Eureka! My search for the best coffee in Neutral Bay is over. And it ended so fortuitously. There I…read morewas, having ordered my vege burger from Fab Food, nipping around the corner to get a passable soy piccolo from Chaos, when I saw it- right next door! You know when you suddenly realise that the very thing you have been seeking was right in front of your eyes all along and somehow you were blind to it? Cucciolo is simply gorgeous. The charming kitchen area is as open-plan as it gets, and I am personally a BIG fan of being able to see what people are doing to your food. They specialise in artisan breads and amazing Italian cakes and pastries. And my (Bonsoy- soy drinkers will get it) piccolo was perfect. Just the right strength, not too milky, and my $1.50 home-made date biscotti went down a proper treat. Love!

The BEST thing to come to Neutral Bay ever! When I first walked past Cucciolo I thought I would…read moresee Johnny Depp as it reminded me of the little shop in the movie Chocolate. I've enjoyed the coffee and quiche and last weekend bought my first cake, the chocolate torte for a dinner party. Every one loved it and wanted to know where I had got it from. Topped with blueberries and hazelnuts. Do support Cucciolo - you will not be disappointed. Lyn, Cremorne

This is a branch of the bakery and what started as an artisan bakery many years ago has now…read morebranched out to multiple locations in town. I had the fruit toast here and must admit was disappointed. The coffee was nice and the service was also ok. It did not impress me enough for me to want to come back.

It's the good stuff. I used to live a few blocks from the original in Surry Hills, so I have a lot…read moreof experience with the Bourke Street range. This is the first "other" store I've tried, and it's just as good. If it's your first time, get the raspberry & chocolate muffins or the crème brûlée tart. Actually, it's all good. Get it all. I have to give a spot to the croissants - I was afraid I'd never find good croissants in Sydney after having my eyes opened by the real thing overseas, but the croissants here (both normal and chocolate) are up there with the best. Try it.

Decent priced items. Decent quality. Decent value. Won't blow you out of the water, but you won't…read morecomplain. I think their pies are about $3-4 and are fairly sizable compared to your stock standard Australian pie. My only complaint is once I felt a bit sickly after eating a curry pie. However I've been there many times so it could have been something else. There isn't much competition in the area except from the bakery on the corner of Spofforth and military rd and this is better value and quality. So I don't have much of an option.

Made to order Bacon & Egg rolls on their fresh Vietnamese rolls... $5. Can't be beat…read more I reckon their Vietnamese rolls would be great too.

Before the owners Denis and Dom took over this business it used to be a cafe that was lack of…read morepatron was magnified by its large size. Now as L'Ami de Pain Boulangerie it's hard to try and miss the queues that line up for the coffee on weekdays and weekends. People are lining up for the selection of breads including their baguettes. Vibrant macroons are amongst their exquisite cakes as well as savouries from quiches, pies to sausage rolls on offer. A great addition for families in the corner playpen and the table with drawing paper and crayons an there is outdoor and indoor seating. The personalised service provided by Denis and Dom is second to none and it explains why this neighbourhood bakery has become of the most popular haunts for the locals.

If I was solely reviewing the coffee this place will be getting 1 star at best. But there is more…read moreto this little cafe then the actual coffee. To be honest I was extremely underwhelmed by this cafe. A few people have recommended this place, and as it is around the corner from my brother's I tend to come here often for takeout and dessert. But sadly with ever purchase, it is confirmed that this place is at best average. None of the food is overly fresh - not the quiches or the pies. Even their sandwiches are pre-made, and you can taste it. The dessert here is alright, but not great and nothing to boast about. The photos of the cakes and desserts order- made look amazing. So maybe that's why everyone raves about it. But if you are coming here for a quick bite, I honestly don't understand the charm. There are better places in Mosman or walking distance to Military Rd. I think Shot on Military is a million times better. Maybe that's just me. However, they are extremely kid friendly so maybe that's the appeal - because other than that I seriously don't understand why this is popular.

I mean how could I resist a spot with Flaky Tart as their name?…read more I stopped in on one of my first mornings and had a breakfast pastry. So I went back on the weekend and bought one of almost everything to shar with my family. Yes to 5 donuts for $5, all were cake donuts btw which are my preferred style. I bought a wide selection of breakfast pies and tarts, etc. The staff was lovely and helpful despite my indecision. The space is small and the folks running in for a coffee were annoyed with my lengthy order but I spent way more money them so ...

Donuts: yummy. Meat pies: yummy…read more Service: friendly and efficient. We ordered one cinnamon donut for $1.50, enjoyed it so much, then bought 5 for $5. We tried the beef and mushroom pie ($5.50). It was so hearty and tasty, we ordered the chicken with leek, and it was just as good if not even better. This neighbourhood bakery and coffee shop was the perfect find on a rainy day. If I lived nearby, I would definitely be a regular customer.

Translated into English 'The Martin' hasn't exactly got that innately sophisticated and French feel…read moreto it, perhaps this is a reflection on the cake shop itself which doesn't quite live up to a French patisserie's standards. The traditional Aussie cakes go big on design with little thought for the cake mixtures which are often overly saccharine and just that tad too stodgy. The best one to go for is the simple sponge cake they produce which, showing that when kept simple, Le Martin can produce some winners.

