Q Le BAKER

Overview

Q Le Baker, tucked away inside Prahran Market, is a local favourite that loyal customers like to keep on the down low, seeing as the queues are already rather long. However, the secret is out — this French-leaning bakehouse is producing some of the best bread, pastries and baked goods that Melbourne has to offer.

The bakers at Q Le Baker are masters of their craft, honouring age-old traditions while experimenting with different flavours and techniques from around the world. They use classical French baking techniques to showcase high-quality, seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.

Each market morning, and particularly on weekends, marketgoers patiently find their spot in the line, perhaps with a box of organic vegetables in one hand and a coffee in the other, waiting their turn to see what goodies the glass cabinets and shelves of bread are showcasing that day. Starting with said breads, Q Le Baker's are generally gorgeously crusty and chewy. You might pick up a rustic ciabatta roll, a crisp ficelle or a sourdough knot, or go for one of their famed baguettes and a thick country loaf. There may be a special fougasse, such as the jalapeño and cheddar delight with roasted corn and Mexican spices, or a caramelised onion and gruyere version.

Being a French bakery first, you'll always find a line up of traditional pastries — plain, chocolate and almond croissants, pain au raisins, and kouign amanns, for example — in the line up. Well, unless they've already sold out. Taking up the rest of the space in the display cabinet will likely be a combination of interesting and creative sweet and savoury pastries, pies, cookies, and sandwiches.

Perhaps you'll try a mushroom and potato danish, a twice-baked pistachio croissant, a chorizo and cheese empanada, a Biscoff scroll and a buffalo fried chicken burger. Or, if you're lucky, you'll spot a mango and whipped coconut choux, an Earl Grey Danish, a roast pumpkin galette, a poached pear tart, or a D'Affinois ficelle with fig jam and rocket. The good news is, everything here tastes just as good as it looks, and you can't go wrong with any selection. 

Images: Supplied.