Review A L'epi De Ble - Winnipeg

Cute little bakery on Main St., with pastries, breads, cakes & imported goods such as duck pate, foie gras. I was pleasantly surprised to buy their crusty sour dough bread for only $4.50 - good price for homemade! They have bus. day hours so a Saturday visit it is!

We have been going to this bakery for almost 10 years and it is definitely the best in Winnipeg and beyond! The pastries are what you would expect from the finest bakeries in Europe. We ordered a Black Forest cake for my father’s 75 birthday party and it was amazing. You also need to try the Tiramisu, almond croissants and baguette. The prices are a slight premium but you get what you pay for at this bakery. Staff are also very friendly and service is great. You will not be disappointed!

We stop here weekly for the best fresh bread and always pick up pastries or other treats at the same time. Everything has been excellent. We've picked up special occasion cakes here and each one has been beautiful. The staff at A l'Epi de Ble are all wonderful... I could go on...

The woman who owns and runs this place is so sweet and helpful. Breads and deserts are top shelf - some of the very best in Winnipeg. Spend a tiny bit more here than you would at a grocery store, but you’re easily getting 10 times the quality. One of the very few retail bright spots in North End Winnipeg. Thank you!

I went there with my girlfriend and bought some pastries and meat pies. They were wonderful. The French donut reminded my girlfriend of the style of donut you can get back in Nigeria, which she has had a hard time finding here in canada. Highly recommended! A bit pricey but worth it as a treat.

Oh my goodness GO HERE!!!! Make it a regular occurrence, their pastries are TO*DIE*FOR!!! They are super friendly, and have a clean, bright, inviting little shop. We bought meat pies, pain au chocolat, raspberry tarts, ham and cheese croissants and coffee eclairs. Every single item was fresh and so delicious!! We will be back!!!

Excellent little French bakery. Staff is always friendly and helpful with explaining what everything is. Well worth the higher price you pay for the quality you get. Croissant's are to die for, if you can get them before they sell out.

Everything I’ve tried in this little bakery is DELICIEUSE and SUPERBE!!! The croissants are the best I’ve tasted in Winnipeg. The macaroons and pistachio buns are some of my family’s favourites! We are so fortunate to have this little gem in our neighborhood! 😁

The gluten free bread is one the best I have found. Tastes great fresh and toasted. Love the bakery and the friendly helpful people who work there.

This place has such high quality products! There is always something new to try. Highly recommend.

A little gem in the neighbourhood. Food is so good and the staff is very friendly. One of my favourite places to eat!

Awesome Bakery. Stopped in for coffee and dessert, wonderful. Bought a number of different things to take home and try. Ate 1/2 loaf of bread (Quebecois) on the way home - fabulous. The young ladies behind the counter were exceptional, cheerful, delightful, helpful and knowledgable. What a wonderful place, we will be back.

Every time I go it's such a great experience! The staff are so warm and friendly. I can't even being to explain how much I love the pastries. Trying to make my way through the menu, but I keep going back to my favourites!

Always an awesome experience when I come here. Great people, great food!

My first time there, I got a hazelnut macaron and an imported french chocolate. Both were delicious! Also, the owner Nathalie is a delight. What a nice lady. I will definitely be around again!

I have tried many of the baked goods and they are all of top quality. My favourite is the croissants. Everyone who works there is very nice and helpful when you don't know what the products are! I even tried a goat cheese macaron and it was amazing.

got some of this fantastic bread before i went back to the states and it tastes FANTASTIC!! Merci!

Nathalie and Gilles has created a true Parisien experience.The moment you walk in, take the time to use all of your senses to see all of the superb choices and variety of meals, desserts, breads, and take-away. You can feel the friendly ambiance. You will smell the aromas of fresh baked goods. You can hear French and English and commoraderie with its customers. My favorite is their pain-au-chocolat and traditional baguette, along with anything chocolat!!!! Milles merci et apprecier d`etablir dans ce coin de la ville. Marc

Love! Love! Love! Everything tastes awesome! I love all the ladies here! The dessert is out of this world!

This bakery is superb.... every thing is so delicious!

