Willow Cakes and Pastries



Enjoy a premium coffee or Lindt hot chocolate at Willow Cakes & Pastries. Photos: [Kirsty Woodhead].
 


Beautifully packaged gift bags of scrumptious chocolate biscuits.
 


Willow Cakes & Pastries, a charming European style patisserie owned by Catharine O'Donnell, in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
 


 

General Information

Whether visitors are in the mood for a savory sandwich, or looking for something more decadent to indulge their sweet tooth, Willow Cakes & Pastries has something for you. This charming European style Patisserie has an inviting atmosphere that is perfect for lingering over a cup of coffee and newspaper, or picking up something to go.

Willow Cakes & Pastries offers a wide selection of products for breakfast, lunch and snacks for you to select and enjoy. Popular savory items include freshly baked artisan breads, quiches and a variety of ready-made sandwiches. If you are looking for something on the sweeter side, try one of their many decadent cakes, tarts, cookies or pastries. Products change regularly to reflect upcoming holidays and new seasons, with a selection of seasonal treats and gifts available year-round too.

Catherine O'Donnell, owner and Pastry Chef of Willow Cakes & Pastries, is one of the foremost pastry chefs in the Niagara Region. Catharine is a firm believer in buying locally, and uses many local Niagara products in many of her recipes whenever possible. She shares her expertise and passion for food through the unique, mouthwatering products she sells in her store. James Chatto christened Willow Cakes & Pastries as "a place of pilgrimage for anyone with a sweet tooth" in LCBO's Food and Drink magazine. A testament that many patrons can vouch for.

Central to Willow Cakes & Pastries is a dedication to providing unique, innovative and flavourful products. Catharine O'Donnell draws inspiration for her products from what goes on around her in her everyday life. She also enjoys taking old recipes and adding a new spin to them. One such example is her Ice Wine Fruit Cake. Catharine uses her grandmothers old family recipe, substituting in only local raisins and nuts and using Ice wine instead of Brandy. Making this Fruit Cake has become a tradition for O'Donnell and her staff every Christmas, and customers eagerly await it every year.

Willow Cakes & Pastries has eight signature items on their menu that keep customers returning time and time again. They include:

  • Butter tarts
  • Croissants
  • Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake
  • White Chocolate Raspberry Cake
  • Quiche
  • Café Royal Cake
  • Tomato Herb Bread
  • New York Fruit Cheesecake

Gallery Photos


Directions

From Toronto:

Take the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) West

Merge onto Queen Elizabeth Way/ON-403 West (20.8 km)

Stay left, continuing on Queen Elizabeth Way following signs for Niagara/East Hamilton/Fort Erie (61.8 km)

Take the Regional Road 89/Glendale Avenue South exit (600 m)

Merge onto Glendale Avenue/Regional Road 89 (220 m)

Turn right onto Taylor Road/Regional Road 70 (2.4 km)

Continue onto Mississauga Street (500 m)

Turn right onto Mary Street (11 m)

Destination will be immediately on the right

242 Mary Street

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0, Canada


From Fort Erie:

Head east on Municipal Centre Drive (96 m)

Take the 1st right to stay on Municipal Centre Drive (110 m)

Turn left onto Buffalo Road (190 m)

Turn right onto Garrison Road (450 m)

Take the 2nd left onto Pettit Road/Regional Road 118 (1.9 km)

Turn right onto Gilmore Road/Regional Road 19 (400 m)

Merge onto the Queen Elizabeth Way via the ramp to Toronto (33.1 km)

Take the Regional Road 89/Glendale Avenue exit toward Niagara-on-the-Lake (500 m)

Turn right onto Glendale Avenue/Regional Road 89 (200 m)

Turn left onto York Road (following signs for Virgil/Niagara-on-the-Lake) (450 m)

Take the first right onto Airport Road (2.8 km)

Turn right onto Niagara Stone Road (9.7 km)

Continue onto Mississauga Street (500 m)

Turn right onto Mary Street (11 m)

Destination will be immediately on the right

242 Mary Street

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0, Canada

Hours of Operation

Open Daily:

8:00am to 6:00pm

Extended Hours (from Victoria Day through Thanksgiving)

Friday-Sunday: 8:00am to 7:00pm

Historical


Owner and Pastry Chef of Willow Cakes & Pastries, Catharines O'Donnell discovered her passion for baking at the ripe young age of 14, after a visit to the Toronto King Edward Hotel with her grandmother for afternoon tea. Since then, Catharine went on to graduate from the Pastry Arts Program at George Brown College, and has studied for a period in Belgium at the Callebaut Chocolate Institute. Her career has seen her working as Pastry Chef at Toronto's Oliver-Bocacini Group, Vintage Inns, Hillbrands Vineyard Café, Peller Estates Winery Restaurant, and where her passion began, the King Edward Hotel. Today Catharine is regarded as one of the top Pastry Chefs in Niagara and a culinary star.

In 2004, Catharine O'Donnell opened up her own enterprise, Willow Cakes & Pastries. There she continues to express her passion for baking through the delicious products available in her store. Catharine has made a name for herself particularly in customized wedding cakes and decadent desserts that she supplies to some of Niagara's finest restaurants.

Catharine shares her love and passion as a pastry chef with young students at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Culinary School as an acting Pastry Chef Professor.

Further Information

Ownership & Management

Catharine O'Donnell

Facilities

  • Coffee shop
  • Customized special occasion and wedding cakes
  • Catering to various personal and public events
  • B&B breakfast product line available
  • Wholesale orders (supply many of Niagara's finest restaurants)
  • Seasonal gifts available


For full details please visit Willow Cakes & Pastries website or inquire in-store.

Contact

Phone: 905-468-2745
Website: www.willowcakes.ca

Address

242 Mary Street
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
L0S 1J0

GPS Co-ordinates

Latitude: 43.252816
Longitude: -79.083777

Administration

Catharine O'Donnell
Pastry Chef/Chocolatier
Willow Cakes & Pastries
Tel 905-468-2745
Fax 905-468-9531
Email willowcakes@bellnet.ca
Website www.willowcakes.ca


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