pastries. Something about Earth Balance makes me really sick, but the pastries don't taste that bad. It's also really small so you can't sit inside an eat. It's more take-out only. read more

Excellent bakery, a treasured find for my son with severe dairy, egg and nut allergies. The doughnuts are incredible, by any standards (regardless of gluten-free and vegan considerations) and the Nanaimo and "cheesecake" bars are incredible. Thank you! read more

Not a cinnamon bun. I went to Strawberry Blonde Bakery with high expectations on their Cinnamon bun. If you like cinnamon buns do not buy one here. There is absolutely no cinnamon odor or taste. When you eat it, you will only think of carrot cake. This may be because of the icing. I took the bun apart to check whether they made a mistake. I could see the streaks of cinnamon. Unless they are using old cinnamon, or a cheap cinnamon, then the only conclusion is the icing completely overwhelms the bun. VERY disappointed. read more

Oh my goodness. We ordered a birthday cake. It weighed a ton, which should have been a warning. It tasted like an extremely dense chunk of whole wheat bread. I couldn't eat it. The service was very good, and the bakery itself looked lovely. I'm sorry, but the cake was simply inedible. read more

I might need gluten free but I'm not that desperate for gluten free. Cupcakes taste like playdoh and cookies over compensate with extra sweet flowering to hide the lack of other ingredients. All around it's terrible. Save your money and avoid this place. read more

I love this place! Super cute and you can see them making everything. Desserts are perfect. I go there when I need something sweet... and gluten free... and vegan... LOVE IT! read more

Had a very poor costumer experience with this bakery. Missed a delivery and found them very rude about arranging a time to pick it up. I called numerous times with no answers, and refused to call back when asked numerous times over email. I do like their cakes, and have ordered from them numerous times. But very poor costumer experience and likely will not continue to order from them. read more

Wow. Was not expecting gluten-free to taste that good, let alone vegan and gluten-free. It's an open style kitchen, so you can watch the bakers work away as you order. They were very attentive and rushed over to give me their advice on which tasty morsel to pick up. I was in the mood for something sweet, so I picked out their cinnamon bun (they mused that it was as good - or better even - than cinnabon. It was as good as it gets). I also got a brownie. It was fudge and chewy - a great combination! I noticed they also had a pretty fine looking pizza roll there for those whose vices are salty over sweet. Though I'm not often in the mood for bakery products, I'll definitely be back when the temptation hits. read more

Banana chocolate chip muffins are to die for. I've been here a few times and have tried a few different items. The delicious banana chocolate chip muffin is outstanding. I was also very impressed with their sugar cookie and power cookie. I'm not vegan nor am I on a gluten free diet, but I keep going back so that must say something about how delicious it is. read more

Everything here is so good. Donuts, cakes, cookies are pure heaven! Some people might consider the prices a bit high, but you are paying for homemade goodness, quality ingredients as well as nut free, gluten free and vegan!! If you want cheap and unhealthy go to the corner store. Can't wait to go back. read more

When you are gluten free you expect to spend more for baked goods for sure and that is a-ok. Yesterday however I tried out this bakery and looked forward to a delicious orange cranberry scone for breakfast this morning. I used to love the scone witch scones which I am now deprived of. I paid 375 for a scone half the size of one at Sconewitch. Much to my chagrin when I bit into it I met a glop of raw uncooked doughy consistency though the outside was golden brown. All bakeries have bad days and I would have excused them if I had had some sort of apology when I called to report this. Instead I had no apology whatsoever, a grilling as if the baker did not believe me , then a statement that she could not do anything u nless I brought it back ( spending more for gas than the price of the scone ) Any apology would have given them another chance but no thanks to Strawberry Blonde. I will stick with Brunettes from here on in!! Ruth S read more

I have yet to go to the actual bakery, but we buy Strawberry Blonde muffins and scones from Herb and Spice on Bank Street a few times a week. There is no question that they know how to do vegan/gluten-free/nut free better than anywhere else I have tried. The muffins are not greasy at all (a common complaint I have with v/gf baked goods). The flavours change almost daily, most often being a fruit and oat combination. The scones are also delicious, however I find the apple one a little bland and salty. Any with lemon or citrus are fantastic and hard to resist. Both pastries manage to not be too sweet which is nice, you can actually appreciate the more subtle tastes. I can't give a five star review as I have never been to the bakery itself and have a somewhat limited experience with their products. The ones I have tried are great, and given the dietary confines they stay within, I am happy to pay ~$3 per product. They are also sold at the McKeen's Metro in the Glebe if getting to the bakery itself isn't an option. If purchased there you get the nutrition info on each item which can be helpful if you are on a calorie-reduced diet or track your macros. read more

Strawberry Blonde Bakery - Strawberry Blonde products on offer at Herb and Spice. - Bakeries Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Incredible find for sweet tooth's with multiple dietary needs! You can get any dessert you could ever dream of there, my favourites are the donuts and mini cakes. Even the exterior of the bakery makes you happy! A must-try for vegans, lactose intolerance, gluten-frees and nut alergics. read more

I love this place; everything that I have had (cupcakes, muffins and brownies) has been absolutely delicious.

I ordered a lemon love birthday cake for my daughter. In the description of this flavour on strawberry blondes website it says "Pucker Up". Well we certainly didn't have to pucker up - not very lemony - disappointed! read more

I've been to the bakery a couple of times, and the desserts were good, nothing extraordinary. Sadly, the staff isn't all that friendly. I walked in there and no one greeted me, then when I asked for desserts from the dessert counter I felt like I was disturbing them. I had such high expectations for the whole experience, but just the good desserts were not enough to make me want to buy from this bakery regularly. read more

Week after week, I go by on a weekly basis to fetch a decadent GF DF Brownie and GF DF carrot cake! Bar none, best in the city! Best! We need more quality bakeries like this in this city! Thank you read more

I'm not a vegan or gluten free or dairy free person per se, but this place is just a big ol' YEAH! You can tell so much heart went into it and I really appreciate people who learn the art of making things taste so amazing with high quality wholesome ingredients. It also just feels really genuine and that vibe permeates both the food and the establishment. read more

I bought a Queen Elizabeth Cake from my grocery store in Kingston, ON. I had checked the ingredients and was a bit suspicious when I saw 2 kinds of sugar listed, but since I wasn't the baker I had no idea how much sugar was in the product. When I cut into it and found syrup oozing from the bottom of the cake I should have stopped right there, but I did eat a piece of the cake. Too sweet by a long shot! As someone who has succumbed to the frailties of an aging digestive system, I now stay away from gluten and dairy (soooo sad, because cheese is my drug of choice). I have always reduced the amount of sugar when baking, so that's an indication that I'm not into overly sweet food. Unfortunately, the Queen Elizabeth cake was so sugary that it upset my digestive system. I'm sure there are lots of people who would love it but I will have to dispose of what's left in the pan because I can't eat it. read more