Bayfield - Paula’s Pastry Shop

If you have a weakness for pastry, Bayfield has added another good reason to stop along Main Street.

Paula Foley opened Paula’s Pastry Shop at 28 Main St. N. last December, in the spot formerly occupied by the Pink Flamingo and directly across from the Little Inn. It might seem like an unusual time to open a new business in a summer destination, but the quiet winter months gave Foley a chance to get settled and figure out how her new home town works through its very different seasons.

Foley isn’t new to Bayfield, or to pastry. She has more than 20 years of experience in the business, having trained and worked in Western Canada before returning to Ontario. Locals may remember her as the pastry chef at the Little Inn, or from Renegade’s Diner, which she operated in Bayfield.

Now she’s back to doing what she really loves - making pastry.

The shop has a distinctly European feel, with croissants, chocolate croissants and almond croissants among the regular offerings. There are also scones, cookies and squares, with the selection changing with the seasons. A summer visit might find peach custard danishes in the case, for example.

Some of Foley’s recipes have a more personal connection, too, inspired by memories of baking with her grandmother. It’s one of those things that makes a small bakery interesting: you never quite know what might turn up.

The flour is another story in itself. Foley uses flour from Arva Flour Mill, north of London. The historic mill still produces its artisan flours using original 1904 roller mills, so even the basic ingredient in that croissant has a bit of Ontario history behind it.

And if the idea of buying a dozen pastries makes you hesitate, there’s good news. Paula’s Pastry Shop doesn’t insist that you take a box of twelve. You can buy one. Or two. Or however many you actually want.That may be particularly appreciated by those of us who know exactly what would happen if we brought a dozen pastries home.

Foley has a small staff of about six, working between the kitchen and front of house. She’s happy to keep things manageable and concentrate on making good pastry rather than growing the business just for the sake of getting bigger.

The summer crowds have brought plenty of new faces through the door, but Foley is quick to credit the local customers who supported the shop through its first winter. In a seasonal community like Bayfield, those customers are important.

So, whether you’re heading to Bayfield for the day, taking a stroll down Main Street or simply looking for something good to take home, Paula’s Pastry Shop is worth adding to the route.

Just don’t blame us if you leave with more than one. 28 Main St. N., Bayfield