Oh, the holiday season and all its cakes are over (or in crumbs at the bottom of the fridge), but Epiphany is at the beginning of January.
Which means that after a week of yoga, group runs, grated carrots and long walks on icy sidewalks, we’ll be eating cake again…
Epiphany
Epiphany is a Christian holiday celebrated on January 6 or every second Sunday after Christmas (December 25), depending on whether it’s celebrated by Catholics or Orthodox.
For Catholics, the feast celebrates Jesus as the Messiah, who is visited by the three Magi, recognizable from the Christmas Nativity scenes. For the Orthodox, Epiphany celebrates the baptism of Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God.
The feast is also called Theophany – literally, “manifestation of God”.
To celebrate, Orthodox countries hold a ceremony recalling Christ’s baptism; a pope throws a cross into the water for the faithful to fish out.
Catholic countries eat a galette des rois (or king’s cake) which contains a bean, and whoever has it in their portion is king or queen. In France, the youngest child in the family goes under the table and names the one who will receive each slice, so that no one can analyze the top of the galette and try to spot a bulge where the bean is…
Galettes des rois and Gâteaux des rois montréalais
Première Moisson
At bakery-patisserie Première Moisson, the galette is classic (with frangipane) or with orange and chocolate gianduja – and there are 10 beans to collect.
Where? Several bakeries in Montreal
How much? $37.95 for the orange and gianduja galette des rois, $34.95 for the classic galette.
At 3 Patapoufs
You can order a galette des rois to be warmed up in the oven at home, for the smell as well as the taste…
In one of this year’s galettes, the bakery has hidden a golden bean – and whoever gets it can exchange it for a bottle of champagne!
Orders at the 3 Patapoufs open on December 29, with collection starting on Saturday January 3, 2026.
Where? 3 Patapoufs, 3227 Ontario Street East
How much? Singlegalette $9, 6 people $32, 8 people $40
At Automne Boulangerie
The classic galette can be ordered online from Automne Boulangerie – here! It’s big enough for 6 large slices or 8 small slices…
Where? You can choose home delivery or pick up your galette at one of Automne Boulangerie’s two stores – 6500 Avenue Christophe Colomb or 1470 rue Bélanger.
How much? $27
Chez Carlota
In the Mexican tradition, Carlota’s bakery offers a Rosca de Reyes (Crown of Kings). It’s a brioche without frangipane, flavored with orange and decorated with candied fruit.
It will be available from January 2 to February 1 at the bakery, in limited quantities…
Where? Boulangerie Carlota, at 4804 rue Saint-Urbain
How much? small crown at $20, medium crown at $55
Chez Rhubarbe
Montreal’s coolest patisserie also makes galettes des rois in flavors that will be appreciated on our brunchboards , drizzled with bellinis and served cut into squares on stainless steel mini-plates.
Rhubarbe offers two flavors for the galette in 2026: apricot-hazelnut-orange blossom or almond-vanilla-rum.
Where? to order online, click here, or at Rhubarbe, 1320 rue Charlevoix.
How much? for 6 people: almond-vanilla-rum for $42, apricot-hazelnut-orange blossom for $48
Chez Aube Boulangerie
Boulangerie Aube, which has one of Montreal’s finest cafés in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, offers three galettes des rois.
All three yield 10 small slices or 8 large slices. There’s almond-vanilla-acerum (a brandy with maple syrup), pecan-maple-amaretto and chocolate-blueberry-dulce de leche-hazelnut.
Where? You can order online here, or drop by Boulangerie Aube at 4715 rue Sainte-Catherine Est.
How much? almond-vanilla-acerum and pecan-maple-amaretto for $40, chocolate-blueberry-dulce de leche-hazelnut for $45.
At L’Artisan Sans Gluten
For allergy sufferers, l’Artisan (Gluten and Milk Free) has a 6/8 portion galette des rois with the classic porcelain bean inside.
Where? Order online here, and pick up at l’Artisan, 7700 rue Saint-Hubert.
How much? $32.95
At Pâtisserie Mélilot
Pâtisserie Mélilot’s galettes des rois are available to order from January 6 to 17, and can only be picked up in-store on January 6 from 10am to 1pm.
There’s the classic frangipane galette and the brioche des rois, with cream and decorated with powdered sugar and candied fruit.
Both are for 6 people.
Where? Order online here, and pick up at Pâtisserie Mélilot, 1062 Laurier Street West.
How much? 45$ for a frangipane galette and brioche des rois.
At the Ritz-Carlton
At the Ritz-Carlton, the galette is called Galette du Roi because it’s pure luxury…
Where? To order (at least 48 hours in advance), call 514-905-0787 or roomservice@ritzmontreal.com / Hôtel Ritz-Carlton, 1228 Sherbrooke St. West.
Happy Epiphany!