La Miche Dorée

After three decades of baking for others, Alberto Argueta opened La Miche Dorée as a family venture—and it’s stayed that way ever since. Tucked into the Petite-Patrie, the bakery is now run with help from his wife Louise and their children, who’ve all shaped its evolution in different ways. Melissa handles the savoury menu—think house-made salads, sandwiches, and quiches—while her siblings pitch in behind the counter. The mission here is clear: make good bread by hand, using ecological practices, with care for the people who eat it. The result is a warm, community-rooted spot that’s grown from 500 to 2,500 square feet without losing its soul. Customers are on a first-name basis, and some who came in as kids now work there part-time. As Alberto nears retirement, Melissa is stepping up to run the business, but finding someone willing to match his old-school technique is another story. For now, the hands shaping the loaves are still his.