The Best Bakeries in Melbourne

One of the newer additions to the Melbourne bakery scene, Falco is the brainchild of the minds behind Bar Liberty and Capitano, who’ve here joined forces with Christine Tran (Tivoli Road Bakery, San Francisco’s Tartine). In the space once home to Collingwood’s Rockwell & Sons, it’s serving up a dreamy, innovative range of treats, both sweet and savoury. At Falcon, one of the best bakeries in Melbourne, traditional technique is mixed with a splash of creativity, along with considered ingredients like Schulz Organic Dairy products and locally sourced organic flour. Drop by to stock up on the likes of crusty country-style loaves, cheeseburger pies and peanut butter miso cookies — though it’s best to get in early before the lines grow and the best bits sell out.

A long-time fixture of North Fitzroy Village — now with a second Abbotsford bakehouse to keep up with demand — family-owned Dench has been winning over northsiders with its natural artisan loaves for over 15 years. It’s an easy addition to this list of the best bakeries in Melbourne. The bakery’s organic sourdough are stars of the show, though they’re also backed by a stack of popular pastries and cakes, from escargot to puffy Italian bomboloni. Meanwhile, the onsite cafe is serving a selection of those freshly baked goodies, alongside coffee, brunch plates and sandwiches heroing the signature breads. And dietary issues aren’t a drama thanks to Dench’s swag of vegan and gluten-free options — it’s even got a dedicated gluten-free room for whipping up coeliac-friendly fare.

You’ll find this gem of a Melbourne bakery tucked just off Toorak Road, where it’s been slinging freshly baked goodness for over ten years. Having ever launched under Frank Camorra as MoVida Bakery back in 2012, it’s now run by the Little Cupcakes crew, who are whipping up a range of breads and stone-ground sourdough, all starring certified organic ingredients. Coffee is by North Melbourne’s Small Batch, a rotation of crafty sandwiches has the lunchtime crowd won over, and there’s a lineup of sweet and savoury pastries that’s mighty hard to resist. Deciding between a slice of sugar-dusted apple and rhubarb tart or the oozy jam doughnut is a near-possible decision, so we recommend you go with both at this beloved Melbourne bakery.

A cheery inner west Melbourne bakery that’s as sweet as its name suggests, Candied is the work of Orlando Artavilla and Toula Ploumidis: the duo who first brought us Brunswick cafe Sugardough. Here in Spotswood, a tempting lineup of house-made treats pulls inspiration from the USA, Europe and Australia, championing plenty of local, organic ingredients. You’ll find a variety of breads, alongside sausage rolls and rustic pies primed for lunchtime appetites. But for many, the main event is Candied’s decadent sweet selection, showcasing a gleeful array of cakes, tarts, pastries, slices and doughnuts. Got a special occasion coming up? Check out the Melbourne bakery’s online store, featuring whole cakes and sweet pies that are guaranteed to impress.

Starting life as just a tiny Elsternwick storefront in 2016, Baker Bleu quickly rocketed to cult status, becoming one of the best bakeries in Melbourne. Nowadays, it operates out of a roomy Caulfield North bakehouse and with a roll-call of top restaurants on its supply list. The bakery’s known for its fast-selling, queue-worthy loaves, with people flocking from all over to get their hands on the likes of ficelle, French batards, classic challah bread and fresh bagels. And let’s not forget about the covetable rotation of signature sweet treats on offer, including the spiced apple crostata, golden croissants and custard-topped fruit brioche buns.

Golden spinach and feta pastries, boat-shaped shanklish pies flecked with herbs, and syrupy layered baklava. One peek at the goodies on show at A1 and it’s easy to see why this Lebanese bakery and grocer has been a Sydney Road favourite for almost two decades. The ovens here are turning out an array of classic Middle Eastern breads, from soft souvlaki-style rounds, ready to roll, through to five-inch pita pockets. But for lunch fiends, it’s all about the homemade grab-and-go options, such as the haloumi-stuffed pies and pizzas topped with the likes of sujuk, falafel and labneh. All of this gets A1 on our list of the best bakeries in Melbourne and the best cafes in Melbourne.

This celebrated Italian-style bakery in Carlton boasts three stores and an ever-growing fan base, famed for both its premium sourdough breads and the rows of tempting house treats beckoning from its pastry cabinets. Pop in for that loaf of crusty casalinga or to stock up on some panino, and we promise you’ll find it hard not to leave without a creamy cannoli or fat bombolone also in tow. That said, it’s Baker D. Chirico’s seasonal creations that really get it on the list of the best bakeries in Melbourne — just check out the annual queues for its glazed hot cross buns or artisan panettone and you’ll know what we mean. Design-lovers will especially love the cosy Carlton shopfront, its striking timber waves the work of renowned March Studio.

Image: Emily Godfrey

Thanks to a booming wholesale arm, you’ve likely spied plenty of Cobb Lane’s legendary baked goods around town, hanging out in the cabinets at your favourite cafes and markets. And you’ll know just why it’s earned such a loyal following of Melbourne carb-lovers. The Yarraville-based bakery is famed for its variety of sourdough breads, as well as for house creations like croissant loaves and baked cheese pretzels. But there’s no overshadowing the collection of signature pastries and sweets, ranging from cookies and croissants, to cakes and plump filled doughnuts. Try the fan-favourite raspberry, lychee and rose number, and it’s safe to say you’ll be hooked on this glorious Melbourne bakery.

Image: Armelle Habib