8+ of the best panettoni in Montréal

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 20^th 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 more.

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

Pop up boutique at 6422 Saint-Laurent Blvd until mid-January | Website

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. Although they’ve only been around for a couple of years, their perseverance and hard work have paid off and their Signature panettone has recently been selected to represent North America at the Panettone World Cup in Milan in November 2024. The Viva panettoni come in 7 flavours, including lemon, pistachio and maple. You can find these panettoni all year round online, at several shops around the province or at their Boutique de Noël pop-up in Montréal’s Little Italy.

Arte e Farina

1550 St-Catherine Street East | Website

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 Chocolate and confit apricot and Maple, apple and candied blueberries, for a more homegrown flavour.

Automne Boulangerie

6500 Christophe-Colomb Avenue and 1470 Bélanger Street | Website

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 candied ginger, dried blueberries and raisins that are rehydrated in rum, candied oranges, and an aromatic mix of lemon zest, Miel D’Anicet honey, vanilla beans, high-fat local butter and local flours from Moulin des Cèdres, Moulin des Soulanges, and Moulin de Charlevoix. The panettoni go through a first 14-hour fermentation then a second 12-hour one before getting baked. They will be making a fresh batch every Monday in December. The Pan-Automne are the best priced artisanal panettoni in town highly and it’s highly recommended that you order yours through their website because they go quickly (they will have extra ones available in both their shops).

Le Toledo

351 Mont-Royal Avenue East and 448 Wellington Street | Website

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 3 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. And finally, the Opéra with dark chocolate, milk chocolate and coffee. It’s highly recommended to reserve yours on their website.

Hof Kelsten

4524 St Laurent Blvd | Website

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!), and the bakery always keeps a few for daily walk-ins so head there early in the day to grab yours!

Miette Boulangerie

317 Rue de Lévis | Website

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.

Elena

5090 Notre Dame Street West | Website

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 Alla Elena ’23 panettone with dark chocolate, macerated apricots and confit orange zest. Orders yours on their website for pick it up or delivery (across Canada!)

Café dei Campi

6201 Chabot Street | Website

This Italian-style café serves coffee and pastries inspired by family recipes. All their delightful baked products just happen to also be vegan but we promise you won’t even notice. Their panettone this year is prepared with marsala wine-infused currants, candied orange peel, roasted almonds and dark chocolate. They will be available to order from December 15 to 17 and from December 22 to 24 only, so make sure you reserve yours.

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.