France tastes sooooooo good! I am afraid this will become an addiction...

staff very friendly. the pastry are excellent. the breads are fresh and if wanted, sliced on site. we shall return!

Our best find in Winnipeg. After their renovation plans at the end of Feb. you will think you are in France when you walk in. Can't wait.

I just love their bread and all the sweet delicacies they sell...

I picked up some goodies here last week and every last bite was delicious! Brioche, Quebecois bread, biscotti... so nummy! Customer service was amazing as well. The owner even came out from behind the couner to help me navigate the door with my son in his stroller. What a gem! Will definitely be returning!

Merci!!!!! J'aime A L'Epi de Ble!!! I love this wonderful bakery. Nathalie always has a bright welcoming smile, and is so helpful. The food always is amazing and delicious. I love being able to practice my French with an amazing woman! Merci!!!!

Most inviting establishment in Winnipeg. Come for the bread, stay for the warmth.

fantastic baking!

Best sour dough bread that I've ever had...worth the drive!  I've also tried their "hartford" bread, but it's a distant second to their sour dough.

Their pain au chocolate is the closest I’ve come in the city to the ones I recall from a childhood trip to Belgium. Flakey to the extreme and not overly sweet.

A wonderful little bakery that feels like I'm in France or back in Quebec. <br/>The food is exquisite and they have a large selection of desserts, pastries, a variety of breads and lunch time items. I recommend the croque monsieur.<br/><br/>They also have a selection of french imports so if you need duck fat, look no further!<br/><br/>The staff are also bilingual so francophones rejoice :)

I stopped by their table at the downtown farmers market and bought an almond croissant. The sign in front of the croissant said $2.55 but when I paid I was charged $4.20 so that was a shock. The croissant had a great crunch and flavour however I don't know if it was worth $4.20.

Stopped by for the first time today with my boyfriend because we were craving some macarons and I heard down the grape vine that they had one of the best in the city. When we first walked in, you're welcomed with a huge waft of the smell of freshly baked goods. The atmosphere and the staff were great, courteous, and friendly, and the macarons were TO DIE FOR. Ugh best ones I've ever had. They weren't hard and they had so many different flavours that were unique in their own way. My favorites were the blueberry and coconut flavours. I also couldn't resist and got the strawberry tart, which was so delicious, and beautiful to look at. The strawberries were tart yet sweet, and the dollop of whipped cream on top tied everything together. I cannot wait to come back here, and I think this quaint little place will be my go to macaron shop from now on. :)

I have met the small bakery owner and instantly fell in love with Her presence, she is very welcoming and the baked goods are heavenly. Brioche, macaroons, fresh baguettes...thank god they decided to open up!

A l'Epi de able is a cute little French bakery with a variety of bread, pastries, cakes and French macarons. Would definitely recommend stopping in for a treat! This place adds some character to the north main area

Best bakery in town! I went with a friend and bought a whole bunch of goodies and we split them all. Absolutely everything was delicious! Blows all other bakeries out of the water. And the staff is kind, courteous and helpful! Will definitely be back time and time again!

Authentic French bakery. Sweet treats and savory snacks. The kindest staff. It's worth the drive to be sure. The foie gras is buttery goodness and will transport you back to that little place you remember back in France.

If you want to experience a real patisserie in Winnipeg this is the place to go. The owner and pastry chef is so friendly and takes the time to tell what she offers in the shop. This place has savoury and sweet there is so much to choose from. I've tried both and I was never disappointed!

Love, love, love this bakery! The lemon tarts are my favourite!! But I have tried many things here (sweet and savoury) and have loved them all!! <br/>

This bakery is fantastic. Nice staff. The macarons are to die for - better than Laduree, in my opinion. I just tasted the pear and pistachio ones and the flavours are spot on. Highly recommended.

What else can I say other than macarons are deeeelish and other French delicacies look wonderful. Definitely go back to try out more things. Owner so friendly and passionate (...I think she was the owner haha), knowledgeable and sweet lady.

I love this place! The French macarons, I find, are the best in the city. Really good customer service and great environment. Awesome treats. This place never disappoints. Worth the drive from the other side of the city to pick up treats

Everything served here is fresh, fluffy and delicious. Owner and staff are always friendly and attentive. The macaroons and daily sweet pastries never disappoint. Definitely recommended.

