Traditional French bakery from Montreal opening in Square One in Mississauga

A new bakery cafe opens this spring in Square One in Mississauga.

Au Pain Doré, a traditional French Canadian bakery and cafe opened in Montreal in 1956. In recent years, it has expanded to Toronto and it is now opening in Mississauga.

The bakery will open in the former Aroma Espresso Bar space at entrance seven near Moxy’s Restaurant in Square One Shopping Centre, Alexandra Grudkin, franchise development director at Groupe Le Duff, told insauga.com.

Au Pain Doré will open in the former Aroma Espresso Bar location in Square One. (Photo: Google Maps)

The location has both an exterior and interior entrances.

Au Pain Doré currently has a total of 16 locations, eight in Montreal and eight in Toronto. This location will be its first suburban venture, Grudkin said.

The choice to open in Square One was easy.

“Square One is a natural go-to if you’re looking for a high-end mall in this market,” Grudkin said. “It’s just a destination for all things — shopping, entertainment and work…so it was just a natural, flagship location for the Mississauga region.”

The bakery is described as a fast-casual restaurant. (Photo: Au Pain Doré)

The bakery is a fast-casual restaurant where people can grab sandwiches, salads and soups or buy baked goods such as breads, pastries, croissants, danishes and desserts to take home.

There will be a seating area inside and in a 700-square-foot patio outside.

Construction on renovating the interior was start in February but they are currently awaiting permits. They are still targeting a late May opening.

Au Pain Doré plans to expand in Ontario and Quebec and eventually in western Canada. Over the next five years, they hope to open 40 locations and are actively looking for franchise candidates.

(Photo: Au Pain Doré)

Au Pain Doré was acquired by Groupe Le Duff in 2008. Since then, the group opened its first franchised location in Montreal in 2017 and began franchising in Toronto in late 2022.

Groupe Le Duff has over 1,500 restaurants across five continents and 100 countries.

For more information, see the website here.

(Lead Photo: Au Pain Doré)

1. Au Pain Doré