Annina’s Bakeshop in Schitt’s Creek

Actually…it’s in Goodwood, Ontario.

Checking out the places your favourite shows were set or filmed can be quite a fun pastime. It is an activity we quite enjoy doing when we are on a road trip. We love looking for real-life places that have been the stand-ins for fictional locales.

If you have been a fan of the hit CBC show “Schitt’s Creek” and asked yourself… “I wonder where this was filmed?”, have I got a butter tart quest day trip destination for you.

About Schitt’s Creek

For those of you who have not been watching Schitt’s Creek (and why not?), it is a sitcom created by and starring Canadian comedy legend (SCTV & American Pie fame) Eugene Levy and his equally talented son – Daniel Levy. It also features another SCTV alum and movie star, Catherine O’Hara (Beetlejuice & Home Alone). The show centres around a wealthy family who are forced into bankruptcy and must live in the small town of Schitt’s Creek, which the father purchased as a birthday gift for his son – as a joke.

I must be honest – we were late to the Schitt’s Creek party. When we first visited Goodwood, we had only just started watching the Emmy award-winning sitcom, which was just before its final season. So, were we huge fans? No, but we grew to love the show just like everyone else. I don’t know what took us so long to get on board the bandwagon, but now, we adore this show. We have been rewatching all seasons for the 2nd time. It is an outstanding show.

Where can you find Schitt’s Creek?

The town of Goodwood is located just a short drive North East of Toronto, between Aurora and Port Perry. With a population of less than 700, this tiny town was the site of many filming locations for exterior shots of Schitt’s Creek. This makes Goodwood a popular destination for many people looking for Ontario Day Trip ideas.

As you drive through Goodwood, at the main 4-corner intersection of town (Hwy 47 and Concession 3 Rd), fans of the show will recognize three buildings. On the North-East corner is a faded blue building that was the home of Bob’s Garage. The South-East corner is the building that subbed in for the Café Tropical, where the Rose’s would enjoy every meal and the occasional smoothy. On the South-West corner, you will find Romni Wools of Goodwood. Here is the location where David & Patrick opened the “Rose Apothecary”.

You can find other Schitt’s Creek filming locations in Goodwood, but if you seek the Rosebud Motel or Ted’s Veterinary Clinic, they are located elsewhere.

What, pray tell, has Schitt’s Creek got to do with Butter Tarts?

On the 4th corner of this very same intersection is a bakery and café that catered to many Schitt’s Creek filming sessions – Annina’s Bakeshop and Café. In fact, Annie Murphy (Alexis Rose) and Dan Levy (David Rose) have shared their love of Annina’s butter tarts and baked goods on Instagram.

“Oh, John, there’s a sweetness in the air. And I’m not just saying that because we shoot next to a [butter tart] factory” – Moira Rose

 

 

Annina’s Bakeshop & Café

Annina’s Bakeshop and Café is the brainchild of Chef Marco Cassano. He and his team of talented bakers make everything in-house with organic, high-quality, and fresh ingredients. In their bakery, the team serves up a cornucopia of sweet and savoury treats that will get your mouth watering as soon as you enter.

About the Butter Tarts:

Like most butter tart bakeries based in small towns, my first experience with Annina’s bakeshop was at Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival in Midland, ON. In the summer of 2019, I purchased my first butter tarts from Annina’s Bakery at the festival and knew I had to check them out on our Butter Tart Quest on a future road trip, and we finally got that chance.

Options:

Annina’s bakeshop offers various flavour options for their butter tarts, including many seasonal options or limited-time offerings. Perhaps you will be tempted by flavours like espresso, Nutella, Oreo, or holiday flavours like chocolate gingerbread or chocolate candy cane when you are there.
Plain, raisin, peanut butter, chocolate, & Skor are perennial favourites.

Crust

The pastry on the butter tarts at Annina’s is light, flaky, and delicate but solid. It is evenly baked with a creamy butter flavour. It has a moistness, which means it is always fresh even if you have had them for a few days.

Filling

The filling has a pleasant rich buttery taste, with a thicker gelatinous consistency indicative of real pure butter. It is very smooth & creamy, and deliciously sweet. There is a slight ooze factor but no sugar nugget on the bottom. These will not drip down your hands.

Crust to filling Ratio

The filling-to-crust ratio is beautifully portioned, with filling all the way to the top. The crust is thick but not too thick – it is just enough crust to hold the filling in place while you eat.

Overall experience

These butter tarts are a nice size, making for a light treat. They are neither too sweet nor too big. It is easy to eat a whole one without being overloaded by sugar, and because the filling’s consistency is thick and creamy, it ensures there is no dripping down your arm as you enjoy. You can eat this butter tart without a plate – and no fear of making a mess. They also travel well when you are on a road trip – if they last that long.

Beyond the butter tarts:

When you visit Annina’s Bakeshop & Café, it will be hard to choose between fancy cakes, mini pies, cookies, squares, decadent desserts of all kinds, and many delicious butter tarts that have made them a fan favourite on the butter tart festival circuit. Their doughnuts have a bit of a cult following as well. If you follow them on Instagram – foodies from all over flock to Annina’s for some of their amazing doughnuts – which are always in limited availability.

In addition to their fantastic baked goods, they also have a grocery section, deli-prepared meals, soups & sandwiches, and beverages. Their freezer section is full of delicious ready-to-make meals that you can make for dinner when you are home – like lasagna, shepherds pie, meat pies, and eggplant or veal parmesan, as well as a large selection of gourmet soups.

So, when you can, get your favourite Jazzagals together and head out on a Sweet Rogue Trip to Goodwood, Ontario, for a Schitt’s Creek site-seeing tour.  Be sure to stop in at Annina’s Bakeshop and Cafe and pick up some delicious treats for the ride back to the Rosebud Motel.

“He’s managed to create, in this town, something truly winsome.” – Moira Rose

You can find Annina’s Bakeshop & Cafe at:

300 Hwy 47
Goodwood, ON  L0C 1A0

*note: All butter tart reviews are the opinions of Roguetrippers only, based on our experiences and personal preferences. Your opinions may vary. If you know of a great bakery making what you think are Ontario’s Best butter tarts, we would love to hear from you. Let us know about them, so we can plan a future road trip to check them out and include them in our #ButterTartQuest.

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