Great bread and croissants! Friendly and bilingual service. When I'm in the neighbourhood I keep somehow missing this bakery. Love that they give you the option for the bread to be sliced or unsliced.

I love the service provided by the owner and staff members. Very quick and friendly! I've only had a dozen macarons each visit. I'd love to order more as everything showcased looks delicious, but I don't have much of a sweet tooth. The macaron flavors are so delicious!! As for the consistency, I've experienced the very delicate texture and some a bit harder... I guess it depends how old the macs are.. Overall I love this place and will visit soon!

Had their croissant sandwich and it was amazing!! I bought two more to take home and didn't share! I also has a tart that was awesome. Can't wait to go back.

REAL macarons. I've tried probably over 20 different flavours of macs they have baked and I can't recall a time where I couldn't distinguish the flavour. Their pistachio creme brûlée is also to die for. Customer for life

This my absolute favourite place for coffee, dessert and everything else that's served here! The service and friendly atmosphere is infectious.

I absolutely love coming here. Their macrons are amazing!! I for sure will be coming back for me. Anyone who asks me where to get macrons, I will tell them to come here!

AMAZING! Last time I've been to the store they had a new menu for Thanksgiving,  I tried the pumpkin bread and mousse it's to die for. Do not miss out!

I need to come back ASAP! The cravings for those fruit tarts and macarons are real... <br/>They taste AMAZING. I literally wanted to buy everything... I wish I could. Everything looked so GOOOD. They also have very friendly staff behind the counter. They made me feel happy even for a short while. <br/><br/>Totally recommend if you're a sweets fan!

I've read great reviews about their macarons, so I was really tempted to try them. I came here on a Saturday afternoon and grabbed 8 macarons in various flavours. They were pretty hard and most of them were chewy, meaning that they weren't very fresh. Out of the 8 I got, only 2 tasted fresh. I was disappointed because I was really looking forward to some good macarons

Really delicious croissants and macarons. Definitely would come back. Employees are really nice and welcoming. The blue macarons are the best as well as the pink ones.

Visited the St. Norbert Farmers Market today and came across A L'Epi de Ble's stand. They had a variety of pastries available, but the one thing I had my eyes set on were their super golden flakey looking croissants ($2.10). I was also eyeing on their almond croissants (around $4.00) as well. Another thing that intrigued me was their congolais ($1.00 something). <br/><br/>The staff were very helpful at answering my questions about the pyramid shaped congolais, which was made of coconut, and she said that it was impossible to get just one (indicating just how addictively good they were). So I ended up getting two of the congolais and one of each of the croissant and almond croissant.<br/><br/>We brought it home to try. We first tried the congolais. These tasted like really moist and dense coconut cake, or if you've ever had Chinese coconut tarts, they tasted similar to that. Both my husband I really enjoyed them, and to the point that we've decided to return to the market to pick more of them up.<br/><br/>We next tried the traditional croissant. They looked just the way that they tasted. The almond croissant came to a bit of a surprise to us, as I thought it was named so because of the almonds on top, or that there was some almonds baked into it. The surprise was there was actually a spread of almond filling in the center. We also really enjoyed this. It was something similar to the almond blossom found at Starbucks.<br/><br/>Overall, these were probably the best pastries we've had in the city, and I can't wait to see what else they have at their bakery; a trip we probably wouldn't be making too soon, as they are located at the other end of the city from us.

I love it here so much. You walk in and your greeted in French and it truly feels like you've stepped out of Winnipeg and into Paris. Everything about this place is superb including their desserts and the staff. They are kind and helpful and all their desserts are exquisite. If I could eat everything in that shop I would!

Peach Tart was so good and moist and just the right amount of sweetness. The owner is very friendly and nice, cozy French place if you want to sit and enjoy the goodies.

