City Bites is always game for a fall road trip — especially when it involves a trip to a bakery helmed by two super-talented chefs cooking up French pastries, cinnamon rolls, and hefty loaves.

Mighty Fine Bakehouse has been open since February. The endeavour is led by Megan O’Connor and Graham Kome-Pond, who met eight years ago in England when they both worked for celebrity restaurateur Gary Rhodes. The Canadian duo (she’s from Ottawa, he’s from Calgary) had been looking to set down roots in a small town for a couple of years when they came upon the perfect building on a stroll through Arnprior and decided to jump in.

O’Connor is the baker and pastry chef, while Kome-Pond takes care of the front-of-house duties (right now, that means the take-out window!) and makes the fresh take-home menu every week (think inventive salads, homemade soups, quiches, and hearty mains like bangers and mash or roast chicken with all the fixings) as well as filling the freezer with meals, appetizers, and whatever else he comes up with on the day. 

Combine your visit to Mighty Fine Bakehouse with a stroll around two of Arnprior’s pretty nature areas. Gillies Grove, which boasts a series of short trails, is a remnant of the magical old-growth forests that used to cover the area. The towering white pines are truly spectacular. Right next door, Robert Simpson Park is a beach and picnic area on the Ottawa River with a massive play area and gardens.

Sample Menu Items

Breads: Seedy; light rye; country white; grilled corn, cheddar, and jalapeno

Pastries: Sausage rolls, cinnamon buns, chocolate croissants, kouign-amann

Quiche: With grilled local zucchini, sumac, toasted sunflower seeds

Soups: Roasted heirloom tomato with basil; ham and pea

From the Freezer: Spicy mac and cheese; chicken pot pie

Hot Tip: Order ahead! Mighty Fine Bakery has been discovered by the locals so everything sells out quickly. Email by 1 p.m. the day before you’re trippin’ to Arnprior to make sure you snag that croissant you know you needed.

Hot Tip #2: Bring a cooler and make it a hike and grocery run. Sure, the baked goods make a nice picnic, but wouldn’t it be great to have a few portions of homemade mac and cheese and a quiche or two to pop into your freezer for a lazy meal later in the week?

Find It: 79 Madawaska St., Arnprior

Hours: Wednesday to Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.