Bemboka Pie Shop

Bemboka Pie Shop is a pie shop and bakery in Bemboka, New South Wales, the kind of place that rewards a stop if you're driving the highway down from Brown Mountain towards the far south coast. Locals describe it as a favourite roadside break that has been pulling travellers in for over thirty years.

The pies are the main event. We've heard the chunky beef pie praised for its generous pieces of meat and good pastry. Sausage rolls are on the counter as well, and one visitor was won over by an apricot pie with a rich, almost marmalade-like filling. Everything is baked fresh on site, so the pies come warm and the bread is made the same way. One person raved about a white tin loaf with a crisp, floury crust and a soft centre.

Then there are the sweets, which seem to win people over just as often. Bee stings filled with fresh cream and custard are a standout, and an old-fashioned cream bun with raspberry jam and a dusting of icing sugar took one traveller back fifty years. The lemon tart and custard tart get a mention, along with eclairs, a caramel nut tart and a range of slices.

Inside, the shop has an old-fashioned feel that people enjoy, and the staff are friendly and quick to help even when it's packed. Coffee and breakfast are on offer, so it works as a proper morning stop as well as a lunch run. You can dine in or take your order away, and there's free street parking along with a wheelchair-accessible car park. Cards and mobile payments are accepted.

A couple of people found the pies and sausage rolls perfectly decent rather than memorable, and the coffee gets a mixed response. Most locals and passing visitors rate it well, though.

It can get very busy, particularly around lunchtime, so allow a little extra time. Check the hours before you head in, as they vary through the week.