I've been to A l'Epi de Ble before and it was wonderful but this time absolutely terrible!!! It's been about a year since my last visit so not sure what has happened. I love French macarons! So to say I was disappointed to discover their macarons were like hard little pucks is an understatement. They were not light and chewy like they're suppose to be. Not sure if they were old and stall (I was there at 9:30am) or just crappy baking. Needless to say I ate only two and three the rest in the garbage!!! <br/><br/>Now for the BURNT ham and cheese croissants...I suppose nothing more needs to describe them. <br/><br/>Will NOT return! If you love French Macarons go straight to JennaRaesCakes!!! So so so much better they are simply To die for there.

The Best. Simply the best. Very authentic. The best bakery to purchase macarons.

Always amazing. "Authentique" french pasteries right here in Winnipeg. I highly recommend this establishment.

French Macarons. Deliciously light and chewy

This is my favorite place in Winnipeg! The baking is outstanding and the owners are amazing! I have told friends, family and clients about this gem and not one person I've talked to has been dissapointed. I go every Saturday and get my weekend treats! Also all the breads are wonderful!

Came back from Paris, France.... ..and was craving real french style baguettes. Satisfied my craving and some. Came back here several times after!

Reminds me of France. I've been going to this bakery for quite some time now. Their baked goods are phenomenal and the staff are very nice and accommodating. Best bakery in Winnipeg!

Je taim'. I am in love. This wee bakery is a piece of heaven. Everything, every little thing, is like a little piece of palate perfection. I am so in love that I wish I lived closer, spoke French, and that they were open on Mondays too.

Macaroons. Hi, my dad bought 2 dozens of macaroons on Friday night before closing and we were a little disappointed by how some of the macaroon tops were falling off and the macaroon itself was hard, the inside wasn't chewy enough. It was so different from last time but I will keep on coming to the bakery!

In my opinion one of the best pain au chocolat I have tasted in north america. Reminds me of the light buttery pain au chocolat that I had in Paris. Has to be eaten warm and fresh while the chocolate is still gooey and melted. The quality of the ingredients and the baking artistry comes through. A gem in winnipeg.

Chocolate Pistachio Torte. Yesterday was my birthday. Not necessarily a significant one, since I am over 65 and this birthday doesn't have a "5" or a "0" in it. What made it spectacular was the torte that my daughter ordered and picked up for my birthday cake. Very European, light, sensational flavours, chocolate to die for -- obviously present, but not sticky, cloying heavy chocolate like commercial cakes. Thank you for preparing the best cake ever.

Random drive by pit stop. Oh my, awesome. The chocolate croissant was mind blowing. Very nice staff. gluten free bread made on Fridays. Great discovery.

Best macaroons and chocolate croissant ever!. Very authentic and delicious:) i would go here again. The staff are very friendly too :)

Hidden Gem. I have driven by this bakery for several months now, and I finally decided to go inside this afternoon. <br/>Now, I cannot wait to go back! <br/>My fiance and I got a few things; the creme brulee was mouth-watering, the nutella brioche was amazing and there was a French toast sandwich with ham and cheese with a white cream sauce in the inside that was very savoury and incredible to say the least (after we warmed it up in the oven at home).<br/>I recommend this little hidden gem at all!<br/>And the cherry on top is the employees have thick French accents that makes you feel like you're in France (until you step back outside!)

The best bakery in the world.

A little conflicted. I have always found that I have a sensitive tongue for preservatives and take issue with most things 'diet' or made with sweetener. While the desserts here look and sound absolutely stunning, there is something slighty processed about them on the tongue and I have not fallen in love with any of the seven desserts I've yet tried. <br/><br/>HOWEVER. The owner is the sweetest little lady you have ever seen. She has the most adorable accent and her voice is always tinged with a smile. My sister and I went in and responded in French to her and she was delighted. I have heard nothing but good things about their bread but have not yet tasted it so I will be making my way there shortly to try that. I've given the place a thumbs up even despite my lack of enthusiasm for their desserts simply because of the atmosphere, presentation, and owner attitude. I would readily buy something else from them just to go back and I am determined to find something addictive that I can't live without.<br/><br/>Especially if you don't have sensitivities like I do, go and check it out, it truly is a lovely place.

