They’re a road-trip staple. A must-visit when on holidays.
Simply, you can’t go past a quality bakery. And this country is ripe with them.
With a lean to regional areas, we’re opening the shutters to some of Australia’s best bakeries.
And scroll to the bottom for more about Australia’s best pie and vanilla slice.
From historical favourites to contemporary crowd-pullers, this state delivers ample treats.
At the heart of a famous wine region, this family business has racked up a string of awards since it opened its doors in the 1990s. A whopping 20-plus pie varieties tempt customers, including flavours of emu, kangaroo, and prawn alongside vegetarian options. Sweet tooths have loads to work with, too.
Visit from: BIG4 Albury, BIG4 Borderland Wodonga, BIG4 Wangaratta or NRMA Yarrawonga Mulwala.
The iconic brand established its first bakery in Beechworth’s town centre in the 1980s. It has since grown to incorporate eight locations across regional Victoria as well as Albury in NSW. Its assortment of meat pies is the hero, coupled with other savoury goodies and sweet treats like scones and scrolls.
Arrive with an empty stomach because the selection here is mind-blowing. Sweet and savoury croissants, pies, quiches, sausage rolls, cakes, tarts, éclairs, cookies, brownies, and even gelato feature across two locations. Where do you even start?
Visit from: BIG4 Castlemaine.
Tucked down a laneway within a cute town east of Daylesford, RedBeard is highly regarded for its handmade sourdough. Grab a loaf along with ample sweet and savoury creations, all of which are made on the premises mostly using local, organic ingredients.
Detour when travelling between Melbourne and Castlemaine.
The family bakery has racked up a ton of awards for its beautiful baked goods, including Australia’s best pie (more at the end of this article). The treats can be savoured at three locations across the Geelong and Bellarine Peninsula region. And it’s a case of quality and quantity: both the assortment of pies and sweet delights will create anxiety for the indecisive!
Visit from: Tasman Holiday Parks - Geelong, BIG4 Bellarine or BIG4 Ingenia Queenscliff Beacon.
The main-street bakery is regarded as the home of the scallop pie, and this signature offering does not disappoint. It’s backed by other pie types as well as fresh pasties and sausage rolls – gluten free and vegan options among them – sourdough breads, cakes, and more. Yum!
Visit from: BIG4 Apollo Bay.
This super cute patisserie perfectly fits the vibe of this delightful Goldfields town, 20km north of Ballarat. If its pronounced French influence wasn’t obvious from the name, a quick glance at the menu will confirm it. Expect a rich collection of baked goods that are created fresh each day using organic ingredients from across the region.
Visit from: BIG4 Ballarat Windmill, BIG4 Kryal Castle or NRMA Ballarat.
This charming back-street bakehouse has a history dating to 1887 and its range of goodies is just as comprehensive. On the savoury side, sourdough, baguettes, croissants, and pies lead the way while at the sweeter end expect the likes of drool-inducing cakes, tarts, and slices to grab your attention.
Visit from: Breeze - Halls Gap, Breeze - Grampians or NRMA Halls Gap.
Stumble upon award-winning bakeries dishing up all sorts of yummy creations across the state.
This is a regular on best bakeries lists, despite being tucked behind the main street of a small Southern Tablelands town. Housed in a rustic old cottage, the bakery is revered for its German-style bread but also makes a mean pie and Danish pastry among more. Braidwood is 60km northwest of Batemans Bay.
Boasting a striking green exterior and a funky interior, this setup grabs immediate attention. It’s more of a café than a bakery, but we think it’s worth shouting about thanks to its artisan sourdoughs and mouthwatering pastries such as its Portuguese tarts. Not surprisingly, a caffeine hit is on point here, too.
Visit from: BIG4 Armidale.
A hefty assortment of hearty pies and delicious breads makes this crowd magnet an essential stop on any road trip to the state’s southern reaches. There’s a dizzying array of pastries thrown in for good measure, too. Pambula is 15km north of Eden.
Visit from: Ingenia Eden Beachfront, NRMA Merimbula Beach or Merimbula Lake.
Opened in 2012 with a focus on organic bread, Racine has since branched out to deliver a mammoth assortment of savoury and sweet creations. These include its signature butter pastry pies and sausage rolls and delectable, award-winning croissants that have helped earn the bakery a cult-like following. A top choice for a caffeine fix, too.
Loaves of all shapes and sizes line the shelves of this cute bakery, which holds bread-making classes for those who wish to up their skills. The pastries are to die for, with the cinnamon scroll an absolute highlight. Not to be missed.
Visit from: BIG4 Wallaga Lake or Ingenia Ocean Lake.
