I first discovered Dufflet's about 17 years ago or so when I was a driver and I stopped in on a cafe in Roncesvalles to grab a drink when I saw these absolutely gorgeous key lime tarts. Anybody that knows me knows that I'm not a dessert person but there are certain desserts like cheesecake, or key lime pie that will make me make an exception to eating sweets.
Needless to say I returned to this cafe and one day bought a few of these tarts and took them home. My wife absolutely loved them too and she wanted to know where I had bought them so I told her. Well my wife has a way of finding out information. She can source a sweater worn by Rachel on Friends or shoes on some other celebrity on some other show or movie. It's a rather scary and expensive talent she has. Anyway she had discovered that the tarts came from Dufflet's bakery.
The original bakery location is near Niagara on Queen West. This is just a typical small non assuming store but what comes out of this place is really good stuff.
The purchases out of this location (unless things have changed) have no preservatives and are all made fresh. If you order a cake ahead of time it will be one of those. The other desserts in the glass are for in store purchase but big cakes and special orders can be picked up here. I've picked up many a cake and desserts here that were pre-ordered in the past. If there's a special occasion like mother's day or something unless you pre-ordered you're not walking out with a cake etc.
There are a variety of mini cakes, tarts, etc that can be bought in store but still to this day my absolute favorites are the key lime tarts which come in small and large (and whole full sized pies).
While some grocery stores may carry some Dufflet's items those are the ones made out of the mass production bakery. They have a shelf life while the stuff in store is made differently.
This original location on the southside of Queen just east of Niagara St is an institution.