Hermes Bakery

What is Hermes Bakery? Anchoring Bathurst Street just south of Lawrence since 1959, Hermes Bakery is one of Toronto's oldest strictly kosher, COR-certified bakeries and a 100% nut-free institution. Founded by the Maierovits family and now run by its third generation, the space operates as a busy, no-frills European bakery and prepared foods market. There is no sit-down dining room; the entire floor plan is devoted to bustling glass pastry cases, bread racks, and takeaway counters.

Hermes Bakery Menu & What to Order The kitchen sticks strictly to authentic scratch-made European recipes with zero commercial premixes. The standout classic is the chocolate kokosh cake—a dense, ribboned pastry bursting with fudgy cocoa—alongside glossy chocolate rogelech and egg-washed braided challah loaves. Savoury cravings are covered by house-made potato knishes, crisp-crusted double rye bread, and containers of fresh egg or tuna salad. The entire operation is nut-free and kosher-certified (COR), serving both Pareve and Dairy selections.

Know Before You Go Ordering is walk-in only at the counter, with peak rushes hitting every Thursday evening and Friday morning ahead of Shabbat and major Jewish holidays. Street parking is available along Bathurst and side residential streets, while the 7 Bathurst bus stops steps away. The bakery operates late most nights but closes early on Friday afternoons and remains completely closed on Saturdays in observance of Shabbat.