Calabria Bakery
Calabria Bakery is a quintessential Italian bakery, cafe and hot table located off Highway 7 in Markham . This is one of two locations for Calabria (the other one is in Scarborough) that has been operating for 25+ years.
Calabria has all the staples of an Italian bakery including fresh baked bread, homemade Italian desserts like cannoli and sfogliatelle as well as a nice selection of Italian dishes showcased on their hot table.
Dropping in around lunch time I opt for an old favourite, the veal sandwich with cheese ($6.50). The homemade bun is extraordinarily soft, the veal is nicely breaded, and the sweet tomato sauce compliments everything perfectly. Be sure to ask for extra sauce to ensure sufficiently melted cheese and sauce soaked buns.
The eggplant lasagne ($6.50) is an interesting twist on an old classic that will leave vegetarians jumping for joy. The thick slices of eggplant between the pasta give the dish a meaty bite. They are particularly generous with the cheese, although the quality of cheese used is questionable; nonetheless this is a good lasagne.
No Italian feast is complete without a cannoli and Calabria's version does not disappoint. A massive, perfectly fried shell gives the cannoli an amazing crunchy texture while the mascarpone heavy filling is perfectly sweet. The result is pure, unadulterated indulgence. Wash it down with a traditional espresso and you'll be in heaven.
The menu on their hot table is quite extensive with fresh baked pizza, pasta, arancini and other traditional items. I found the portions to be a little on the smaller side but the prices were more than fair.
Calabria is also baking up an impressive selection of fresh bread daily. In addition, they also carry a small selection of Italian groceries and chocolates. The decor here is rustic with ceramic tiles all around. The Italian themed posters adorning the walls give the space an old world charm.
The laid back vibe makes this a great place to frequent for lunch or to simply sit back with a hot beverage and unwind. All in all this is a local favourite that is a great change of pace from the norm in Markham.
