The 8 Best Baklava Spots in Ottawa That’ll Surely Satisfy Your Crispy Cravings
As an avid foodie who loves trying out different cuisines from all over the world, I can say that I’ve been to many places in search of the next dessert to snack on.
My last trip to Qatar, for instance, had me discover my love for Middle Eastern sweets in the form of the baklava, which I bought at a Turkish restaurant in Doha Festival City.
I’ll never forget that satisfying initial crunch and the kick of syrupy goodness right after. Naturally, it became a core memory that had me wondering if there’s any of this stuff back at home.
To my surprise, there are plenty of spots in Ottawa that gave the first one I had a run for its money, and I suggest you sink your teeth into them as well!
Nutty Greek Bake Shop
– Media credit: nuttygreek
Address: 490 Rochester St
Contact Number: +1 613-680-0806
Operating Hours:
- Tue-Fri: 11:00am – 7:00pm
- Sat: 11:00am – 5:00pm
- Sun-Mon: CLOSED
Must-Order: Baklava Cheesecake
Nutty Greek Bake Shop is many locals’ go-to destination for the sweet and nutty taste of freshly made baklava.
Their Traditional Baklava is one of their staple pastries. It’s generously portioned per piece, so you don’t have to worry about not getting satisfied enough.
There are a lot of crunchy walnuts inside its phyllo pastry dough, which is made thinly and baked into a nice and crispy texture.
The honey syrup that they use is very sweet with a slight citrusy aftertaste. They also don’t skimp out on it either, as the entire baklava is basically soaked in the syrup.
If you’d like to try out something a bit more unique, we recommend ordering the Baklava Cheesecake. It has that same crunchy nut-filled texture on the crust, combined with a soft and creamy cheesecake body.
Pro Tip:
Pair your baklava with one of their hot or iced espressos for a perfect food-and-drink combo.
Baklawa King
– Media credit: baklawakingottawa
Address: 1556 Merivale Rd Unit 102, Nepean
Contact Number: +1 613-422-7000
Operating Hours:
- Mon-Wed: 9:30am – 9:00pm
- Thu: 9:30am – 10:00pm
- Fri-Sat: 9:30am – 11:00pm
- Sun: 9:30am – 8:00pm
Must-Order: White Chocolate w/ Cornflakes and Pistachios
Baklawa King has gained a solid reputation for its baklava, thanks to its dedication to using only the finest of ingredients and assortment of options to try.
This location is perfect if you’d like a lot of variety for your baklava. From the classic Assabeh with Almonds to the Balaurieh with Pistachios, you’re spoiled for choice here.
However, if we were to pick one option that you must try out, it would be the White Chocolate with Cornflakes and Pistachios.
The white chocolate gives a milky but not-too-sweet taste that blends well with the rest of the ingredients, while the cornflakes add another layer of crunch to the mix.
Whichever baklava option you end up picking, you can expect all of the ingredients to be of high quality and baked to perfection.
Pro Tip:
Order their “Baklawa Assorted” set to try out many different variations and flavors of baklava at once.
Mr Kaak
– Media credit: mrkaak.ottawa
Address: 1020 Pleasant Park Rd
Contact Number: +1 613-248-0917
Operating Hours:
- Tue-Sat: 9:00am – 7:00pm
- Sun-Mon: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Must-Order: Cream-filled Baklava
Mr. Kaak has consistently served high-quality baklavas to many satisfied customers.
The shop has a warm and clean ambiance, allowing you to focus on what really matters – appreciating every bite of its freshly baked baklava.
When I first had one, it left an impression of a well-balanced treat that tastes like home. The texture is soft and crunchy, while the honey doesn’t overwhelm you with too much sweetness.
I would specifically recommend the cream-filled baklava to anyone, just because it adds a bit more flavor to an already-tasty recipe. Plus, I just love cream in general, especially when it’s of premium quality.
You should also have no problems grabbing as many pieces as you want, since they bake their sweets at quite a rapid rate every day.
Pro Tip:
Get a fresh batch of Mr. Kaak’s baklava delivered to your door through their Uber Eats delivery page.
Alkadour Sweets
– Media credit: alkadoursweets
Address: 2121 Carling Ave Unit #66
Contact Number: +1 613-712-1008
Operating Hours: Mon-Sun: 10:00am – 7:00pm
Must-Order: Baklava w/ White Chocolate and Pistachios
Founded by Aeman Alkadour, Alkadour Sweets is a small shop that prides itself on its baklavas that don’t leave you wishing for more.
Whether it’s the more widely known Pistachio Baklava or the unique Bird’s Nest Baklava, there’s not a single ingredient that’s lacking, and you can taste everything all at once.
I’ve grown fond of their round Baklava with White Chocolate and Pistachios. The phyllo is thin and crispy, while the combo of white chocolate and pistachio in the middle strikes a good balance of sweetness.
