Inside the Calgary bakery that's been serving its iconic cheese buns for almost 50 years
You’d be hard-pressed to find a Calgary delicacy that is as widely recognized as Glamorgan Bakery‘s cheese buns.
The iconic bakery has been a staple in Calgary’s food scene since 1977, offering hundreds of different baked goods, from beautifully decorated cakes, cookies, muffins, breads, and more.
Leona Schaap, communication for Glamorgan Bakery, shared the story behind the famed bakery with Dished, including just how many cheese buns it makes.
History of Glamorgan Bakery
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Glamorgan Bakery was opened and run by two families, the Nautas and the Bootsmas. Both were Dutch immigrants with a history of baking, so in 1977, they settled on the Glamorgan area for this new venture.
In 2021, the Brouwer family took over the business and continued the family-owned spot’s legacy.
The bakery has been open in the same location for almost 50 years, and while baking trends have changed, Glamorgan Bakery’s menu has withstood the test of time.
“Generally, our products and our menu items have stayed the same because they’re classic. There are a lot of people’s favourites, and when we change things, it makes people upset, so we stick with what people love,” Schaap says.
Throughout the years, Glamorgan Bakery has built up a solid following in Calgary, with many regulars that are known to the staff by name and vice versa, Schaap adds.
“Some of them we see on an annual basis when they return. So they come when a baby’s born, and then the next thing you know, they’re getting a cake for their 16-year-old. It’s the coolest thing ever,” she says.
Behind the Cheese Buns
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Of course, you simply can’t talk about Glamorgan Bakery without mentioning the item it’s most famous for: the iconic cheese buns.
In fact, the oh-so-buttery, cheesy buns are so popular that the bakery makes thousands of buns each day and still sells out. Their recognition stretches far beyond Calgary, too.
“We knew they were popular and quite iconic, but I don’t think we realize how far the reach is,” Schaap says.
“We have been on our travels around the world, and we’re wearing something ‘Glamorgan Bakery,’ and someone will say to us, ‘Isn’t that the place with the cheese buns?'”
However, a lot of work is required to get the infamous treats ready for the public, with Glamorgan’s bakers starting extremely early in the morning to prep the dough and weigh out the crucial ingredients: the butter and cheese.
“We do anywhere from 100 to 150 cuts per day, and each cut is three dozen [cheese buns]. Sometimes, on a Saturday, we can do about 450 dozen cheese buns,” Schaap reveals.
“It’s even more if you’re here at Christmas. Everything is lined with cheese bun bags,” she adds.
Despite their well-earned reputation, cheese buns aren’t the only thing worth trying at Glamorgan Bakery, with the spot offering over 160 different baked goods.
According to Schaap, other popular items include donuts, sausage rolls, and shortbread cookies.
“Then, of course, our cakes, they’ve been classics here for years,” she adds.
Glamorgan Bakery
Address: 3919 Richmond Rd. SW, Calgary
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