Room for Dessert

The smell of fresh-baked goods permeates the air inside the lobby of 400 Atlantic Avenue—an 11-storey historic structure originally built between 1919 and 1921—thanks to the daily grind of its most recent tenant.

If you follow your nose, it’ll take you to Hof Sucrée, a pastry shop that, beyond its sweet scent, feels both inviting and meticulous in its design. And that was not by serendipity. “We wanted the space to reflect what we do—be industrial, sleek and built for production. At the same time, it was important to build a comfortable working environment,” says Montréal’s own Jeffrey Finkelstein. He and pastry chef Suyin Wong, long-time collaborators at the beloved Hof Kelsten bakery in the city’s Plateau neighbourhood, are the baker-patissiere pair behind Hof Sucrée.

And they’re not just responsible for the sweets on offer. “Suyin and I were both very involved in the design and construction phases,” says Finkelstein. “She focused on the detailed placement of our production kitchens, while I took a broader view of the overall layout.” Sid Lee Architecture worked with the owners on the interior, and the whole process took about 11 months from start to finish.

According to Finkelstein, and compared to the design of Hof Kelsten, the result is a refined, slightly feminine take on the standard pastry shop.

“We were looking for a blank slate, and this was exactly that. We were able to design it systematically, making sure it functioned both as a high-volume wholesale bakery and a welcoming cafe,” says Finkelstein.

High concrete ceilings and nearly floor-to-ceiling windows give the front-of-house an open, airy feel, while soft-pink ceramic tiles introduce warmth and comfort. Within the seating area, a smattering of small tables fill a spacious triangular section, and numerous portholes maximize natural light and provide a rare window into the kitchen’s inner workings.

Behind the scenes, Hof Sucrée houses an expansive production facility (the entire space totals 6,000 square feet) where the team supplies viennoiseries and other baked goods to some of the city’s most renowned cafes and bakeries.

Known for their versions of old-world Eastern European and Jewish delicacies, including babka and rugelach (the latter rolled with a fruit or chocolate filling) Finkelstein and Wong are still experimenting, and their newest baked goods now debut at Hof Sucrée before being shipped around town. Turns out, the building, production facility and cafe are a good proving (or proofing) ground.

“This space really spoke to us. It’s in a 100-year-old heritage building, in a neighbourhood we love—one that’s evolving as fast as we can come up with new products. We’re not afraid to be off the beaten path, and this felt like the right fit,” says Finkelstein.

Breathing new life into the building, Hof Sucrée is more than just another pastry shop; it represents a unique space where craftsmanship, impeccable design and beautiful pastries come together under one roof.

And let’s be honest: There’s always room for dessert.