lahave bakery nova scotia
Hours:
9 AM - 4 PM Every Day
Kitchen:
9 AM - 3 PM Every Day
lahave bakery nova scotia
Open 9 AM – 4 PM Every Day
lahavebakery@gmail.com (902) 688-2908
Laura Pitt in the Shop, 2003 |  Photo by Jim Bell

Open Daily: 9 AM–4 PM  Kitchen: 9 AM–3 PM

Rising Above
the Ordinary

At LaHave Bakery, we go the extra mile by making our food from scratch using quality, locally-sourced ingredients.

Join us for a hot lunch or shop at our grocery. For food delivery, please contact us by email or phone.

Rising Above the Ordinary

At LaHave Bakery, we go the extra mile by making all our food from scratch using quality, locally-sourced ingredients.

Join us for a hot breakfast or lunch any day of the week until 3 pm. Shop in our grocery, open all day until 4 pm. For food delivery, please contact us by email or phone.

MENU

Our Food

lahave bakery sources its ingredients across nova scotia

Locally Sourced

Our ingredients come from a variety of suppliers across Nova Scotia. 

Healthy, Whole Foods

We are additive-free and use quality, whole ingredients. Many ingredients are also organic. 

Respect for the Land & Animals

We source our eggs, dairy & meat from suppliers who practice sustainable agricultural and environmental practices.

Featured Products

  • lahave bakery sells maple syrup from the family run local business maplewood based in nova scotia

    Maplewood Maple Syrup

    Our maple syrup is produced by a family-run business located inland from Bridgewater. Maplewood began when a family moved to Maplewood, Lunenburg County in the 1800s and established a homestead and farm, which has been operating since. The maple syrup production process was originally developed by Indigenous peoples of North America who passed the knowledge to European settlers.

  • sustainable blue salmon is based in nova scotia and farms their salmon on land without antibiotics

    Sustainable Blue Salmon

    Based in Centre Burlington, Nova Scotia, Sustainable Blue Salmon raise their salmon ON LAND in large tanks. There are ZERO antibiotics, ZERO growth hormones, ZERO fish escapes, and ZERO wastewater returned to the ocean. 

    Their methods are an alternative to the destructive effects of open net-pen salmon farming, as well as the overfishing that occurs in the wild salmon industry.

  • yogurt with organic grass fed milk knoydart farm nova scotia

    NEW! 

    Organic Yoghurt

    Our yoghurt is made in-house using rich milk from the grass-fed cows of Knoydart Farm, the only organic dairy farm in Nova Scotia. The family-run dairy is located along the Northumberland Strait near Merigomish, Nova Scotia.

    We offer a plain yoghurt flavour with 4% milkfat and a rich maple cream flavour with 6% milkfat. Our maple cream comes from 100% real maple syrup produced by Maplewood.

  • Local Wildflower Honey

    Our honey is delivered once a year from beekeeper Kevin Spicer who has hives all over Lunenburg and Annapolis counties. Kevin cares for his bees very well and delivers a quality product. These hives are not culled or limited in any way. We feed honey to the yeast in our bread instead of sugar. 

    READ MORE
  • donald robertsons marmalade with seville oranges

    Seville Orange Marmalade

    Our marmalade is a special recipe from its namesake, Donald Robertson, father to Gael Watson. Seville oranges are different from regular navel oranges. Larger and with a thick bumpy peel, they contain a sour flesh that contributes to the distinctive bitter taste of marmalade. Seville oranges make the best marmalade due to the natural pectin inside its peel and pips (seeds).

Fair Banks Grocery

Shop at the Fair Banks Grocery store, open every day, year-round 9 am – 4 pm. We sell a variety of foods made here in our kitchen, as well as quality products sourced from local suppliers. 

We decided to name the grocery store “Fair Banks Grocery” after the Fairbanks Morse engine, which had been installed in 1935 to freeze the fish instead of salt-curing the fish; also because being fair is what the bakery strives to do, and the building sits on the banks of the mighty LaHave River.

Note that not everything we have in our grocery is reflected below. We are always tweaking our recipes, creating new ones, and sourcing more local goodness. If you have a question about what we have on stock, please give us a call at 902-688-2908!

shop organic whole foods at the lahave bakery grocery
BREAD
SWEETS
SOUPS & SAUCES
PRESERVES
FROZEN DINNERS
MEAT, EGGS & DAIRY
Bread
Our bread is uncomplicated. The ingredients are a combination of simple foods. Wheat grain is stoneground, a process that uses the entire wheat kernel. Most are organically grown.

Our wheat is grown specially for us in Kingsport, NS and stone-ground to make whole-wheat flour in the millroom of our bakery in LaHave each day. This helps support a local farming family, as well as gives us a premium ingredient.

