When I first moved to Brisbane, my partner told me this was the BEST bakery he had ever been to. And the best in Brisbane. I was skeptical - mainly because it was right in our backyard, and I figured his big-noting was due to not bothering to try the competition.
Turns out I was wrong to second-guess his statement. This is actually the best bakery I have ever been to. In my life. Having lived in Melbourne and Brisbane and travelled reasonably extensively.
The thing that makes this place so special to me, is its unassuming nature. It's not fancy. The owners haven't spent thousands of dollars making the place look modern and slick and trendy - instead they continue to display their delectable fare in regulation glass shelving with windows. The name cards are handwritten, and the sandwiches are made in the back in clear view of the shop front.
This is where I should start my review. The sandwiches. OH THE SANDWICHES! Thick cut bread - white or wholemeal, or grain. Stuffed with all manner of toppings - my favourite being the Ploughmans. This comes teaming with moist roast beef, piled high with delicious fresh salads and lashings of spicy, sweet relish. It's a joy to behold, and I can only ever eat half of one despite my best efforts.
The pies and pastries are all here in all manner of flavours, but at this window my favourite is the bacon and cheese. Unlike many pies of the same name, this comes with chunky slightly chewy bacon pieces that are cut into different imprecise sized squares. The cheese is a welcome surprise when it hits, as it too is random in its size and placement throughout the mix. It's always chewy and smooth and mixes with the bacon and delicious beef and gravy mix perfectly. The pastry is golden and fluffy and makes the fresh flaky sound when you crunch into it that I love.
The cupcakes are second-to-none. I have yet to get past their simple small buttery vanilla cupcakes with white icing and pastel coloured hearts. I will order four in a white cardboard box as a 'congratulations', 'I'm sorry' or 'just because' gift as I know the recipient will give me one. ;)
They are so moist, so fluffy and so soft in the mouth it's like they were made by a cupcake fairy. The icing is perfection - too often you have to fight your way through thick layers of tasteless sugary plates atop your cake, but this is different. The perfect thickness, this icing has a slight crunch to it and it perfectly blends with the creamy buttery cake underneath.
The staff are always cheerful if not run-off-their-feet, although I often wonder how they do it with no air conditioning - especially in the humidity and heat of a Brisbane Summer.
The prices are a little more than you would pay elsewhere, but 100% deserved. You can purchase a variety of cold drinks including a variety of juice and trendy sodas (my favourite extra treat is the cherry cola).
This place doesn't need to advertise at all besides its time-honoured chalk board on the footpath. It has relied on word of mouth, which has clearly spread like wildfire all over the city as this place is almost always PACKED. And for very good reason.
My top tip is to grab your savory and dessert items, pick out a beverage (I hear they do great coffee too) and cart your feast to the nearby park. The kids will LOVE it and you will be enveloped by the bliss that only quality, fresh baked goods can bring. read more