A new bakery is bringing the delicious flavours of European baking to Campbell River.
Meera Bakery Cafe, owned by Payal and Pritesh Ode, opened at 970 Shoppers Row in early February. The husband-wife duo runs the Qualicum Beach Bakery, with Payal's brother, and jumped at the chance to expand to Campbell River when the opportunity arose.
"We were having a really good response with the Qualicum Beach Bakery," said Payal of their business in Qualicum Beach, which offers fresh bread, pastries, cookies, and pies, as well as hot soups and lunches available for takeout.
"Everybody loves our pies and cinnamon buns and we thought, 'Let's bring it to another location!'" she said. "In Campbell River, we have a nice space so people can sit down and enjoy something."
The couple immigrated to Canada from India in 2015. They spent some time in Alberta, gaining valuable insights into German cuisine from a friend in High River, before travelling west and ultimately settling on Vancouver Island.
Payal said she and her husband both share a passion for cooking and baking, which they found to be a great way to connect with the community. It was only natural to transform this passion into a career as business owners in the food industry.
"The lunch time is very busy in Campbell River," she said. "People are so nice here and the business community supports us a lot. Everyone comes in with a smile."
Meera Bakery Cafe serves pies, such as strawberry, sour cherry, and rhubarb pie, along with their popular cinnamon buns, and several types of pastries. The cafe also has a breakfast and lunch menu, with soups and sandwiches, as well as espresso-based coffee beverages or Masala Chai.