The light breads are made with unbleached wheat flour, containing no additives. We use local honey in our breads instead of sugar. We use whole milk, butter, and eggs. We never use preservatives.
Our bread is made from whole ingredients. If it says “eggs”, it means we are cracking whole eggs. If it says “onions” we are peeling and cutting up whole onions. We do not use powdered or imitation ingredients. This makes all the difference in flavour! 

Whole grains and the bread made from them have been staple foods since ancient times. Their nutritional contribution is balanced and reliable. They contain starch and protein roughly in proportion to our energy and protein needs, and include the vitamins and minerals for metabolizing that starch and protein. Bread has an added advantage in the fermentation of the yeast, which makes some of the minerals more available to our digestive system.

We also do not in any way add anything to our bread that will increase it’s shelf life. Leaving out additives and preservatives is what makes our bread healthy for you, but is also what makes our bread stale quickly. As such, our bread should be treated like produce, and is best kept in the fridge.

And finally water, up until recently an unconsidered and unlisted ingredient, is nevertheless an important part of all food. Our bread contains pure, chlorine free water from a deep spring fed well.
READ MORE

Bread Selection

We bake for local stores on Sunday and Wednesday and for Halifax on Monday and Thursday. All of the other days (Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday), we bake just for our own shop. These days are the best days to order specialty loaves. To order, please give us a call 4 days in advance. You must order at least 3 loaves.

Before a good meal, pop the whole loaf into a hot oven for about 10 minutes. The result is a crunchy crust, steamy interior, and a fragrance that will cause you to close you eyes and remember how wonderful food can be. Our customers recognize the quality and have rewarded us with staying the course with us for 40 years!

Wholesale Bread Loaves >>

Specialty Loaves >>

Sweets
All of our sweets are made with whole ingredients. These include unbleached flour, butter, pure chocolate, pure Mexican vanilla extract and honey.

The white flour we use is a blend of Canadian wheats. It has no additives. The flour is enriched, unbleached, and has a high protein content optimal for excellent rise and structure.

Our chocolate chips are PURE, which means they are made of actual cocoa and sugar instead of a chocolate composite and corn syrup. Our cocoa is top quality (83% chocolate).

We also use pure Mexican vanilla instead of artificial vanillin which often has caramel colour added (which is toxic).

Sweets Selection

We are continually updating and expanding our sweets selection. Displayed are some of the bars we sell in-store. We also make and sell a variety of cookies, sweet loaves, macarons, and pre-baked frozen pies. 

Soups & Sauces

We make all of our soups and sauces in LaHave and from scratch. They come in two sizes: 

- 500 ml (enough for 2)
-1L (enough for 4)

Just reheat on stovetop or in microwave until hot!

Flavours

We are continually experimenting with making new soups and sauces with the variety of local produce our suppliers provide. Pictured are some of the soups we make and sell. Below is a list of more flavours not pictured.

More Soup Flavours:

Vegan Chili, Vegetable Baked Beans, Bacon Baked Beans, Beef Chili, Hearty Vegan Stew, Carrot Ginger, Black Bean Soup 

Sauces:

Yellow Curry, Mornay Cheese Sauce

Preserves

We make a variety of preserves, such as chutneys, jams and jellies, mustards, relish, hot sauces and salad dressings. We make all our preserves in small batches using quality, whole ingredients. 
lahave bakery makes small batches of preserves onsite with quality ingredients
Frozen Dinners
For an easy meal, take home and reheat one of our frozen dinner trays or savoury pies. Our ready-made dinners are all made from scratch in our kitchen. 

Reheat Instructions

Bake from frozen at 350 °F for one hour. If thawed, bake for 30 minutes. For pies, if the crust starts browning too much, cover with aluminum foil.

Flavours

Savoury Pies

Tortiére (pictured), Chicken, Curry Chicken, British Beef & Onion, Celeriac with Leeks & Mushrooms, Creamy Vegetable Garden

Dinner Trays

Chicken Au Gratin (pictured), Haddock Au Gratin (pictured), Lentil Lasagne, Beef Lasagne, Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagne, Macaroni & Cheese, Shepherds Beef Pie, Shepherds Lentil Pie (pictured), Cabbage Rolls 
Meat, Eggs & Dairy

It really matters to us how farm animals are treated. Gael has spent lots of time looking into where our animal products come from.

When it comes to dairy animals, organic practices mean that the animals are pastured in  unsprayed fields, and fed chemical-free forages and grains. They also have access to the outdoors to graze in the spring, summer and fall, and to socialize with other animals. As a result, dairy cows raised in this way live to be 9-10 years old, as opposed to 3-5 years on conventional farms.

We also feel very strongly about humane handling of animals at the abattoirs. The places we get our meat from (for sale and in our recipes) all follow best management  practices. Humane handling only for LaHave Bakery!