Heaven at First Bite!. Can not say enough good things about this wonderful French Bakery, the Croissants are truly to die for as are the Macaroons.<br/>It's so hard to decide what to order as everything looks so tempting.<br/>I fell in love with the Almond Chocolate Croissant at first bite and savored each and every additional bite. So happy to have such a high caliber French Bakery in the Garden City area of Winnipeg! This is truly the best bakery in Winnipeg!<br/>Debbie Dolski

AWESOME bakery...the only thing I have a problem is that this place isn't close to where I live!!! Owner is such a sweetheart - love her, she's so friendly and welcoming! The macarons are TO DIE FOR - I know they look so small and puny and you may think they are expensive but you get what you pay for...and that's excellent and flavorful macarons!!

Favorite Bakery in the City. You almost feel like you've gotten lost and wound up in a bakery in France when you arrive here. The macaroons are delicious, the pastries I've tried so far are fantastic. Would definitely recommend the ham and cheese croissants.

OMG. I am not even sure what to say, I have been coming here since they opened and now with the renovations it not only looks so much nicer in here but the breads and pastries are still amazing and I can not wait to go back and have that damn cream brulee Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm<br/>If you have never been here, you need to go check this shop out.

Yummy. I went later in the afternoon so I felt like I missed out on a wider selection of treats. I tried the macaroons, which were good and my boyfriend tried a couple custardy pastries, which he enjoyed. The prices were reasonable and what you'd expect for a bakery. There were lots of different chocolates bagged up for Easter, and cute little chocolate molds, which were apparently made with chocolate from France so that would be nice to try in the future if it wasn't quite as pricey!

Answered Prayers. Winnipeg is so blessedly fortunate to have this bit of heaven disguised as a simple bakery in our North End. The baker/owners recently immigrated from Marseilles and have the prestigious baking designation of an Artisan Diploma from France. So yes, the pastries are PERFECT--always fresh, the right amount of sweetness, beautiful to the eye--and the bakers provide a wide variety to choose from and change up the selection daily. Their breads are also well worth the purchase--even after 5 days, the bread is still crusty on the outside while retaining moisture on the inside. The flour used here is GMO and gluten free. The bread is made without preservatives or dairy. And the butter used is sourced from a local farm. The service is always friendly AND intelligent. Bring home some PERFECT croissants-- just toast lightly and spread on a bit of raspberry jam. Try their duck liver (from Quebec) with their lightly toasted Viking bread and a bit of spring salad mix on the side. And the baked apple tarts with pastry cream is a wonderful, light dessert.

Just lovely. High quality ingredients are hard to come by these days, and this place sure knows how to use them. Close to home, and delicious, I will be a regular. We sampled some savoury, and some sweet. The macaroons are traditional in size, just lovely bites.

Could just as easily be on La Rue Eiffel.. What a gem.<br/>Absolutely authentic French Pastries, prepared with old world charm and caring!<br/>Yup it is way over priced.<br/>Yup it is absolutely using the finest of ingredients.<br/>Yup it is absolutely forbotten for anyone with any form of diabetes.<br/>This is pastry made by true artisans of the art of the french pastry cuisine.<br/>We are lucky to have this establishment!<br/>Viva la Hartford Bakery, aka A l'Epi de Ble!!!!!<br/>One minor gripe. The gateau st. honore is only available on Saturday. Get in there early!

What a place! yuuum. This place is amazing, from the to die for pastries, desserts, quiche etc. to the customer service, this place is a gem. Very authentic french pastries, the owner is straight from Provence, France and is always very friendly and helpful. Love hitting this place up on Saturday mornings, be sure to get there early in the day because they do sell out. My favorite is always the pain au chocolate, fresh and flaky with rich flavorful dark chocolate. Warning, this place is addictive!

Fell out of love. We would frequent A l'Epi de Ble every couple of days since they opened, I was in love with this place and the lovely delights the breads the dainties everything a delight, until I bought a cake to serve to my dinner guests. I purchased the cake which cost me $30.00 only to open it the next day and it was full of moldy fruit I had to throw it out, what a waste and there was no dessert, I was so embarrassed and my husband very angry because of the money I had wasted! It's too bad because I loved this little jem, my Gran was a caterer from France and this is the only place that came close to her baking :(

Great Place!. Discovered this place a few weeks ago... and feels like we are in France when we get there. Great baking, lovely environment for a coffee. Super friendly and nice bakers. Highly recommend it!

