Melbourne is renowned for its coffee scene and where there’s coffee, there are sweet, flaky treats to go with it. Melbourne’s bakers are pushing the boundaries, honing their craft and seeking out ever more sustainable ingredients in a bid to stay on top.
The city has no shortage of skilled pastry chefs and stands out for its focus on artisanal bread-making, intricate pastries, and its ability to reflectively incorporate global trends. With so much talent and delicious dough on offer, it’s not outrageous to think the city can hold its own against the European greats of Paris and Vienna.
Locals and tourists demand a high calibre of croissants in this town with its growing reputation as Australia’s bakery capital. Of course, success comes with its challenges and cost of living and affordability pressures have made competition even fiercer. Recent years have also seen greater investment into sustainability alongside an explosion of Asian-influenced bakeries and baked stylings.
Here we round up the drivers of Melbourne’s bakery scene to give you a taste of the legends and the giants that built this empire of dough.
Best Bakeries Melbourne
Lune Croissanterie, multiple locations
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Kicking off with arguably the most significant bakery in the city, and possibly the country, Lune is the place that has almost single-handedly raised the bakery bar in Melbourne. Founded in 2012 in Elwood by an ex-Formula 1 aerodynamicist, Lune strives to be “not a shop,” “nor a factory” but “a celebration of the creation, complexity, and ultimate enjoyment of a croissant.” Fair to say, they take it seriously. That passion explains The New York Times proclaimed Lune’s croissants the best in the world and why they can now be found in Perth, Brisbane, and, soon, Sydney.
A1 Bakery, Brunswick
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A cost-of-living ally, A1 Bakery has been serving delicious and affordable Lebanese treats since 1992. It’s a certified northside institution that dishes up freshly baked bread, pita, pizza, and pies as well as a whole host of Lebanese staples. It’s always buzzing as locals and devoted followers drop in for a famous zaatar and cheese pie. The business’ success enabled the second-generation Farah family to open their third store in Fitzroy last year, alongside their second in Fairfield.
Q Le Baker, Prahran Market
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A splinter from the renowned Baker D Chirico, Q Le Baker owner Marion David opened her own shop in the heart of Prahran Markey in 2018. Six years down the track and the former manager is a star in her own right. A bakery in the more traditional sense of the word, with a glass counter full of freshly made baguettes and high-tin loaves, Q is one of the few places in the markets with a line before it even opens. The pain au raisin alone is worth the wait though.
Kudo Bakery, CBD
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This tiny hole in the wall packs a wallop. Kudo is an artisan bakery nestled into the brickwork of the heritage-listed Windsor Hotel slinging European-inspired breads and sweet treats. The kicker here is that all of their products are gluten-free — a skill and a craft yet to be widely perfected in the baking world. Kudo is changing things on that front, however, one French Canele at a time. Worth squeezing yourself into the oh-so-chic interior for.
Double Dutch Bakery, Kensington
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Opening only last year, Double Dutch is already making a big impression on the northside scene. It’s a collaboration between Rumble Coffee Roasters and baker Jacob Dekker of above Q Le Baker fame, designed to provide the perfect pairing for the locals with their morning brew. More of a breakfast snack joint than a pure bakery, expect olive focaccia, bacon and egg rolls, sourdough loaves, and one of the best brownies you’ll find in the city.
Bakemono Bakers, CBD
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Taking their cues from the freshest and best bakeries in Japan and Korea, Bakemono is an offshoot of the vibey vintage coffee shop Little Rouge just around the corner. Since opening in 2020, they’ve built a cult following around their matcha cookies, cheese croissants, and loaves of fluffy milk bread ‘shokupan’. The pastries here are flaky without being overly sweet and draw such a crowd to the tiny venue that they often sell out of their showstoppers before most of the city is onto its second coffee. If you need a pick-me-up, the hojicha latte is a winner.
Agathé Pâtisserie, South Melbourne
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Tradition reigns supreme at Agathé Pâtisserie, a tiny patisserie in the Royal Arcade dedicated to French baking philosophy. After all, French-born and trained owner Agathé Kerr is the real deal when it comes to patisserie inspired by her homeland. You’ll find stellar croque monsuiers, pain au raisin, and candles, although her twist on the classic brings the headlines. The green pandan croissant is her trademark and, at $8 a pop, while they’re at the pricier end of the scale, you’d struggle to find a better way to spend that cash.
Baker Bleu, Caulfield North
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A must-visit for lovers of bread, Baker Bleu supplies some of the country’s top restaurants. Husband and wife duo Mike and Mia Russell have earned fans in the form of top chefs like Neil Perry for their dark-crust, long-fermented sourdough bread and pastries. Like all good bakeries, it’s a core selection here with a seasonal rotation that focuses on hearty, iconic loaves done properly.
Zelda Bakery, Ripponlea
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Baker Maaryasha Werdiger began her Zelda Bakery journey in a garage in Elsternwick. She moved up to a tiny shopfront in Ripponlea but by then already had a dedicated crowd following the sent of her heavenly bakes. Considered by the locals to be the best bread in Melbourne, there is often a 10-deep queue at the front of the store for their sourdough babka, hearty table loaves, and poppyseed slices. Fair warning, they’re only open on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Penny for Pound, Richmond
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Penny for Pound made their name by keeping the Richmond locals well stocked on their now famous red velvet croissants, cruffins, flourless cakes, tarts, and more. Started in 2016 by husband and wife team Matilda and Ben Wilson, Penny for Pound carved out its reputation through a deep drive and serious commitment to pastries. They now proffer their flakey wares in Camberwell and Morrabbin too.
Tarts Anon, Collingwood
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“We do one thing, well. Tarts.” boasts the Tarts Anon Instagram bio. They’re not wrong. Born out of the depths of lockdown by the former head pastry chef at Dinner by Heston (yes, that one), Tarts Anon quickly garnered a cult following. Tart drops were announced on Instagram and sold out almost as soon as they left the oven. It’s all sweet treats here, with the caramel and chocolate custard tart with the dulce de leche base a real crowd-pleaser. Oh, and the founder, Gareth Whitton, only went on to become Australia’s first Dessert Master.
Dench, Abbotsford
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Wrapping up the list with one of the most storied bakeries in Melbourne, Dench has been wafting the scent of its natural, artisan bread into the streets of Fitzroy and then Abbotsford for almost two decades. They focus mainly on sourdough but have a lightly yeasted range, as well as gluten-free options and a selection of cakes and pastries. Primarily a wholesaler, Dench bread can be found in the best upmarket grocers, markets, and cafes in the city.
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