Our Suppliers

Our main provider of beef, pork, lamb and poultry is Oulton’s Meats, located in Martock Glen, Windsor, Nova Scotia. This is their mission statement:

Our mission is to use sustainable agricultural environmental practices and to be exceptional caretakers of livestock in order to support future generations and to provide a quality meat product. We are proud to be strong supporters of the value chain in our rural community.

We also supply:

◆ Poultry – Eden Valley Poultry
◆ Eggs – Rocky Top Farm 
◆ Organic Full-Fat, Grass-Fed Milk – Knoydart Farm
◆ Organic Yogurt, 4% Milk Fat – Made in LaHave with Knoydart Milk
◆ Seafood – Afishionado

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Specialty Loaves

These are varieties that we can bake on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. They are specialty loaves best ordered on these days. Please order at least three of them for each order. These varieties generally have bolder flavours or take more time to shape, decorate or mix.

Buttermilk

The richest white bread.

Challah

A beautiful braided eggy loaf. Looks beautiful on a table at a BIG family dinner.

Cottage Cheese & Herb

FULL of fresh dill.

Country Rye

A classic rye bread. It’s the one to choose for a smoked meat sandwich.

Cracked Wheat

A plain whole wheat excellent for sandwiches.

Dark Herb

A herb and garlic whole wheat loaf made with FRESH herbs.

Greek Christopsomo

A very fancy sweet loaf with cherries on top. Lots of eggs and anise seeds.

Ethiopian Spice

A lovely mix of warm spices make this bread fill the bakery with it’s aroma.

Italian Pannetone

A Christmas yeast bread with raisins and candied peel.

Light Cornmeal

A cornmeal bread that sweetens up as you toast it. So good with cheese.

Light Herb

Essentially Cheese & Herb bread with no cheese. Not made very often.

Mexican

A SPICY whole wheat loaf.

Olive & Rosemary

Full of kalamata olives and dried rosemary.

Parsley & Pepper

Made with fresh Italian parsley and fresh cracked black pepper.

Portuguese Sweet Bread

A round eggy and honey flavoured loaf.

Russian Black

DARK rye bread flavoured with caraway. It makes a gourmet grilled cheese.

Spelt Meal

This bread is made with spelt meal flour. This is an ancient grain that is an early form of wheat. The flour is more expensive because the farmers need special machinery to seperate the grains. We always sell it frozen, but you can order a fresh batch. This bread is more easily digestible for those who have issues with wheat. It is NOT gluten-free.

Swedish Limpa

A very interesting rye bread made with orange juice and anise seeds.

Sweet Potato Bread

We use spray-free sweet potatoes from Annapolis Valley to make this tasty bread.

Toasted Sunflower Seed

A crunchy and flavourful loaf that has toasted sunflower seeds throughout.

Viennese Striezel

A fancy Christmas braided loaf covered in almond slices and a sugary glaze. Flavoured with fresh lemon juice and zest and tons of sultana raisins.

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Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL

When are you open?

We are typically open 7 days a week and year-round. However, we are closed on Christmas day, Boxing day, January 1st and 2nd, and any day the weather is SUPER bad. If you are unsure whether we are open, give us a call!

How long have you been in business?

The LaHave Bakery has been in business since July 2, 1985. It has been owned by the same family since. The building was purchased by the Watsons from the Gray family in 1984 and has been restored and reclaimed every year since.

DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

Can you accomodate a gluten free diet?

We mill our own flour on site, as well as bake all of our goodies from scratch, so there is much flour in the air. We do have flourless treats available (molly bars, peanut butter balls, black bean brownies), as well as take home dinners(shepherd’s pie, lentil shepherd’s pie, thai vegetable curry), frozen soups are all flour free, and a feta and cranberry salad on the lunch menu. Our soups of the day rarely contain flour, but it is best to ask!

Can you accomodate a vegan diet?

Most of our treats are made with butter (we do not use shortening or lard). We make a vegan energy ball which is full of amazing stuff and sweetened with maple syrup. Our thai vegetable curry, black bean soup, and african peanut soup are vegan. On our lunch menu, many of our daily soups are vegan, so please ask! We also have a mediterranean wrap made with roasted red peppers and tonnes of vegetables and a house made hummus that is 100% vegan!

Are you an organic bakery?

Although we use many organic ingredients, we are not 100% organic. Our mission is to offer the best quality of food so that it is affordable for everyone. Some organic ingredients are out of range to meet this goal.

SPECIALTY PRODUCTS

Do you cater?

We can prepare a lunch or sweets order for you if you give us some advance (4 days minimum), but we do not cater large events.

Do you make wedding cakes?

We make really nice cakes, but not fancy wedding cakes!

How do I order specialty breads?

Please give us a call 4 days before you are picking up your order to order specialty breads. You must order at least 3 loaves. Let us know if you would like it sliced!