I used to be a delivery driver who brought the real, locally produced butter to L'epi De Ble. The staff and owner were always professional and enthusiastic so when I was offered a sample of what they created, I eagerly accepted. I had no idea I was being baited for a life long addiction!! <br/><br/>The baking here is incredible. They use the best quality ingredients and purchase local butter and flour, so it is no wonder that they can create the most decadent and delicious desserts and snack known to mankind. It sounds like an exaggeration but seriously, once you try a real croissant, or a real éclair, you will never want to suffer through a grocery store look a like ever again. <br/><br/>Some say the prices here are high, but that is only in comparison to the frozen importers you get at your discount grocer. That's not real food and it's so unfortunate that in our society, getting real food is somewhat of a novelty now. For what you get at this bakeshop, the value is tremendous. When you factor the cost of the flight to France and back, it's a steal to eat this level of baking, here in our own city. <br/><br/>This is my favorite bakery in the city and having worked in the food industry since I was 12 (about 20 years), I've been to Em all. This place has every factor perfected: excellent local ingredients, friendly, passionate service, artisan techniques, variety and value! <br/><br/>Be sure to try the fougasse sandwiches and the fruit tarts with custard that is to die for. You can't go wrong with anything they make, but these are ridiculously good. <br/><br/>If you visited them because of my review, you're welcome. I knew you'd be thankful.

We are regulars for breads. Healthy bread and Viking. And a pastry treat from time to time. No complaints. A real French bakery in west k!

A plus!. I went here late Friday afternoon to specifically get pain du chocolat (chocolate croissant) and I also bought an apricot butter cookie for my son to have both items we absolutely delicious! The next day, my husband wanted to check it out so we went early that morning on Saturday, we tried a few different things including the goat cheese and spinach croissant which was to die for...first time my husband didn't want to eat something in one bite because it was so delicious! The two other items we tried was an apple cinnamon pastry which reminded me of apple pie but with a soft bun instead of flaky pastry, as well as a pistachio chocolate chip pastry....I can't remember the name of it for the life of me but a little piece of heaven! I found the owner to be very delightful as well as the other workers too, such a pleasant place that makes you feel like you took a small trip to a french town for some good eats!

I went here with my Kids a few weeks ago for the first time to get something for breakfast. I had the chocolate and almond croissant and it was delicious. We have been going back every week now for different things. My kids love picking out different sweets and pastries every visit. My 4 year old daughter loves the lady that runs the place and is even picking up on some of the French! The staff have been nothing but wonderful, the pastries and desserts are fantastic, and I'm lucky enough to be within walking distance. I highly recommend it. Our weekly visits have become more frequent. The prices are very resonable for the quality. You gotta try this place

Rude management. The food is great, but the woman running this bakery is off her rocker. She goes into the back and yells at her staff and doesn't seem to realize that everyone out front can hear her. Considering how much service employees are paid, she should appreciate and respect her staff more considering they are the ones making her business all its good food. I won't ever eat there again from that experience alone. I spent many years as a server and the amount of disrespect is enough to drive to another area for pasteries.

Review. Went there two days in a row. Macaron was baked perfectly, chewy in the middle. Lemon was my favorite, the curd made it worth buying. The vanilla was overly sweet, maybe because of the vanilla pastry cream? The chocolate macaron was just ok. I havent tried the rest of the flavors. I also tried the peach brioche. The packaging on the peach brioche was a joke, they encased it in parchment paper and tied it in a ridiculous way. The taste was just okay, and i think the nuts wasnt toasted? But overall the service was great, the cashier(owners?) were kind and accommodating. 3/5 is my rating :)

OMG! (or Mon Dieu! if you prefer.) This place is great! Stopped in on Saturday around noon to grab some stuff for lunch. Left with much more than we needed - and still wanted to buy more! Everything was wonderful. Felt like being in France (partly due to the prices, mind you - but I suppose real butter ain't cheap). Too bad it only has a couple of small tables. Would highly recommend, and will definitely be back.

DELICIOUS. Spot on every single time I have visited. And the Macarons are to die for!!! And FYI the ideal size for a macaron is slightly larger than a quarter anything larger throws off the porportion and quality of an excellent macaron.

