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Ooey gooey, flakey and oh so sweet! We might be biased, but we think Guelph Wellington is the best place to find Ontario’s favourite sweet treat – the iconic butter tart.
Home to a provincially recognized Butter Tart Champion (!), Wellington County has excellent bakeries, farm markets and restaurants that invite you to taste your way through the countryside and discover your favourite butter tart along the way.
Whether you prefer your tarts plain, with raisins, pecans, blueberries and white chocolate, warm or cool, or even with topped with whipped cream, we’ve got you covered. Let us show you the way to some of the best butter tarts stops in Wellington and Guelph.
How sweet is that!
A la Mode Café and Ice Cream Shop – Drayton
Located close to the Drayton Festival Theatre, this quaint, locally owned, ice cream and coffee shop offers locally prepared foods. You can find famous Anna Mae's baking including their scrumptious butter tarts. Try one for yourself! Read more.
The Barrel House Canada – Clifford
Yes you read it right, these butter tarts made with barrel aged Apple Crisp Vinegar, available in classic plain, raisin or pecan. The Barrel House has a unique retail and COVID safe experience to explore. For them "It’s all about the barrel". Stop and meet Marla and Pete and learn how they have expanded their barrel business. Book a visit 613.243.3761 or visit them online.
Belwood Country Market – Belwood
An off the beaten track country store next to Belwood Lake, this is a must visit destination for butter tart enthusiasts. Selling butter tarts in seven flavours, including plain, pecan, raisin, raspberry-coconut, blueberry-white chocolate, Reese’s peanut butter cups and Skor. Take out only. Visit them.
Coffee Culture Cafe and Eatery - Mount Forest
A European café experience with artisan crafted coffee beverages, fresh food and a décor that exudes a casual, cozy and relaxing ambiance. Offering an array of butter tarts, their chocolate butter tart is a must try! Visit them.
Dar's Country Market - Elora
It is their mission to connect grocery shoppers of Centre Wellington with un-paralleled products, and un-compromising quality. Dar’s is a specialty for locally sourced Meats, Produce, Dairy, Baked Goods and much more! Their butter tarts are a crowd favourite! Visit them.
Eric the Baker - Guelph
A beautiful view and location to compliment this bakery café on Carden st. We have fresh croissants, breads, pastries that could tempt any and many. View their Facebook page.
Fergies Fine Foods - Fergus
This downtown bakery and food store is a perfect stop to grab a bite quick bite to eat. In addition to their great selection of prepared foods they offer home baked cookies, squares, shortbread, oat cakes, and of course, butter tarts. Learn more.
Gerrie's Farm Market - Elora
A family business, producing and retailing fresh local produce in season, and also carry a variety of frozen meats, homemade baking and preserves. This is the must spot to grab your gluten-free butter tarts! Visit them.
Holtom's Bakery – Erin
A true old-fashioned bakery, Holtom’s is a main street favourite among locals and tourists alike. They offer everything, from fresh bread to pastries, doughnuts, cookies, squares, and tarts, and other local products and preserves. Enjoy a hot cup of coffee at one of the tables in the bakery or take out. Warning - you might be leaving with more than just a butter tart! Visit them.
HomeStyle Flavours – Teviotale
While the bakery is just one component of this shop, their pies, cookies and butter tarts are famous and a great reason to stop and discover all they have to offer. Local meats, dairy, dry goods, sandwiches and more make this a great place to pick up lunch or to stock up on local foods. Visit them.
Jess For You Cafe and Baked Goods - Hillsburgh
Enjoy all day breakfast and lunch, in their 15 seat dining area or you can call in for takeout. They offer a wide variety of homemade baked goods, and you can't miss tasting their pecan butter tarts! Their menu is fresh made when ordered, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Visit them.
Magpie's Bakery and Gourmet Doughnuts – Mount Forest
Fresh, locally made eats, treats. Not only delicious doughnuts! Head to Mount Forest to find their amazing maple butter tarts with locally sourced maple syrup. Visit them.
