A self-guided pastry trail through Abbotsford
From an apple crumble fritter to a cinnamon bun cupcake, Taste of Abby’s self-guided pastry trail is a very good reason to head east this September.
There are plenty of reasons to point the car toward Abbotsford in fall, from farm stands and pumpkin patches to a serious roster of independent cafés. This month, Taste of Abby has given us another: the Bun Run, a self-guided pastry trail that turns a handful of local bakery stops into a particularly sweet excuse for a day trip.
We went out for a few of the stops rather than attempting the entire route in one heroic sugar-fuelled sweep. That is honestly the right way to do it. Pick the treats that appeal, share where you can, take a few home, and leave enough room to wander. The trail runs through September 27 as part of the Taste of Abby Fall Festival, and each participating business has created a featured treat for the occasion.
Start with the fritter
At Fritters & Friends, the Apple Crumble Fritter had already sold out by the time we arrived, which felt like a strong endorsement. The apple-and-oat-crumble creation is exactly the kind of seasonal bake that makes the Bun Run feel so right for a Fraser Valley fall food day.
The route still offered a lovely cross-section of Abbotsford’s cafés and bakeries. Hugs in a Mug Coffee Bistro had its Apple Spice Cake, while Tracycakes Bakery Café’s Cinnamon Bun Cupcake had also sold out when we stopped by.
The Mini Pumpkin Loaf from The Palm Café was another charming seasonal feature, and the trail overall makes a good case for taking your time, choosing a few stops and seeing what you find.
Make a little time for downtown
Part of the charm is that the Bun Run encourages you to move around the city instead of treating it as a single-stop food mission. Historic Downtown Abbotsford is particularly good for this. We stopped at Steam & Sugar Bake Co., just along from Tracycakes on Montrose Avenue, and went for the cinnamon bun and and irresitable breakfast wrap. Veerji’s Haweli brings a different note to the trail with gulab jamun, a reminder that a pastry crawl can be much more interesting when it reaches beyond the usual cinnamon-roll canon.
The passport makes the trail feel like a flexible invitation to visit the places that genuinely call to you. The official route also includes an apple turnover at Café Amarti, a raspberry scone at Afterthoughts and Black Casket Café’s Chocolate Raspberry Coffin Cake for anyone keen to keep going.
A small, delicious reason to leave Vancouver
The Bun Run works because it is low stakes and genuinely local. There is no need to book a big-ticket experience or build your whole weekend around a single meal. You simply get in the car, follow your appetite and discover a few businesses you may not otherwise have found.
For Vancouverites, Abbotsford is close enough for an easy day out but far enough to feel like you have changed the channel. Do the Bun Run alongside a farm visit, a walk through downtown or a stop for lunch, and you have a very satisfying September escape. Our advice: bring a friend, bring a tote bag and do not expect to leave without something for breakfast the next morning.
Taste of Abby’s Bun Run runs through September 27, 2026. Pick up a passport while supplies last and collect stamps at participating locations. Find the full list of stops and details at tasteofabby.ca/bun-run.