They designed an unbelievable cake that hid an engagement ring for me. As a frequent regular this bakery doesnt disapoint.

Hit and miss with the macaroons. Sometimes they are too hard that my jaw gets sore from chewing, and sometimes the are perfect chewy goodness. Very disappointed with the macaroons last time I bought some. The eclairs and some chocolate mousse thing was just ok.

Spectacular!. We went on a Saturday mid afternoon. For such a small bakery, it was full of customers the entire time we were there. The selection was amazing; it was nearly impossible to choose! We bought a loaf of garlic rye bread as well as a fruit tart, a fondant tart and assorted macarons. Everything was phenomenal. I will definitely be going back!

Love it!!. Delicious French croissants and pastry-- and there is always a smiling friendly French woman there to help with your selections. So classy!

Very good stuff. <br/>I wish I could speak a little french just to make sure I get what I want to get.

Amazing and authentic!

After spending 8 months in France, I was so excited to hear there was a French bakery owned by real French people! Though the macaroons were a disappointment, the rest of their pastries that I tried were good. Their pain au chocolat; excellent! Still need to go back and try their breads!

Macaroons are on point!

Tasty, but ridiculously overpriced. We've picked up a few items from this quaint little place, and while they are tasty, they aren't worth anywhere near the price. The macaroons are a quarter of the size of a 'normal' macaroon, while being twice the price.

Sampled the "Success" -- almond meringue with buttercream nougat -- crispy, sticky, light and silky.

Butter makes everything better and at this bakery, they use real butter in their pastries! The quiches are delicious. The croissants are so flakey and tasty. The fruit tarts are amazing! The French macarons are just like the ones in Paris. The baguettes were the only item I wasn't crazy about. Love this place!!

A Bit of France. After spending a few weeks in Paris I was excited to be coming to Winnipeg and being able to find some of my favourite French dishes but was extremely disappointed to find very limited options. I finally found A L'Epi de Ble and was immersed in France once again. Everything was traditional right down to the bistro tables in the bakery. A new sign and baguette oven were on order and I will be looking forward to a return visit to chat with Nattalie in my broken French and taste their delicious breads, pastries and coffee. Winnipeggers, please support this business.

Ou la la!. Yum yum yum...what else is there to say? The chocolate Napoleon was out of this world! The macaroons bring back memories of Paris. Tried the meat pie, it was good. Will be retuning to try the brioche and croissants. The staff are amazing, very friendly and extremely happy to talk about their pastry. xoxoxo

Great Bakery!. You know it's going to be good when they advertise that all pastries are made with butter. The homemade bread is fantastic. Do yourself a favour and get some macaroons - incredible! Service is always friendly. The only problem is the quality of product and service now means you have to wait - which I am more than willing to do.

Nice Surprise. I happen to be in the area and notice that the Hartford Bakery sign had been replaced. I was curious to try a French bakery so I went in. The owner warmly greeted me and guided me through the rows of lovely confections. I was even given a sample to try! I brought the treats to work and within an hour, they were gone! Wondeful place and a nice surprise in the Northend. I will go back.

I've never had a bad experience here - the owners are so friendly and the baking is always so delicious. I reccommened getting the chocolate ganache macarons and the strawberry tarts!

Yummy forsure. I purchased 2 chocolate eclaire's, a napoleon, 1 chocolate and 1 almond croissant. I enjoyed them all, they put them in a nice box too.

This is my favorite new place in the city. Everything I tried was absolutely incredible: the meringues, a loaf of bread with savoury herbs, onions, and cheese, a lemon torte ( sooo good), and the most amazing almond croissant. They have fougasses here, which I haven't seen anywhere since I worked in a French bakery in BC. Fougasse is a savoury, personal-sized bread filled with different combinations of cheeses and vegetables-- I think it's a Quebec thing. They make them really yummy here! The peopIe at this bakery are so friendly too. This is definitely the most authentic and delicious French baking I've tried outside of France!

