Being a city of neighbourhoods, Canberra is a place where local bakeries are big. Most people have their go-to bake shop and don’t often stray once they find it. For many, this means heading to one of the weekly farmer’s markets on a Saturday or a Sunday where some of the capital’s best produce can be found.
Fortunately, most of those bakeries flaunting their market wares have brick-and-mortar operations, so you can track down a loaf or flaky bite of theirs during the week. If they don’t, you can be assured they soon will, since the markets are the proving grounds for top-quality bakers.
That said, here are the best of the capital city’s bread, cakes and croissant makers. From a locals’ secret sourdough spot, to a no-frills, 55-year-old bakery, these are the high risers that have broken through the ranks of the rest to become some of Canberra’s top bakeries.
Best Bakeries in Canberra
Knead Patisserie, Belconnen
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Knead is one of the stalwarts of the Canberran bakery scene. Owner Andrew McCormack can often be found, week in, week out, chatting with regulars at the Belconnen Markets as they swing by for their weekend loaf. Knead does the lot, from focaccia through to friands, tarts, sausage rolls and a delicious ginger & stout cake. They have a brick-and-mortar outpost in Campbell and supply the goods at Tinker Tailor in Casey, too.
Three Mills, Fyshwick
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A go-to for Canberra foodies who take their sourdough seriously. Three Mills specialises in ancient grains and in-house milling to craft artisan, long-fermented bread and pastries and is something of a household name. They make it super easy here with home delivery and bake-at-home options for ultra freshness. Find them in Cooyong Street or any of the weekly farmer’s markets as well as their Fyshwick base.
Danny’s Bakery, Narrabundah
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Danny’s is an unassuming, no-frills, stone-cold classic Aussie bakery. With 55 years in the trade under his belt, owner Danny Collins has been working with his extended family to serve hand-moulded sourdough straight to the people of Canberra since the 1980s. Boasting the region’s oldest and first sourdough bakery, they have their art down to a tee and are particularly worth dropping into during Easter for a dozen sourdough hot-cross buns.
Cedar Husk Bakery, Fyshwick
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One of the most dedicated bakeries on the list, Cedar Husk bring freshly baked breads, pastries, and pies straight to your door. Owner Aaron Clark launched his business in 2019, right as the Black Summer bushfires and then COVID hit. Taking to the streets in a painted van, Clark has been delivering crunchy bites to people in need ever since. The Cedar Husk team now has a permanent site in Fyshwick, as well as their regular farmer’s market slots.
Sweet Bones Bakery & Cafe, Braddon
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Husband and wife team Emily and Russell have been keeping the ACT vegan scene well-supplied for over a decade. From a delivery business operated out of their home, to their own cookbook and two permanent outposts, Sweet Bones is clearly doing something right. While they lean more into the cafe side of things these days, their three-tier cakes are legendary and they have a range of freshly-baked sweet treats behind their counters too.
Evoke, Curtin
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Launching just over a year ago, Evoke has become a strong contender for the best sourdough in Canberra. Mates Tom and Jayson decided they wanted to create a place that could be a community hub, focussed around good bread. Their pepper baguette is a must-try and, for any homesick Kiwis, they also whip up NZ doughnuts and cheese pies.
Bakehouse, Ainslie
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The bougie suburb of Ainslie hides one of the best bakeries that the ACT has to offer in the form of BAKEHOUSE. This independent bakery is inspired by the village shops in rural England that sustain communities with local, delicious necessities. They’ve got everything from a fierce range of pies and sausage rolls, plus brownies, sandwiches, and, of course, chewy sourdough.
L’epi Artisan Bakery Cafe, Chisholm
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Sister venue to the above — and the renowned Crust Artisan Bakery in Fyshwick — L’epi delivers an authentic French bakery experience in the heart of Canberra. Headed by French-trained baker Ignace Diompy, L’epi (‘ear of wheat’ in French) upholds the hardcore French standards of patisserie and the art of breadmaking. As a result, their sourdough and pastries are some of the best in the city.
Under, Mawson
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Under is one of the lynchpins of the foodie scene in the laid-back southern Canberran suburb of Mawson. Earning a hard-core following of sweet-toothed fans during their days at the Southside Farmers Market, Under has been slinging sourdough and Scandinavian goodies from their fixed digs since 2020. The cardamom and cinnamon buns or bullar are the go-to but the bread is equally worthy of stocking up on.
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