CHO KWOK LAT Review: When Weekend Morning Crowds Meet One-Person Operations

Located at 31 Main Street North in Markham, Cho Kwok Lat is the kind of bakery that draws weekend morning crowds faster than you’d expect. I showed up when it was opening on a beautiful summer weekend morning, and honestly, I wasn’t prepared for what I was about to witness – both the good and the chaotic. This isn’t just another Asian bakery review; this is a front-row seat to watching a small business navigate weekend demand with limited resources.

The Weekend Morning Rush Reality

Within half an hour of opening, 10-13 people had already filed in, creating an interesting mix of dine-in customers and takeout orders. A couple even opted to sit outside, taking advantage of the nice morning weather, the kind of perfect weekend morning that makes you feel good about your life choices until you realize you’re about to wait 20 minutes for a latte.

For the first 20-30 minutes, there was literally one staff member handling everything from taking orders, making drinks, and prepping food, while the rest of the team (three other staff members) focused on baking and preparing pastries in the back. Eventually, a second person came to help, but that initial bottleneck was real and painful to watch. I found myself genuinely sympathizing with that front-counter hero juggling what felt like an impossible workload.

The wait times were genuinely long, and I could see exactly why. One person juggling multiple orders while also operating drinks and heating food is ambitious at best, or unnecessarily brutal. The single small portable oven at the front counter became a particular chokepoint for dine-in orders that needed heating. Takeout customers seemed to have the strategic advantage – I watched one customer grab their order and eat it outside without waiting for heating, which honestly seemed like the smarter play.

An extra oven and maybe one more front-of-house person during peak weekend hours would solve this operational nightmare pretty quickly. They clearly have bigger ovens in the back for bulk baking, but those aren’t accessible for individual order heating. It’s one of those situations where a small investment could dramatically improve customer experience and probably increase turnover.

The Order: Instagram vs. Reality Check

I went with a regular 10oz latte ($5.50), an iced matcha latte ($7.25 – because cold drinks always cost more, a universal bakery truth), Black Sesame Strawberry cake ($10.50), and a Sesame Matcha Pillow ($6.75). Total damage: around $30 or so for two drinks and two pastries – not cheap, but not outrageous for specialty items in the current economy.

The regular latte was absolutely gorgeous – total Instagram bait with perfect latte art that made me immediately reach for my phone. But taste-wise? It fell into that dreaded “not bad, but not good” category that haunts so many aesthetically-focused cafés. Just okay. Functional coffee that looks significantly better than it tastes, which is always disappointing when you’re paying premium prices.

The iced matcha latte, however, was significantly better and actually lived up to both the visual appeal and flavor expectations. The matcha quality was noticeably higher than many places I’ve tried, with that proper earthy complexity rather than just sweetened green powder. This is clearly where their expertise lies, and it shows.

The Sesame Matcha Pillow: Messy But Worth It

Here’s your fair warning: the Sesame Matcha Pillow is delicious but incredibly messy if you’re dining in, since they heat it up for you. Picture flaky croissant texture covering matcha cream paste in the center – it’s basically designed to explode the moment you bite into it. The combination of crunchy exterior and creamy matcha interior works beautifully, but maybe wear dark colors or bring extra napkins. This isn’t finger food; it’s a commitment that requires strategy and possibly a bib.

The texture contrast is genuinely impressive – that satisfying crunch giving way to smooth, rich matcha cream creates one of those perfect bite moments. But the structural integrity is questionable at best. I watched other diners struggle with the same issue, creating this weird communal experience of everyone trying to eat the same challenging pastry with varying degrees of success.

The Black Sesame Strawberry cake had a notably stiff base, which makes sense given its construction of multiple cream layers with jam between and a thin white chocolate coating holding everything together. It’s definitely more of an architectural achievement than a casual slice of cake – impressive to look at, satisfying to eat, but requiring some strategy to consume gracefully. The black sesame flavor is subtle but distinctive, adding an earthy depth that complements the strawberry without overwhelming it.

The Aesthetic Disconnect Dilemma

The Markham location gives off decidedly mixed vibes that tell an interesting story about balancing functionality with aspiration. The wall paint color and matching floor/cabinet combination attempt a higher-end bakery aesthetic, and the glass display cases covering the pastries do help elevate the space and create that proper bakery showcase feeling.

But then the IKEA-style furniture brings everything back down to earth, creating this weird middle-ground that’s neither fully casual nor particularly upscale. It’s not necessarily bad; it just puts the focus squarely on the food and drinks rather than the ambiance. The space feels functional rather than experiential, which might actually be intentional – less money spent on fancy furniture means more investment in ingredient quality.

But then I made the mistake of checking their Instagram and Google Maps, only to discover their downtown location looks significantly more Instagram-worthy and design-conscious. The aesthetic disconnect becomes more obvious when you realize what they’re capable of creating when they prioritize atmosphere. The Markham spot feels like the practical suburban cousin of a much cooler downtown sibling – same family, completely different personalities.

This raises interesting questions about market positioning. Are they deliberately keeping the suburban location more understated to focus on neighbourhood regulars rather than destination dining? Or is this simply a matter of different budgets and demographics? Either way, the contrast is striking.

The Menu Transparency Problem

Here’s my biggest operational frustration: their website and Instagram don’t have updated drink menus as I was looking back to see the menu after visiting. I saw that Google reviews with old menus that didn’t even include matcha drinks at the Markham location as of early August 2025, which seems wild given that matcha is clearly one of their strongest offerings.

On one hand, this lack of transparency is legitimately annoying if you want to do your homework before visiting and budget accordingly. On the other hand, it creates this element of discovery that might make you more likely to return just to see what new offerings they’ve developed. Still, there are some people prefer knowing what they’re walking into.

Seven Years Strong, Growing Strategically

Cho Kwok Lat has been around for seven years and opened their second downtown location earlier in 2025, so they’re clearly doing something right despite the operational quirks I witnessed. The weekend morning crowd proves there’s genuine demand, and when the iced matcha latte hits, it really hits. The longevity suggests they’ve built a loyal customer base that values the food quality over the service speed or aesthetic perfection.

The expansion to downtown also indicates they’re thinking strategically about different market segments – perhaps the Markham location serves the suburban family crowd while downtown targets the Instagram-obsessed millennials and tourists. It’s actually smart business, even if it creates some brand confusion.

The Bottom Line: Worth It Despite the Wait

If you’re planning a weekend morning visit, expect crowds, longer wait times, and some genuinely good matcha drinks mixed with interesting pastry combinations. The Sesame Matcha Pillow alone might be worth the trip, just don’t wear white and maybe bring patience. Lots of patience.

The Markham location feels more like a neighbourhood bakery that happens to make Instagram-worthy drinks rather than an Instagram destination that happens to serve food. Depending on what you’re looking for, that could be exactly what you want or slightly disappointing if you’re expecting downtown-level aesthetics at suburban prices.

Would I return? Probably, but I’d definitely order takeout and skip the heating option to avoid the wait. Sometimes the best strategy is working with a business’s limitations rather than fighting against them.