AMAZING French Bakery on North Main. Hands down, one of the best bakeries in the city! Even better, it's a French pastry shop, operated by French bakers from Provence!<br/><br/>This place is on North Main - at Main and Hartford. The signage still reads "Hartford Bakery" from the previous Polish owners but the new owners will be changing that (hopefully soon). And they will be renovating the interior, although the current decor is fine for now. The signage is just a bit confusing.<br/><br/>When you step inside, you are greeted by a ridiculous sight of breads, quiches, croque monsieur sandwiches, pastries, cakes etc. And when the really friendly staff come out to welcome you with their French accent, you forget that you are in Winnipeg and on North Main. Their fresh baked breads are around $3-$4 per loaf and most pastry items are very comparable to other bakeries in the city. They use real BUTTER and everything is made fresh and with love so value wise, it is unbelievably worth it! Plain croissant $1.80 each were incredibly buttery and flakey - I can still taste the deliciousness as I write this! And the pain au chocolat $1.90 each, is the croissant folded in a different way but inside there is the most yummy, dark, decadent piece of chocolate. <br/><br/>Macarons are hard to find in the city but I've found them here! At $0.95 each, they are absolutely delicious. The pistachio is a nice minty green with just the right amount of sweetness. The coffee macaron had the most deep coffee flavour and the meringue cookie portion is chewy and perfect. <br/><br/>There was this baked apple pastry item that was also delicious. It seemed like the baked apples were sitting on top of a brioche and there was some light cinnamon sprinkled on. It was a hit! Tropézienne, the one that looks like a doughnut with cream filling and powedered surgar is really a Provence specialty of brioche and rich pastry cream. It's quite the delightful pastry so if you like cream and butter - try this one!<br/><br/>The mini quiches were also a hit. There were three flavours - vegetarian, gorgonzola and bacon/mushroom. I went with the ladder and trust me, you will be in heaven. A light flaky crust while the quiche itself was full of creamy goodness - you could definitely taste the bacon and mushroom. <br/><br/>They even make hamentashen ($0.75 each), which is a traditional Jewish pastry that's typically eaten during Purim. The ones here are filled with a variety of fruit fillings and the baker here does their own "French" twist to it so it's not the most traditional hamentashen but still good. It's a not too sweet cookie like item that's filled with fruit and shaped in a triangle to resemble "Haman's hat." <br/><br/>Cakes can be purchased by the slice, they had a variety of genoise cakes that looked yum. Whole cakes can be purchased and ordered a day or so ahead depending on how complex you want it. They didn't have a menu of cakes to choose and the baker just said "we can make whatever you want." Wow. Cakes are very reasonable price wise. <br/><br/>Serves 4-6 is $20, serves 6-8 is $25, serves 8-10 is $32 and serves 10-12 is $39 before tax. <br/><br/>They are closed on Sundays. M-F 7:30 am to 6:00 pm and Sat 7:30 to 5 pm. The bakery bakes up more varieties of pastries on Fri/Sat. They also serve up several varieties of coffee and even have a few small tables to dine at. I can't recommend this place enough - definitely take a drive to North Main and indulge in some delicious pastries!

Buttery yumminess. What a pleasant surprise to see this authentic French bakery in the north end! The service is extremely attentive and pleasant and the pastries, cakes and breads as well as croissants are exceptional. With these types of products there are no short cuts although other places try, usually without using butter to replicate the original. This is The Original--many unique items that I've never seen in North America--worth a visit--try anything and everything!!

I happened upon L’epi de Bleu (1757 Main St.) by chance.  Although I had intended to visit ever since I sampled their macaroons this summer at my grandbaby’s welcome party, I had actually intended to pick up lunch at another bakery in the area-Baraka Pita Bakery.  When I tugged on the locked door to the latter and then read the notice indicating that they were closed for a religious holiday, my brain immediately changed gears from a pita to a croissant! I was glad that the few tables by the window were occupied and that there was a line up of patrons waiting to make their selections,  This gave me the opportunity to gaze upon each of the artistic offerings in the front display case.  I also spied a baker’s cart in the corner that seemed to be filled with savoury rather than sweet confections, so I knew that I would not go away empty handed. Nathalie Gautier, the proprietress, helped me make my selections.  The pastry of the ham and bacon quiche was lighter than air, as were all of the