This little bakery is worth a visit if not just for the giant (and one and only) chair. If you dine…read morein to this wee bakery you're guaranteed to be the only one. It reminded me of the long lazy couches of my favourite café in Guatemala. Unfortunately the view nor the food is quite as healthy. All the cakes are made in store and this is pretty obvious as they have an imperfect rustic look to them. The pies, gingerbread men and donuts are equally 'homey'. The do a gluten free chocolate cake and an orange and almond meal flourless cake for all the wheat intolerant. Coffee is from Toby's Estate. What I like about this French bakery is that it is run by a very friendly Asian family who smile lots. That and the fresh flowers displayed on the counter make this little bakery a quirky port of call for the sweet tooth.

Oh, but I've got a raging taste-bud mad-on for for pie, cake and hot bread shops…read more Just cannot get enough of them. Here's why: 1. Honest, delicious, soft-pastried meat pies with mushroom, or steak, or tasty mince meat, all from $4. As far as I'm aware only labourers and council workers are allowed to eat pies every day without being arrested, and I would very seriously consider retraining in either one of those occupations to eat these suckers day in day out. I mean, how hard could they be, right? And what a payoff! Plus: shiny vests. 2. Massive banh mi ($5) made on soft-yet-crunchy baguette and bursting - bursting, I tell you! - with 3 types of pork, springy coriander shoots, pickled carrots and enough chilli to make your eyes water in the best kind of way. 3. Cakes. Walls and walls and walls of cakes. And then a cabinet of more cakes just in case you didn't cop an enough of an eyeful before. And this place is 5 mins from my house. I like to hang out there sometimes. They think I'm weird. They might be right.

The Vietnamese rolls are great but geez the coffee has to be the worst I have ever, ever tasted…read more Now I know coffee can be burnt but this clearly nuked guys, even Nescafé International Toast coffee taste better than this..!

A plus was that they were open when they said they would be. Can't say the same for several…read moreestablishments in the area that DID NOT update their open hours info for the holiday period. Nice looking baked goods with a tight seating area. Too bad the taste of the food did not match the appearance. The chocolate croissant had about a snack size candy bar's worth of chocolate in it. The beef filling inside the meat pie had dried up a bit and was quite salty. I've had much better meat pies from frozen food sections at way less than half the price.

Can't fault this place. Been going to Barby's and Breadtop for years for my Asian baked goods fix,…read morewhen I came across this tiny corner shop on Sussex st in Chinatown. Haven't been back to either of the aforementioned shops since then. I always seem to get a combination of some of my favorite items: red bean buns-not to be confused with their red bean "paste" buns, which are thicker and sweeter-, custard buns, egg tarts, plain polo buns, and taro polo buns. There's all range in price $1.00 ~ $2.00, and I definitely prefer their versions to the ones found in other shops as these ones are less sweet and more generous with filing. Also, please be on the lookout for their pre-close specials, where they bag a few assorted items for a hugely discounted price in late afternoon around 5-6pm!

Great local French bakery with dine in available for brunch or lunch (they sell out quick, so the…read moreearlier the better!). The quality of the bread & pastries is amazing for the price and definitely great value for something located on the Lower North Shore. St Honore are all about the sour dough and with so many varieties, sizes & shapes, you definitely can't go wrong. Any time I'm headed out to a BBQ or dinner, I drop into St Honore and grab some sour dough dinner roll goodness without FAIL! Crusty, slightly chewy on the outside, then soft fluffy bread on the inside... always a win with the crowd. I visit often for brunch and can't go past the ham & cheese croissant. Delicate, flaky & buttery croissant filled with double smoked ham & melty gruyere cheese. For my more piggish days, I'll also grab the Croque Monsieur (AKA grilled ham & cheese sandwich with thick sour dough slices). The cakes on offer look great and delicious to boot. So go ahead, grab a Dark & White Chocolate Mousse cake, treat your taste buds and those of the people lucky enough to be around you at the time. Also don't forget to try their awesome meat pies and sausage rolls. Apart from Paddy's Pies, there really isn't much else around the Lower North Shore for kick ass Aussie staples. St Honore uses their expertise in making great pastry and fills them with tasty & quality ingredients.

The clean, dark décor of St Honore borders on functional for my tastes; I'd prefer something a…read morelittle more shabby chic for my authentic Parisian experiences but don't let the décor but you off (that really is me nit-picking). Priding themselves on their Sourdough creations, Hany and the team are on the money with their offering. A bakery/café with too many delicious breads to list but the sourdough Levain is particularly scrumptious and often graces our table at the weekend to be carved up with cheese and meats. If you pop in for breakfast there are any number of authentic French pastries to tempt, served with your chosen blend of coffee. For lunch, the Tarragon Chicken Baguette is a personal favourite with its generous smearings of real egg mayonnaise. Naughty! No meal would be complete, of course, without a Salted Caramel macaroon or a sample size of the cakes that can be bought for a couple of dollars with a coffee. It's very easy to part with cash in this place and it isn't cheap but the quality, great service and the ensuing visits, mean you might need to part your trousers in order to accommodate your ever expanding waistline.