5 Venues to Appease Cravings for Pastries and Cakes

You know the feeling…just ordered your go-to brew and can’t decide what to pair with it. Do you go for the banana bread, gooey chocolate brownie or a flaky, buttery croissant?

Whatever your favourite, there are venues all around the country waiting to satisfy sweet or savoury pastry and cake cravings.

Here are five to check out where you’ll always get the treat you desire along with a great cup of Joe:

Kangarilla locals and visitors to McLaren Vale head to Gourmet Gluten Free Bakery on Colbert Road for all manner of sweet temptations and freshly baked bread. The only gluten-free bakery in the area, this little gem is also the place to find awesome coffee to go with decadent brownies, vanilla slices and pies.

 

Catering for most special dietary requirements, from dairy, lactose, soy and nut-free to vegetarians and vegans, this bakery delivers golden, flaky puff pastry pies such as chicken and vegetable, or beef and mushroom, along with cheese and bacon quiche; while sweet tooths salivate over chocolate hazelnut slice, raspberry and white chocolate muffins and apricot and coconut crumble.

Delicious bread that warms the heart along with pastries, toasties and rolls are on the menu at Hearthfire Bakery on Hyde Street in Bellingen. Owners Sally and Dave are passionate about not only bread but also sustainability, local ingredients and creating a sense of community; while a team of highly-skilled craftspeople lovingly create doughs turning them into loaves such as baguettes, ciabatta and spelt multigrain.

 

Pair a dandelion chai tea with an oat and raisin cookie, or rose pistachio brownie, perhaps wrap your hands around a spinach and ricotta pastie, or Moroccan lamb pie; family-sized savoury tarts such as zucchini, goats’ cheese and kale, or smoked salmon and capers are ideal to take home for an easy weeknight family dinner.

Bringing authentic European flavours to your table, head to Old Evropa Bakery on Main Road in Eltham for all things bread, pastry and savoury. Located in Eltham Village Shopping Centre, take time out from retail therapy to refuel and recharge at this charming bakery and café where shelves overflow with temptations and the aroma of freshly-baked bread wafts in the air. 

 

Everything is hand-made using traditional time-honoured methods and the finest organic ingredients; grab a coffee of choice to go with pistachio and polenta cake that is both sugar and gluten-free, or perhaps a flaky almond croissant hits the mark. Don’t forget to grab a loaf of sourdough, traditional French baguette or cherry tomato and olive focaccia to take home.

Sing a song of sixpence for a gourmet pie at Waterview Bakery on Esplanade in Paynesville. As the name suggests, soak up water views at this gourmet bakery while sipping a coffee alfresco and perusing a menu delivering dainty dishes to set before the King. 

 

It’s really all about the award-winning pies – wrap your mouth around temptations such as curry scallop, Thai prawn and garlic seafood, or salivate over steak and kidney, chunky pepper beef and camp oven beef; while vegetarians are catered for with choices like cauliflower and cheese, or a spinach and feta pastie. Sweet tooths aren’t forgotten with a decadent range of doughnuts including white chocolate and macadamia.

Part Brooklyn, part Parisian – that's Silo Bakery on Giles Street in Kingston. From a room full of Australian and European cheese to freshly baked bread, this happily buzzing Canberra café is alive with conversation, as friends catch up over coffee and a sweet treat from the cabinet.

 

Geometric tiled floors and white subway tiles add a sleek, clean look to this local favourite where lingering over brunch is the norm, while enjoying a croissant stuffed with ham and cheese, or tomato, mozzarella and basil; the lunch crowd devours leek and taleggio pastry tart with witlof salad and walnut dressing, finishing with a delicious raspberry or pear and caramel tart for the ultimate dessert.