Your Diwali mithai shopping guide

By SUVARNA SHASTRI

This time of year, family and friends in India ask if I still make mithai the old-fashioned way. At home, and from scratch. And I respond that yes, I do, old habits die hard! But over the years, I have started cutting down on the quantities. I still make the traditional ones I helped my mother make, but in smaller quantities for home consumption. I don’t subject our circle of friends here to misshapen laddoos and hard-in-the-middle gulab jamuns!

For them, I turn to the Desi News guide to the best treats in town.

• Annapurna’s Mithai Shoppe People line up for their authentic Bengali and North Indian sweets. Love their wide range of barfis! 1544 Warden Avenue, Scarborough. 416-449-0157.

• A1 Sweets Khoya sweets, barfi, etc. 3300 McNicoll Avenue, Scarbourough, 416-299-9424. Oakville location at 2345 Trafalgar Road, 905-257-0808.

• Bhojan Bhandar Barfis, laddoos, jalebis, and khoya mithai in interesting shapes and colours. 15 Jevlan Drive, unit E Woodbridge, 905-856-9099.

• Brar Sweets & Restaurant Kachoris, samosas, etc. Divine gulab jamuns, kaju barfi, kalakand, gondh ka laddoo, and lots more. Strictly vegetarian. 199 Advance Boulevard, unit 12, Brampton. 905-799-1625.

• Gagan Sweets Twenty-five different north Indian and Bengali sweets and namkeens. 3175 Rutherford Road, units 43, 44. 905-532-0126.

• Gurulukshmi A wide range of traditional South Indian snacks. 7070 Saint Barbara Blvd., unit 3, Mississauga. 905-795-2299.

• Kwality Sweets and Restaurant. Khoya barfi, kaju and pista mithai. On Steeles Avenue, just west of Torbram Road, Brampton.  905-790-1684.

• New India Sweets Mithai, pakoras and chaat with a homemade touch. 1201 Britannia Road West, Mississauga, Unit 17. 905-814-1730.

• Nilgiris Ladoos, murukkus and other traditional South Indian sweets and snacks. Unit 50, 3021 Markham Road, Scarborough. 416-412-0024.

• Premium Sweets Traditional Bengali sweets including decadent rabri, rasmalai and mishti doi, chaat and more. Units 15-18, 7025 Tomken Road, Mississauga. 905-696-6893.

• Royal India Sweets & Restaurant Tons of sweets and savouries. Two locations in Brampton: 31 Melanie Drive, 905-458-0011 and 116 Kennedy Road South, 905-454-0883.

• Samosas & Sweets Factory Kaju roll, kalakand, rasgulla, besan ke laddoo, kaju barfi, boondi ke laddoo, gajrella, chocolate barfi ,  khoya barfi and more. Look for alu tikki-chhole, samosa-chhole and various pakoras on offer. Their tent sale is one loyal customers wait for – a great place to pick up firecrackers! 1850 Albion Road, unit 8, Etobicoke. 416-992-5515.

• Sweet Palace Pure khoya barfi, milk cake, and all Bengali sweets. 1098 Peter Robertson Blvd., unit 15, Brampton.  905-790-1777.

• Shriji Catering Traditional Gujarati sweets and snacks. 71 West Drive, unit 34, Brampton, 905-451-4050.

• Udupi Palace South Indian snacks plus savouries and sweets. Gerrard India Bazaar, 1460 Gerrard Street East. 416-405-8189.

• Village of India A wide range of pure vegetarian sweets, savouries and snacks. 114 Kennedy Road South, Brampton. 905-450-3333.