Strawberries are a summer staple in Toronto and just like the season itself, they’ll be gone before you know it. In Ontario, peak strawberry season begins in late June and usually runs through mid-July, with a few farms stretching into August if we’re lucky. But the real magic is happening now. Toronto’s chefs, bakers and drink-makers know it too, and they’re not wasting a single berry. From strawberry-burrata pairings to tres leches sundaes and over-the-top dessert drinks, here’s where to get your fix before the season slips away.
Strawberries & Cheese? Yes, Please!
At Trinity Market on Queen West, strawberries are paired with creamy burrata for a fresh summer plate that’s both simple and mouthwatering. The Ontario berries bring their usual brightness, but it’s the combo with burrata’s richness and a splash of good olive oil that makes truly stand out.
Tiramisu’s Summer Spin
On Geary, Famiglia Baldassarre is offering a seasonal spin on tiramisu: strawberry and elderflower for summer. Served in individual lunch cups, the dessert swaps traditional coffee for delicate fruit flavour, layered with creamy mascarpone and soft sponge. Known for its cult-status pasta and always-fresh offerings, Famiglia opens its doors at noon sharp, with regulars lining up as early as 11:15 to secure a meal.
A Berry Fresh Take on Tres Leches
Over in Little Italy, Coco’s is doing a malted milk tres leches topped with whipped cream and roasted Ontario strawberries. The shop, known for its photogenic pastries and decadent layer cakes has become known for its take on the sweet side of nostalgia. The tres leches base is milky and airy with a hint of malted depth — a nod to the “Malted Milk” paint colour that coats the walls — while the berries bring in peak summer freshness.
Strawberry Sun-Daze
At Elijah’s Automatic Flame Broiled, the menu may focus on burgers, but the dessert is stealing a bit of spotlight. The top and bottom strawberry sundaes are built for soft-serve fans, featuring fresh Ontario berries layered with creamy ice cream and a retro nod to roadside summer stands.
Sweet Tart
Roselle, the popular pastry shop at College and Beatrice, is currently serving a stunning strawberry hojicha tart It starts with a puff pastry shell, filled with hojicha pastry cream, strawberry compote and vanilla whipped cream, then topped with a mountain of Ontario berries and white chocolate crispy pearls. The strawberries come from Eborall Farms — a favourite of Toronto chefs, including pastry chef David Chow who is behind this sinfully delicious creation.
Strawberry on Top, Coffee Down Below
At The Brick Room, a café-bar hybrid known for maximalist drinks, the Reina Con Flow dessert drink is a strawberry lover’s dream. It’s a caramel strawberry milk topped with espresso foam and an actual slice of tres leches cake sitting on top.
