Ladurée, the world-renowned French patisserie, has opened its third Toronto location at 162 Cumberland Street in Yorkville. Launched on October 12, 2024, it’s the first Ladurée Café concept in Canada. The location offers a blend of grab-and-go convenience with refined sit-down dining options, catering to both busy customers and those seeking a more leisurely experience.
The café provides seating for 13 indoors and 12 on the outdoor patio. It offers a carefully curated selection of Ladurée’s signature macarons, freshly baked pastries, and elegant cakes, crafted under the watch of French-trained Executive Pastry Chef Alexandra Launay.
Chic Design and Crafted Interiors
The interior of the Ladurée Yorkville café reflects the brand’s Parisian heritage while incorporating modern elements to suit Toronto’s cosmopolitan vibe. Walls are painted a very particular shade of green, reflecting Ladurée’s brand profile. The design features imported checkered wallpaper, known as the Vichy pattern, sourced from France and developed exclusively for Ladurée. The café’s furnishings were shipped from Italy, adding a high-end European aesthetic to the space. The attention to detail extends to branded equipment, including a coffee machine with the same Vichy pattern.
Elevate Build Inc., a Toronto-based construction firm founded by Paul M. Bélanger, managed the construction of the Yorkville location. Bélanger has worked on all of Ladurée’s Canadian locations since 2017, including the Toronto pastry laboratory. Ladurée’s Parisian design team supervised the design and construction.
Ladurée Canada worked with Ulf Bergner of Bergner Real Estate Advisors to negotiate the Yorkville lease deal. CBRE’s Urban Retail Team listed the Dice Fruit retail space for lease.
A New Addition to Yorkville’s Growing Culinary Scene
The café occupies a prime corner space in Yorkville, replacing Dice Fruit. The location is across from key retailers like Nespresso and the upcoming Harry Rosen flagship store. This high-traffic area, just steps away from Village of Yorkville Park, attracts both local residents and visitors. The blend of grab-and-go options alongside traditional café service ensures that Ladurée can cater to a range of customers, from busy professionals seeking a quick coffee to those looking for a leisurely afternoon tea.
Ladurée Canada owner Olesya Krakhmalyova said that Yorkville is the perfect setting for Ladurée’s luxurious yet accessible offerings. “We’ve waited for the right opportunity to bring the Ladurée experience to Yorkville,” said Ms. Krakhmalyova. “This café is a place where people can enjoy the finest pastries, whether they’re stopping in for a quick coffee or sitting down for a more indulgent experience.”
Pastry Classes and Upcoming Union Station Pop-Up
Ladurée Canada is launching exclusive pastry classes in mid-November. The classes will be held at Ladurée’s Toronto pastry laboratory, offering participants the opportunity to learn how to create Ladurée’s signature Ispahan cake, guided by expert chefs. With limited class sizes, participants will receive personalized instruction, making it a must-attend for pastry enthusiasts.
Additionally, Ladurée is expanding its Toronto presence with a carriage pop-up set to open on October 16, at Union Station. Located on the Bay Promenade’s lower retail level, the pop-up will offer Ladurée’s famous macarons and other sweet treats to commuters and travelers. The carriage will relocate from CF Sherway Gardens.
Ladurée’s Future Expansion into Montreal
Looking beyond Toronto, Ladurée is considering expansion into Montreal. Krakhmalyova noted that the company is evaluating potential locations, in response to high customer demand. Ms. Krakhmalyova emphasized that any expansion would be done carefully, ensuring that the Ladurée experience remains consistent across all locations.
“We are excited about the possibility of expanding into Montreal,” said Ms. Krakhmalyova. “But we’re taking our time to make sure we find the right space and execute the concept with the same level of quality and detail that Ladurée is known for.”
Yorkville’s Growing Reputation as a Luxury Destination
Ladurée’s Yorkville opening is part of a larger transformation in the neighborhood. The area is home to an impressive array of luxury brands, both on Bloor Street and in the Village of Yorkville itself. New high-end residential developments will also bring more wealth to the area. Yorkville’s blend of luxury shopping and affluent residents has made it a key destination for international brands looking to establish a presence in Toronto.
Ladurée’s Canadian Expansion Since 2016
Ladurée has two other Toronto locations. That includes a 1,185 square foot storefront at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre that opened in December of 2018, with a 26-seat tea salon. A second Toronto location opened at the Exchange Tower in Toronto’s Financial District in February of 2020, in a 685 square foot space with a 16-seat dining area.
The Toronto locations followed the 2016 opening of Ladurée’s first Canadian storefront at 1141 Robson Street in downtown Vancouver, which spans about 1,100 square feet and has a 23-seat tea salon. There were lineups for weeks after it opened.
The Robson Street Ladurée also has an expanded assortment of cakes and pastries. A pastry laboratory opened just east of the city in the summer of 2018. As with the Toronto pastry laboratory, a French-trained chef works out of the Vancouver kitchen.
Ladurée, founded in Paris in 1862, is renowned for its double-decker macarons, selling over 15,000 daily. The patisserie also offers ice cream, sorbets, jams, chocolates, candies, and branded accessories. In 1993, French business group Groupe Holder acquired Ladurée, expanding it from a few locations to dozens of boutiques in 27 countries, including the U.S. In March 2022, 80% of Ladurée was purchased by Stéphane Courbit’s Lov Group, with Mélanie Carron becoming managing director, replacing David Holder, son of the Holder Group’s founder.