Fresh sourdough is the staple of this Port Stephens bakery, whose owners have worked under renowned chef, Gordon Ramsey. The loaves, which mix regular varieties with daily specials, often sell out and are complemented by tasty pizzas, pastries, and more.
Visit from: BIG4 Bays, BIG4 Ingenia Soldiers Point, BIG4 Karuah Jetty, Ingenia One Mile Beach or Ingenia Middle Rock.
Griffith’s rich Italian influence is finely illustrated at this iconic family business, established in 1952. The menu items include such offerings as nougat, biscotti, and gelato alongside fresh breads and other regular but oh-so-tasty treats.
Family owned with a stream of awards to its name, Trappers lures hungry customers with ease. There’s a bundle of freshly baked goods, including pies of all types, beautiful breads, and a sweets selection that is bonkers in its variety.
Visit from: BIG4 Governor's Hill, Goulburn.
Get stuck into a basket-load of tantalising baked goods all over the Sunshine State.
The Stanthorpe shopfront regularly finds itself in best bakeries conversations. It’s due to its superb selection of pastries and bread proudly created from scratch and with a clear focus on locally sourced ingredients. Both sweet and savoury goodies feature, including various sourdoughs. Get in early!
Visit from: Country Style, Stanthorpe or BIG4 Freedom Lifestyle Warwick.
Harking back to 1969, Mocka’s is a Port Douglas icon and firmly in conversations about who makes the best pie in Australia. It’s won a stack of awards for its meaty creations and has myriad types to try, including a crocodile laksa version. Additionally, there’s plenty on the sweet side to enjoy.
Visit from: BIG4 Port Douglas.
This enduring Sunshine Coast hinterland bakery is a standout. Its signature experience is partaking in the 1kg donut challenge: various flavours are available. There’s also a sausage roll of the same weight as well as an inventive coffee donut. Pies, sourdough, and plenty else is on the menu. The bakery has a sister site in Mooloolaba.
Visit from: Ingenia Landsborough, Ingenia Noosa or BIG4 Maroochy River, Maroochydore.
Delivering a classic country bakery façade, this gem is headlined by widely varying pies that surely rank among the country’s finest. And while a meal in themselves, you simply must make room for at least one of the mouthwatering sweet sensations that include delectable donuts and tantalising tarts. Blackbutt is 150km northwest of Brisbane.
Minimalist in appearance, this corner-block bakery puts all its efforts into pleasing the tastebuds. And that’s a given thanks to the almighty selection of sweet surprises, savoury goodies, and fresh breads on offer. The coffee is excellent, too.
Visit from: BIG4 Toowoomba.
Another in the café mould that we’ve let slip through, Bam Bam has an outrageous collection of pastries. Salted caramel eclairs, Snickers croissants, and Nutella cruffins are among the divine creations.
Visit from: BIG4 Gold Coast or NRMA Treasure Island.
Some of Australia’s best bakeries hail from these parts, so expect fabulous, freshly baked goodies.
The name is far too modest: The pies at this centrally located, decades-old bakery are in fact downright delicious. And the place is no one-trick pony. More savouries and a blend of sugary sides will also tempt the tastebuds – special shout to the doughnuts.
Visit from: BIG4 Blue Lake, Mt Gambier.
This fan favourite has been satisfying appetites since 1989, although there’s a history of baking on site that extends well beyond a century. Queues often stretch out the door thanks to a massive selection of scrumptious sweet and savoury snacks. Highlights are the inventive monthly pie and donut creations, both of which reliably live up to the hype.
Visit from: BIG4 Breeze – Port Elliot or NRMA Victor Harbor.
Spotted near the ‘toe’ of the Yorke Peninsula with a prominent corner location, the business serves up a fantastic range of old-fashioned bakery favourites. The closure of the local butcher has seen the business branch out its product offering, so you can grab dinner supplies with your lunch!
Visit from: BIG4 Breeze – Port Hughes.
Four generations have had a hand in this family business, which started in 1924. Slow-ferment recipes are a focus of the Barossa bakery, and its original wood-fired scotch oven is still in use. The breads are the star of the show, but all the usual fare is available. Be sure to try one of the vanilla slices.
Visit from: BIG4 Barossa.
A long-time resident on the main street of this Fleurieu Peninsula town, the bakery satisfies a hunger in style. House-made pies, pasties, and other savouries mix it with a generous selection of sweet delicacies that include a wonderful Jaffa slice.
Visit from: BIG4 Port Willunga, BIG4 Mount Compass or BIG4 Normanville Jetty.