Misty Meadows Market – Conn
Discover this quaint little country market bursting with a large variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in season, and year round home baking, groceries, crafts and gifts. Fresh baked daily on site, you must try one of their six flavours of butter tarts! Learn more.
Mosborough Country Market - Guelph/Eramosa
At Mosborough Country Market, a family run market, you know you are getting quality fresh from the farm. Discover local produce in season, domestic and exotic meats, local maple syrup, honey and preserves, affordable giftware, hanging baskets, cut flowers, Christmas trees and of course, made from scratch, baking including their famous butter tarts! Visit them.
The Right Spot Restaurant and Baked Goods - Alma
Homestyle cooking served in a family friendly atmosphere. You can expect homemade breads, pies, tarts, cookies and squares baked daily. Serving breakfast (all day), lunch and dinner. Daily specials, homemade soups and delicious desserts! Discover more.
Strom's Farm and Bakery – Guelph/Eramosa
Strom's pride themselves in quality tarts (No corn syrup), pies and cookies made from scratch at the farm. Their tart flavours include plain, pecan, raisin, haskap and chocolate pecan. They can be enjoyed as a great last minute dessert all winter long from your freezer to mouth in 60 minutes...or some like them frozen, so we’ve heard. (Open seasonally). Learn more.
Thatcher Farms Butcher Shop, Bakery and Farm Market – Guelph/Eramosa
Always worth a visit, this farm store boasts their own farm-raised meat specialties along with products from other local farms, including staples just as eggs, dairy, breads and canned goods. Their own farm-bakery offers freshly baked sweets along with mouth-watering butter tarts. Check out their events, outdoor fun farm yard and more during the summer months. Visit them.
Whitetail Bakery - Rockwood
Whitetail Bakery creates three standard butter tarts (classic, raisin, and mixed nuts) with the occasional seasonal market inspired flavours such as the current new Peach Whiskey! Having been at the Rockwood Farmers' Market for two years (where their tarts are currently available), Whitetail Bakery has become a staple of many kitchens, bringing the familiarity of childhood baking with a modern approach. Everything is made from scratch and when possible using Ontario ingredients. Learn more.
With the Grain – Guelph
A Guelph destination for sweet treats, breads and more, With the Grain Bakery has long been a promoter of locally grown ingredients. You can’t go wrong with any of their excellent pastries, but they are especially proud of their butter tarts! Enjoy them along with a cup of locally roasted Planet Bean coffee. Discover more.
Gluten Free options:
- Dar's Country Market - Elora
- Gerries Garden Centre and Farm Market – Elora
- The Red Door Cafe – Fergus
For a larger selection of tarts and sweets, visit our Guelph-Wellington Farmers’ Markets.
Enjoy your sweet adventure in Wellington County!
*Please note that available flavours may vary. We strongly recommend to check opening hours before visiting any of the above locations, as they may vary seasonally.
Keto Butter Tarts:
- Alter Eat-o - Guelph
Traditional butter tarts with a special keto makeover (we call it 'ketofying' something!) to make them low carb, sugar free and gluten free! Filled with buttery goodness (very keto) and available in Traditional, Pecan, and Apple Pie variations.
A Canadian Staple
Did you know? Butter tarts were a common dish in pioneer Canadian cooking and still remain a characteristic pastry of Canada to this day. Read the history of the butter tart from Food Bloggers of Canada.
Local Butter Tart Champion
‘Helen Moffat has been entering (and winning) the butter tart competition at the Drayton Fair for 48 years. But this past fall, she decided to submit her prize-winning tarts to a new competition, which would make her eligible for the second annual provincial butter tart competition hosted by the OAAS (Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies). Moffat swept the competition at Drayton and then moved on to districts (there are 15 OAAS districts in Ontario) to face off against other local winners.’ In February 2019 she was crowned the grand champion of the OAAS for her butter tart recipe.
‘She’s not revealing the secret to her prize-winning ways any time soon. Much to her family’s chagrin, she doesn’t have a recipe to pass down. “I eyeball it, I never measure anything. That’s just the way I’ve done it for years,” she says.’
