OMG On the Park
OMG On The Park is the sister shop to Dundas West's OMG Baked Goodness , the sweet and savoury empire that has since relocated its focus to retail. Owners Doug and Chef Lesley Mattina bring a hyper-local selection of baked goods, sandwiches, gelato and canned goods from nearby wholesalers.
Minutes away from The Natrel Milk Bar , The Drake CafĂŠ , and Mabel's , OMG is a one-stop market that's ultra convenient. "Our aim, is that all the food, coffee, gelato and market items in the store come from small businesses within 10 km. We love partnerships and supporting other small food businesses," says Doug.
Customers from the small town in the sky can get their picks from the best wholesalers in town, like artisanal pasta from Alimentari Foods , Burton Meats , preserves from Stasis , Manning Canning , fermented products from Culture City , juices from Belmonte Raw and gelato from Death in Venice . The list continues.
Look inside the shop and you'll find a Muskoka getaway, a cottage country of reclaimed wood from salvaged Canadian timber and a live-edge counter from an arena from Parkdale. Fully stocked with an overwhelming selection of baked goods, coffee, and artisanal pantry items worth the extra buck. Like Ontario Ghost Chili Salt ($9.95).
Coffee is provided by Hale Coffee - four blends including Guatemala Antigua, Brazil Adrano and Hale Espresso - and served on a new Nuova Simonelli espresso machine.
I order a single scoop of Bourbon & Smoked Chocolate ($3.99), a boozy gelato that's rich and thick. Doug recommends I try the made-from-scratch Herb and Garlic Focaccia Loaf ($5.95) or the S'mores Pop Tart ($4.75) for a snack. There's also a vegan chocolate cupcake ($3.50) that's sort of famous.
OMG on the Park also offers Panini ($6.99) with three kinds of meat, cheese and spreads. Ultra-local, adorable and wholeheartedly Italian, OMG is a perfect fit in the world's second coolest neighbourhood .
Photos by Hector Vasquez.