A few Saturdays ago, I bought a mystery bag through the Too Good to Go app. It was to pick up some baked goods from The Haven Low-Carb Cafe.
First, I love a good bakery. Second, I enjoy checking out places that offer low-carb baked goods and more. Third, this cafe is in my old neighbourhood of the Beaches. It was perfect to return and fetch some yummy mystery goodies.
Parking is always interesting in the area. Parking is limited along Queen Street East. This cafe is located on the northwest corner of Willow Avenue and Queen Street East. Willow Avenue runs one-way southbound.
I parked illegally in front of the store. It didn't appear to be a valid parking spot. I took a chance flashing my hazard lights and it worked out.
Your parking options are Willow Avenue or Queen Street East. If you want free parking at a lot, you could hit the Valu-mart a block away. This lot is unmonitored during the day, so you can get away with parking there without doing grocery shopping at the store.
The cafe is cozy and inviting. I'd break down the offerings as follows:
- Specialty drinks
- Sugar-free treats (some are gluten-free and vegan)
- Prepared meals
- Low-carb mini market
This place has a coffee section. It also offers coffee, lattes, and iced drinks that accommodate keto and vegan diets. There are dairy-free beverage options, too.
I loved the prepared meals. There are low-carb ones that are ready to pick up, and either heat up at home or eat immediately.
The mini market is also cool. I recognized a lot of the products, as I shop at the Low-Carb Grocery often. This cafe has a decent selection of items that I buy often, from Catalina Crunch cereal, to Quest snacks.
I got to the counter and spoke to two women. One was the owner. The other helped me with my mystery bag. I showed the latter my order and she put it together.
They were both so nice. The owner gave me a brief background description of her business. She offers low-carb options. Some items have natural sugars, so they aren't completely sugar-free. There are also vegan and gluten-free options, including cookies, pies, and cakes.
I got a rundown of what was in my mystery bag. I got a slice of chocolate cake and cookies. All were low-carb. I was thrilled. I got them in a paper bag with handles.
I also looked at the Boston cream dessert item in the display case and knew that I needed it. I was asked whether it was okay to put it in a paper bag. Yes, it was fine. I was going to devour it quickly.
I paid with a debit card. I tapped and all was great. I thanked both of them and headed to my car. It was still there.
I had the chocolate cake after dinner. The cake was yummy. It wasn't as moist as it could have been, so you do need a beverage to wash it down. The icing on top was sweet. I ended up putting most of it off to the side.
I had the Boston cream. It was delicious. There was cream underneath the hard chocolate dome. It tasted like a fancy cupcake. It was yummy.
I sadly don't know what the three cookies were called. They were a cross between a sink cookie with anything you want to put into it and fruitcake focused on the fruit bits. The cookies were scrumptious.
It had little bits of fruit that were slightly sweet. If fruitcake had these morsels in them, I'd eat it and would be a fan! Each cookie had a medium denseness to it. I felt full eating each one on separate days. They hold up well. The mini pretzel on top with caramel drizzle was perfect. I loved the salty sweetness duality happening.
I can't wait to return and pick up a prepared meal. I'm intrigued. I also want more cookies and an iced latte.
This cafe is a winner. I can't wait to return.
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