Eat Your Gluten Free Heart Out at Victoria’s Origin Bakery
If I had to say one thing about Origin Gluten Free Bakery in Stadacona Centre in Victoria it would be this: Origin will immortalize sourdough like Proust immortalized the madeleine.
My gluten intolerant friends, prepare to be flooded with memories of a doughy, flavourful past one slice at a time with this rare celiac-friendly delicacy.
There isn’t a rainy Victoria day that can’t be made better by the company of a tomato, cheddar, pickle, sauerkraut and pickled purple cabbage sandwich on toasted sourdough.
There. Just. Isn’t.
While I could go on and on about the sourdough, Origin has plenty more to offer the sans gluten aficionados.
In fact their sourdough loaves (which come in both white and multi-grain varieties) are just one of a unique array of breads , which include the spring loaf, light and fluffy for soup dipping, and hype, a hypoallergenic loaf made with buckwheat, chia and quinoa.
Origin Bakery serves up an impressive array of delectable gluten-free baked goods.
Origin isn’t a particularly comfy place to hang out or have lunch with a friend, so plan to take your order to go. The bakery sells pre-made lunch items such as sandwiches and mini-pizzas but doesn’t have a re-heat oven for those who’d like to linger.
On my last visit, I purchased just under $90 of gluten-free baked delights. That’s because now, thanks to Origin, I’m obliged to ferry over what my family calls “the best gluten free bread ever” to the mainland every time I visit.
Put tomato, cheddar, pickle, sauerkraut and pickled purple cabbage sandwich on toasted sourdough from Origin Bakery and life just gets better.
Although I did nearly clear the shop out of its sourdough — my apologies to anyone trying to buy some a couple Thursdays ago — I also stocked up on some of my favourite sweet Origin treats. Hands down my favourite are the buttery, flaked crust pumpkin tarts. I would be a liar if I said I made it out of the parking lot without eating one.
The sweettooths ought to try the turtle cheesecakes and the dropped-from-heaven meringues. Trust me, you’ll want to lay a hand on these cloudy glories the moment you lay eyes on them.
Finally, before you hit up the till, be sure to check out the day-old discount pile where you’re likely to find nut bars, sugar cookies, dairy-free baguettes and yes, even the occasional treasured loaf of sourdough.
The Deets
– Origin Gluten Free Bakery is open Monday to Thursday & Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 1525 Pandora Avenue.
– Origin has a second location in Colwood at 110 – 1790 Island Highway. The Colwood location is open Tuesday to Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
– For more information and drool-worthy details, check out Origin on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