About Us

The idea of a bakery was first conceived by Gael Watson shortly after the old LaHave Outfitting Co. building was purchased in 1984. LaHave Bakery officially opened its doors on July 26th, 1985. Since then, it has been steadfast in its mission to rise above the ordinary by embracing what was good in the past and adapting for the health and food security of the future.
The first, and most important value is food. We strive to make quality products with quality ingredients. We make everything from scratch. Our ingredient sources from Nova Scotia are farms that share our values in respecting the land as well as animals. We want our bread to be affordable for all. We offer several price points for our bread according to freshness. We also regularly donate frozen loaves to local food banks. This bread is delicious, and good for you. Everyone should have access to nutritious food!
we want our bread to be afforable for all.

The second value is this huge, wooden turn-of-the-century building that, in its heyday, housed a ships’ chandlery, fish plant, and from 1918–1922, the Canadian Bank of Commerce. Today it is the roof over LaHave Bakery, LaHave River Books, Homegrown Skateboards and the LaHave Craft Co-op. Deep inside, at the core of the building, LaHave Bakery is baking bread, cooking food and releasing the rich, heady aromas of the good life, seven days a week.

lahave outfitters nova scotia
LaHave Outfitting Co., Ltd., c. 1940. (Unknown)
lahave outfitters with cars
The LaHave Outfitting Co. delivery truck, c. 1937. The painting on the side reads: “LaHave on the Label means Good Fish on the Table.” (Unknown)
The third value is people. Our customers are so important to us. We love to see locals meeting up for coffee and a scone or maybe a birthday lunch! We are avid supporters of local fundraisers for small schools, community halls and fire departments. These institutions give our community a heart and mind! Our most important people are those who work here. So much care goes into the food we make and the atmosphere we provide. Everyone works very hard as a team to make it all happen! We stand for equality and respect for ALL people!
This business is a part of a whole life in rural Nova Scotia. A life that strives to rise above the ordinary!

Just Released!

An Oral History of LaHave Bakery

Available now in print, the story behind the bakery – featuring photographs, illustrations, and recipes – as told by nine individuals. 

LaHave Bakery: The Building, the Baker, and the Recipes that Revitalized a Community tells the bakery's unique story, from the construction of the historic building in 1901 as a general merchant and ship chandler to its present-day multi-faceted use as a bakery, a craft co-operative, a skateboard manufacturer, a bookstore, and a grocery.

This fascinating history is told through nine compelling first-person voices—including those of proprietor Gael Watson and her adult children, as well as friends and past and present employees—who share reflections on the bakery, the building, and the community. Their memories are supplemented with more than seventy curated images dating from the building's early days and encompassing the bakery's four decades of operation, beginning in 1984. Artists contributing to the book include Kat Frick Miller, Anna Bald, and Marnie Troyer.

And for the literal icing on the cake, LaHave Bakery also features a baker's dozen of Gael Watson's signature recipes for delightful breads and sweets.

Historical Facts

◆ The present-day building was constructed in 1901 by Boehner Bros. Woodworking of West LaHave, for Laughlin B. Currie, merchant.

◆ It originally operated as a ships’ chandlery, or outfitting company, a general merchant, and fish plant. 

◆ The LaHave Outfitting Co. co-owned several schooners that were engaged in the great salt cod industry that was slowly winding down by the early 1900’s.

◆ These ships started by setting out to the Western Grand Banks to fish, returned here to cure and salt the catch, reload and travel to the Turks and Caicos Islands to trade the salt fish for salt, sugar, molasses and of course RUM!

◆ In 1935, the company invested in the refrigeration plant, which included a compressor and the large diesel engine that can be seen in the grocery store. This created FOUR freezer rooms used to freeze fish for shipping to points further west  in Canada. 

◆ The top floor of this building housed  the Canadian Bank of Commerce from 1918 until 1922, at which time it moved to the newly-built brick building across the street. In 1934 it became a branch of the Royal Bank of Canada, before being sold to a private owner. The Vaults are still intact!

◆ The white house next door to the bakery was bought by Gael in 2018 to use as a staff accommodation. It is called “Ruby’s house.” It has three bedrooms in it. The building was built in 1914 and made into a home by the Grays (the previous owners of the LaHave Outfitting Co.), and has a ship’s mast as a supporting beam. Three people who lived in that house (Vera Getson, Ruby Gray & Lawrence Gray) ALL lived to be over 100!

◆ The Brass cash register upstairs was made in 1896 ! The brass register downstairs is  from the early 1900s. We still use them EVERYDAY!

Front of LaHave Bakery  |  Photo by Jim Bell
lahave bakery nova scotia
Rising above the ordinary.
© 2024 LaHave Bakery
Visit Us
3421 Route 331
LaHave, Nova Scotia, Canada
B0R 1C0
Open Year-Round
9 AM - 4 PM Every Day
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