8 (and more) of the best artisanal panettoni in Montréal
Reputed for being one of the hardest items to bake, a panettone is at the crossroad between a fruit cake, a silky brioche and a towering bread. They are traditionally made for Christmas but can sometimes be found all year round.
It is said that these dome-shaped baked goods originated in Milan at the time of the Roman Empire. They were popularized by Milanese bakers in the early 20th century and had become affordable enough for everyone to enjoy after World War II. Italian immigrants took their love for this sweet bread with them when they dispersed around the world after the war, and they have since become a beloved Holiday tradition everywhere.
Each fluffy dome-shaped creation takes 3 to 4 days to make. The entire process begins with a sourdough starter called lievito madre (mother yeast) that takes time and patience to master (and that must be maintained year-round). The starter is fed and proofed several times before starting the process of mixing the enriched dough. The dough is then left to proof all night long before baking. Once the panettoni come out of the oven, they are hung upside down using a metallic structure and skewers that go through the bottom of each confection to prevent the domes from deflating. They are left to cool for 8 to 10 hours before being packaged and sold. This is a rather simple explanation for a complex and precise process that relies on experience, patience, and technique. The minutia involved in determining ideal temperatures, assessing whether the dough is perfectly proofed to yield a lacy brioche (under or over proofing can lead to disasters), and making sure the lievito madre is happy and very active are enough to render the most talented pastry chefs mad with frustration.
A classic panettone is made with raisins and candied citrus peel that are ideally candied in house to ensure the quality of the product. The process of candying the citrus peels usually starts months ahead in preparation for the Christmas season. Nowadays, panettoni are made in a rainbow of flavours and textures that include aromas such as lemon, chocolate, strawberries, maple and savoury ones as well.
Pastry chef Anthony Daniele from Viva Panettone shares two quick tips to determine whether a panettone is artisanal or industrial. First tip is to look for the holes at the bottom of the panettone where the rods would have been inserted to hang it upside down after it was done baking. If there are no holes, it means a more commercial bake with additives that compensate for the correct technique. Tip number 2 is to check if the panettone separates from the paper mould all around the edge. If it doesn’t, it means that the panettone wasn’t made with high quality ingredients.
Note: “panettone” is the singular form of the word and “panettoni” is the plural.
Viva Panettone
Viva Panettone is a passion project started by two pastry chefs whose mission is to create the best artisanal panettone possible, following traditional techniques and recipes. Their Signature panettone was recently selected to represent North America at the Panettone World Cup in Milan in November 2024. The Viva panettoni come in several flavours, including lemon, pistachio and maple. Look for their savoury cacio e pepe panettone, the first of its kind in Montréal and a popular choice that sells out quickly. You can find these panettoni all year round online, at several shops around the province or at their winter pop-up café and boutique on Laurier Avenue West and the Comptoir Hivernal on Place Jacques Cartier in Old Montréal.
Winter pop-up café and boutique at 50 Laurier Avenue West & the Comptoir Hivernal at 423 Place Jacques-Cartier
Arte e Farina
Owned and operated by pastry chef Sandro Carpene, Arte e Farina is a true taste of Italy in Montréal. Their panettones are authentic and made according to tradition. They are offered in two sizes (500 g and 1 kg) and three flavours: the Classic, with a selection of slow candied fruit from the Agrimontana family, including Sicilian PDO orange and citron from Calabria’s Diamante region. The other two flavours are the Chocolate and confit apricot loaf and the Maple, apple and candied blueberries one, for a more homegrown flavour.
1550 Sainte-Catherine Street East
Automne Boulangerie
Beloved Petite-Patrie Automne Boulangerie is a fierce supporter of using local ingredients in their sourdough breads and confections, including local flours. Their Pan-Automne contains citrus zest, pistachios, pistachio paste, white chocolate, and almonds. The panettoni go through 4 levain (starter) refresh every 3.5 hours, followed by a 12-hour fermentation then 6 hours of proofing before getting baked. Automne will be baking a fresh batch every Wednesday night in December and will have very limited quantities in-store on Thursday afternoons. The Pan-Automne are the best priced artisanal panettoni in town and it’s highly recommended that you order yours through their website because they go.
6500 Christophe-Colomb Avenue and 1470 Bélanger Street
Le Toledo
Le Toledo’s first bakery is the Plateau location, which was founded in 2019 with the express mission of becoming one of the best bakeries in North America. Their baked goods have since become some of the best in Montréal. Their panettoni come in 2 flavours this year. The Traditional is made with candied oranges and lemons, sultanas and Papua New Guinea vanilla. The Chocolate Raspberry has dark chocolate, Valrhona raspberry-inspired chocolate and Papua New Guinea vanilla. It’s highly recommended to reserve yours on their website.
351 Mont-Royal Avenue East and 448 Wellington Street
Hof Kelsten & Hof Sucrée
Hailed as some of the best panettoni in Montréal, Hof Kelsten’s version is tall, light and airy and studded with quality fruit and raisins or laced with the best chocolate. The best part of these panettoni is the crunchy topping made with almonds and sugar. Hof’s panettoni are packaged in festive boxes that make great Holiday gifts. Online reservations start soon (hurry because these go fast!). The original location and the sister location Hof Sucrée always keep a few available for daily walk-ins so head there early in the day to grab yours!
4524 Saint Laurent Boulevard and 400 Atlantic Avenue, RC-102
Miette Boulangerie
Griffintown’s Miette Boulangerie makes some of the best, low intervention sourdough baked goods in town. Their panettone is buttery, light, and airy. Their homemade chocolate hazelnut praline is folded into the dough with a dash of bitters, creating swirls of nutty goodness through the fluffy panettone. Quantities are limited so order yours on their website now if you want one.
317 de Lévis Street
Elena
Saint-Henri self-proclaimed Coffee Pizza Wine spot Elena is making their beloved artisanal panettoni again for the fourth year, much to the delight of its loyal fans. Naturally leavened, using organic flour from Moulin des Soulanges and the same sourdough culture as their pizza, their panettoni come in two flavours: the Classico, made with golden raisins soaked in marsala and orange and the panettone alla Elena with dark chocolate, macerated apricots and confit orange zest. Order yours on their website for pick up or delivery (across Canada!)
5090 Notre-Dame Street West
Café dei Campi
This Italian-style café serves coffee and pastries inspired by family recipes. Café dei Campi’s delightful baked products just happen to also be vegan but we promise you won’t even notice. Their panettone this year is prepared with roasted pistachios, candied orange peel and dark chocolate. They will be available to order from December 13 to 15 and from December 21 to 24 only, so make sure you reserve yours.
6201 Chabot Street
Bonus: Special mention to the Stefano brand panettone. They may not be made in Montréal but they are created by some of the fiercest advocates of the Montréal food scene: chefs Stefano Faita and Michele Forgione. Their panettoni come in 6 flavours (including tiramisu and limoncello) and can be found at many retailers around town or through their online boutique.
Mayssam Samaha
Mayssam Samaha is a food and travel writer and blogger and the founder behind the blog Will Travel for Food. She travels the world in search of the next culinary discovery. From Iceland to South Africa, she’s already visited over 36 countries and there’s nothing she enjoys more than wandering around a farmers’ market in a foreign city. She is also the founder of the SAISONS intimate dinner series highlighting Québec products and chefs.