Old Town Bakery Shares the Local Love in Ladysmith and Beyond

Kate Cram always dreamed of making the world’s best cinnamon bun. When she was younger, she’d make sure to stop at Cinnabon on her summer trips to the U.S. 

Cram trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, eventually returning and settling in Ladysmith on Vancouver Island, where she and her husband purchased Old Town Bakery in 2002. 

“Somehow, we made that [dream] come true with Old Town Bakery—in a vote,” says Cram. In 2005, Old Town Bakery was voted Island’s Best Cinnamon Buns–Reader’s Choice by the Victoria Times Colonist. “We went from making maybe two or three flavours a day to now making nine flavours a day and up to 96 dozen buns a day in the summer,” she explains. 

Around 10 years into running Old Town Bakery, Cram started noticing she and her kids had some food sensitivities. Aside from dried and prepackaged gluten-free products, she couldn’t find anything fresh nearby. She worked on incorporating some gluten-free items into Old Town Bakery, but eventually decided to open a dedicated gluten-free spot, Wild Poppy Market, across the street from the bakery in 2013. Though Wild Poppy started as a bistro, it shifted into a market concept post-COVID.

“I ended up going back to school and becoming a holistic nutritionist,” she says. This background helped her develop recipes and plan the menus with customers’ wellness in mind. 

Indeed, Cram is a proponent of continuing education (“I just think it’s good for your brain,” she adds, “it’s good for the craft”). At the time of writing, Cram has five apprentices and works closely with the baking and pastry program at Vancouver Island University. But her support extends beyond the culinary community to Ladysmith locals, too. 

“​​I want to create a place where everybody feels welcomed,” she says. “I don’t take it lightly that sometimes we are the brightest part of someone’s day. Our employees are all very aware of that, and they do an excellent job of being positive and communicating with kindness.” 

Here are some of Cram’s local favourites around Ladysmith. 

What’s one menu item that you’d recommend from Old Town Bakery?

I like a straight-up sliced almond cinnamon bun with the cream cheese frosting on top. Usually in the spring, we’ll do one with rhubarb and strawberries in the centre with a crumble topping and cream cheese. So those are my two go-tos for cinnamon buns. 

But lately, another item from the bakery that I’ve been loving is the cheesecake cup. It’s been my late-night snack when I’m knee-deep in paperwork. We’re also really famous for our cream puffs as well. You can’t really go wrong at the bakery, to be honest.

What about a favourite ice cream flavour from your business, Cold Front Gelato, in Nanaimo?

My favourite from Cold Front Gelato is the sea salt caramel. We essentially make a huge pot of caramel and put it in the machine with a little bit of milk. It comes out with silky, smooth, beautiful gelato. There’s also a little bit of Vancouver Island sea salt sprinkled in.

Where’s your go-to spot to grab drinks?

We’re one of the major coffee shops in Ladysmith. But if you’re thinking cocktails or beers, Bayview Brewing or Zack’s Lounge are two places that my husband and I will sneak out for a quick bite to eat and a cocktail.

What are some local gluten-free products that you stock at Wild Poppy Market that you love?

One new product that’s doing really well is Good Life Juice, a local cold-pressed juice company. We also use a lot of Bake My Day products; they’re based in the Cowichan Valley, and we use their puff pastry in sausage rolls and pie shells.

We’re also bringing in Sea Salt Chocolate, a Cowichan-based chocolate company, this time of year. We just finished some Valentine’s treats with them, and now they’re bringing in painted Easter eggs and little caramel-stuffed bunnies for the season.

If you’re buying somebody a gift, where are you shopping? 

Last year, a new business opened beside Wild Poppy called Boundless Books. It’s a beautiful little bookstore that really has a gift for anybody. They have beautiful little blankets, felting kits, kids puzzles, crafts and stationery on top of a beautifully curated selection of books. That’s been my go-to lately.

Is there someplace in Ladysmith you wish more people knew about?

There’s a little hole-in-the-wall Chinese food restaurant called The Jas Cafe. They’re just off the main drag in Ladysmith on 4th Avenue. It’s this tiny cafe, and I really enjoy going there with my teenage boys and having some sweet and sour pork. The menu has a lot of traditional Chinese and Western Chinese dishes, and lots of dim sum options. When we go, everybody orders something different, and the food is always impeccable. They’re just so sweet and really trying to make something special.

What’s your favourite outdoors spot to unwind or go on a walk?

I love the trails. Going up to Heart Lake through the Holland Creek Trail is my absolute favourite, especially this time of year with all the lush green ferns and moss. 

I don’t often have time to go on walks, especially right now when everybody’s been in training. But I’ve been going with a friend on Tuesday mornings, and we give ourselves an hour and a half to just talk and enjoy nature. It’s really refreshing. We go no matter the weather, and I almost like it the best when it’s sprinkling a little.