The Riverland bakery has claimed a bucketload of awards since its inception in 1986. And its strong reputation is enhanced by the ample foot traffic it receives. The bread list is massive alone, and the assortment of pies and other savouries and cakes, buns, and slices is impressive.
Visit from: BIG4 Loxton.
House-made delights stream from the west of the country courtesy of its alluring bakeries.
Minutes south of the Margaret River township, Witchy makes a wicked pie. All sorts of flavours are on the table, including the flagship pulled-pork variety. Cakes and cookies are its other specialties, and there are loads of gluten-free options across the entire range.
Visit from: BIG4 Taunton Farm Margaret River.
While most bakehouses can claim to be award winning, this southwest favourite takes gong collecting to another level. It has claimed more than 300 of them! Pie lovers will be drawn to the extensive menu that includes distinctive varieties, and there’s tons of choice when it comes to the sweet options, too.
Visit from: BIG4 Denmark.
Here is another of those bakeries with an instantly loveable, old-school shopfront. Inside, the eyes are sure to be fixated on the colour-filled cabinets boasting all manner of deliciousness. The pie menu is extensive and there’s myriad sugary treats to pick from.
Visit from: BIG4 Dongara Denison.
This contemporary bakery is bursting with yummy food. The pie selection is solid and there are plenty of breads to takeaway, but it’s the sweet creations that standout. The cinnamon scrolls and lamingtons deserve special mention.
Visit from: BIG4 Breeze – Busselton, RAC Busselton or Mandalay Holiday Resort.
An Albany institution for 50-plus years, Doralane Pastries has an almighty assortment of handmade baked goods to entice hungry visitors. We’re talking more than 120 varieties in the bread, pastry, cake, and slice categories, all available from its brightly coloured CBD location.
Visit from: BIG4 Emu Beach or BIG4 Middleton Beach.
This is one of those queue-out-the-door kind of places, but good things come to those who wait. Amazing things, even. A previous winner of Australia’s best pastie, the bakery backs that up with irresistible pies, sausages rolls, breads, and myriad indulges on the sweeter side. Vegan options are available, too. Toodyay is 85km northeast of Perth.
Visit from: BIG4 Perth or Perth Central.
Sweet or savoury, the Apple Isle’s brilliant bakeries deliver the goods in style.
The east coast bakery is an excellent find; its pie range particularly noteworthy. The likes of scallop, Thai green curry, and vegetarian pies are usually in the warmer, jostling for attention along with breads, sandwiches, muffins, cakes, and plenty else.
Stop by on this Hobart to St Helens road trip.
This is a proper, old-fashioned bakery. Baking has taken place on these premises for more than 100 years, and a wood-fired oven from its formative years is still in use. The scallop pies are a specialty, the sourdough breads are delicious, and its vanilla slices are a highlight of the cakes and buns selection.
This Tamar Valley business presents as all good bakeries should – displaying row upon row of tasty treats to greet your eyes and excite the tastebuds. This is another bakehouse to offer a scallop pie, and the coffee is solid here, too.
Visit from: BIG4 Kelso Sands.
Housed in an eye-catching wooden building, this top-notch bakery is an essential stop when visiting the picturesque Huon Valley. Having reopened in 2022, its new owners are concocting all manner of seriously tempting baked goods, particularly of the sweet variety. Fun fact: the bakery had cameos in the ABC comedy series, Rosehaven.
Visit from: BIG4 Hobart.
The original JJ’s opened in 1989 within a heritage-listed former flour mill in Longford, 20km south of Launceston. It has since expanded with shopfronts in Launceston and Campbell Town in addition to its original site. Expect to encounter a wide selection of quality baked goods.
Visit from: BIG4 Launceston.
Punters flock to Pigeon Whole, which has garnered a reputation as one of the best bakeries in Hobart and beyond. The modern and bright shopfront reveals a gamut of scrumptious loaves and pastries – hello, almond croissants – with several beyond-standard selections to choose from.
Visit from: BIG4 Hobart.
That award officially goes to Rolling Pin Pies & Cakes, which we featured near the top of this article.
It took out the Baking Association of Australia’s 2022 Australia’s Best Pie & Pastie Competition.
The bakery’s vegetarian mushroom and truffle pie was crowned the country’s finest in the annual industry event and makes it a hattrick of wins for the Bellarine-based business.
As with pies and other baked goods, there are several yearly competitions that rank this much-loved dessert.
Among them is the Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph, which started in the Victorian town of Ouyen in 1988 and has had moments of colour in its past!
In August 2022, Sharp’s Bakery in the small VIC town of Birchip won the coveted award for the fifth time. It had previously been recognised for producing the best vanilla slice in Australia in 2009, 2012, 2014, and 2016.
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