It’s also worth mentioning that among the numerous trays of sweets that they bake every day, a lot of them are actually vegan, making this location very accessible to every palate and stomach.
Pro Tip:
You can order trays of baklava in either small, medium, or large sizes, which is perfect for special occasions.
Taksim Sweets & Bakes
– Media credit: taksim.ca
Address: 442 Hazeldean Rd, Kanata
Contact Number: +1 613-390-2985
Operating Hours:
- Mon-Fri: 9:00am – 7:00pm
- Sat-Sun: 8:00am – 8:00pm
Must-Order: Pistachio Baklava
Taksim Sweets & Bakes, Ottawa’s first Turkish patisserie, brings the taste of real traditional baklava from the home country onto Canadian soil.
This cozy and welcoming bakery makes its baklava with the culinary tradition of Turkey in mind, characterized by its rich, syrupy flavor and choices of freshly roasted nuts.
The Pistachio Baklava is what we highly recommend. It serves as a nice entry point to your first Turkish baklava with its flaky phyllo, generous serving of pistachio nuts, and mildly sweet syrup.
The pastry is cooled down to room temperature as opposed to being served warm, which allows all of the flavors to lock in together.
But regardless of the temperature at which you choose to have your baklava, Taksim makes sure that all ingredients are rigorously prepared to get the best flavor profile possible.
Pro Tip:
Try their Turkish coffee together with your baklava for an authentic Turkish culinary experience.
Sweet Castle
– Media credit: sweetcastleottawa
Address: 2446 Bank St Unit- 133
Contact Number: +1 613-680-1888
Operating Hours:
- Sun-Thu: 9:00am – 10:00pm
- Fri-Sat: 9:00am – 11:00pm
Must-Order: Baklava Pistachio
Sweet Castle’s focus on bringing the taste of authentic Middle Eastern treats had its baklavas selling like hotcakes to locals.
The variety of baklavas at this shop makes it a step above those that just offer the traditional option. Whether it’s diamond-shaped or in a bird’s nest form, we reckon you’ll have a tricky time picking out one you’d like.
The baklava here is known for its signature buttery taste, which has just the right amount of sweetness.
The phyllo bread is also thin and flaky. By the time it hits your mouth, it’ll have that crisp texture before it eventually melts afterward.
We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend their Baklava Pistachio, since we think it best demonstrates what we’ve just described. Its layers of phyllo sprinkled with crushed pistachios are a satisfyingly crunchy combo.
Pro Tip:
You can order a tray of mixed baklava to take home as a gift.
Pâtisserie Le Caramel
– Media credit: patisserielecaramel
Address: 200 Vanguard Dr, Orléans
Contact Number: +1 613-841-8484
Operating Hours:
- Tue-Fri: 9:00am – 7:30pm
- Sat: 9:00am – 7:00pm
- Sun: 9:00am – 6:30pm
- Mon: 12:00pm – 7:30pm
Must-Order: Balraurieh Pistachio
Pâtisserie Le Caramel in Orléans may not strike anybody as a Middle Eastern shop by its name, but we were proven wrong when we saw its assortment of delectable baklavas.
The variety of options here is sure to have you exploring many different sides of the popular dessert, from the cashew-filled Kol O Shkor to the round-shaped Swar.
One of my personal favorites is the Balraurieh Pistachio, which is made in this soft and stringy texture that’s characteristic of the special kataifi dough they use.
They also don’t shy away from filling it to the brim with pistachios, which are nicely roasted and rich in flavor.
Unlike the typical baklava, the Balraurieh variant is baked for a shorter time and has less syrup on it, making it a perfect light dessert after your main course.
Pro Tip:
Patisserie Le Caramel also offers catering services for its baklava and other treats.
Istanbul Food Mart
– Media credit: istanbulfoodmart
Address: 200 Katimavik Rd Unit 5, Kanata
Contact Number: +1 613-693-0606
Operating Hours:
- Mon-Sat: 8:00am – 8:00pm
- Sun: 8:00am – 7:00pm
Must-Order: Dolama Baklava
Istanbul Food Mart has a whole dedicated section just for its freshly baked baklavas that earned the hearts (and palates) of locals.
This specific spot seems to specialize in pistachios. Just about every one of its baklava options is either sprinkled or stuffed with them.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that the shop lacks variety, since it does get creative with the way that the baklavas are wrapped. The Durum Baklava, for instance, has layered phyllo that sandwiches the pistachio bits inside.
The Dolama Baklava, which is what I personally recommend, rolls the pistachio filling into a cylindrical shape with phyllo dough. Eating it this way, it gave a burst of flavor that’s more concentrated yet not too overly sweet.
Since I tried out the other options as well, I can say that any option would leave you satisfied with the flavor. None of them are ever bland, and the ingredients are always fresh, especially in the morning.
Pro Tip:
Make sure to visit first thing in the morning, as the baklavas tend to sell out fast.