ENZE Barangaroo

ENZE's Barangaroo shop is a small, tidy cake counter, and people travel for it. We've heard of visitors fresh off a flight from the Sunshine Coast, and others who came down from Brisbane, heading here before they'd even finished settling in. It's a short walk from the hotels nearby, which helps.

This is a chiffon cake bakery, so the focus is soft, light sponge rather than bread or pies. If you're after something sweet to take away, that's the point. The cakes come in whole sizes for celebrations and in single slices, so you can try a few flavours without committing to a whole one. Mango, strawberry, rose lychee, yuzu lemon, salted caramel, chocolate and pistachio with raspberry all get a mention, plus seasonal flavours that change through the year. One local who ordered a 10-inch pistachio and raspberry cake for a birthday called it one of the best they'd ever had, soft and creamy without being overly sweet.

That balance of sweetness is what people keep returning to. Fresh mango chiffon has a following of its own, and the cakes are said to look as good as they taste, with packaging that makes a nice gift. One person visited five times in a single week. Another had a small suggestion that the slice wrapping could be clearer so you can see the cake inside, which tells you how closely people look.

The team here has a friendly name too. One local described quick replies and real effort when trying to arrange an urgent birthday delivery, even though it ended up as a pick-up. Custom cake orders and delivery are offered across Sydney, but this Barangaroo location is takeaway only, with no sitting in. The entrance is wheelchair accessible, and the prices are considered fair for the quality. Check the opening hours before you head in, especially on weekends.