By Veda Gilbert
1. Rustica Sourdough
At Rustica, tray after tray of baked goods, perhaps a chocolate and peanut butter drizzled croissant ($4.50) or a cappuccino cronut ($4.50) with espresso-cream filling and a meringue top, make their way from the rear bakehouse to the glass display cabinet, and out the door. If dining in, linger over the breakfast board ($16.50) comprising housemade granola with organic yoghurt, seasonal fruit, a poached egg on traditional organic sourdough, crushed avocado and a bottle of Finn cold-pressed juice, before grabbing a quinoa-crusted soy and linseed Vienna loaf ($6.50) to go.
Baker Michael James churns out a mouth-watering array of goods at Tivoli Road Bakery.Credit:
402 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, 9417 7775, (Rustica Pop-Up, 214 Swan St, Cremorne) rusticasourdough.com.au
2. Dench Bakers
Rustica Bakery's breakfast board comprises housemade granola with yoghurt, fruit, a poached egg on sourdough, crushed avocado and a bottle of Finn cold-pressed juice.Credit:
Divided over two store fronts, one side is dedicated to take-away with cabinets overflowing with freshly baked treats; the other a dining room that on weekends has a queue snaking out the door. Knock elbows with fellow pastry lovers for bombalone filled with vanilla-bean custard ($4.20), gluten-free blackberry friands ($4.90) or a still-warm loaf of grain bread ($7.70). If you can secure a table, tuck into a Melbourne staple of sliced avocado, Danish fetta and a wedge of lemon on toasted sourdough ($12.50) with a slap-in-the-face strong cup of Veneziano coffee.
109 Scotchmer Street, Fitzroy North, 9403 5333, denchbakers.com.au
3. The Woodfrog Bakery
Grab your pre-sliced bread ($6) from the wall-mounted cabinet and head back to your table where a toaster and selection of condiments await. If toast isn't your thing, the "Queen-appointed" buttermilk cranberry scone ($5) might appeal: a caramel-filled donut ($4), nicely accompanied by any Axil coffee. Grab a loaf of 30-hour aged organic sourdough ($6) on the way out, the bubbly caramelised crust offering a convincing crunch while giving way to a soft squishy centre (also available with kalamata olives).
108 Barkly St, St Kilda, 9077 5440, woodfrogbakery.com.au. Also in Toorak and Kew
4. Tivoli Road Bakery
When baker Michael James took over the lease of former MoVida Bakery there was a collective sigh of relief, brought on by the knowledge that his famed doughnuts ($4) would remain available. Those deep-fried salted caramel or lemon custard filled balls of deliciousness sell out both in store and at the various farmers markets Tivoli Road Bakery frequents. For savoury fans, there's roast pumpkin, chicken and sage pies ($7.50), and English ham, cheddar and piccalilli sandwiches ($9.50) washed down with an espresso or cold drip Small Batch Roasters coffee. Don't forget your stone-hearth baked biodynamic spelt loaf with red-gum honey ($7)
3 Tivoli Road, South Yarra, 9041 4345, tivoliroad.com.au
5. Pane di Matteo
A cabinet stocked with cakes, a wall of bread, and a Faema coffee machine serving organic Vittoria coffee make for a simple winning formula at this Italian bakery and pasticceria. On Saturdays the cannoli crew queue out the door, snapping up the ricotta-filled Sicilian pastries ($4.50) in bulk, while those in the know sip an espresso with their cannoli treat on weekday mornings. Standouts include the pistachio biscotti ($3), traditional Italian-style ciabatta ($4.40) and the spelt sourdough ($8), all hand-made on site.
12 Porter Avenue, Geelong, 0421 821 449, panedimatteo.com.au