Hilltop Village Bakery & Cafe

Hilltop Village Bakery & Cafe is a bakery in Hill Top, New South Wales, and it's the sort of place people plan a drive around. A small village setting, a counter full of fresh-baked goods and a few tables to sit at make it as handy for a quick takeaway as for a proper break.

Pies are what many people head here for. The classic beef gets a lot of love as a straightforward, satisfying pie, and locals mention a mushroom pie that holds its texture and a baked custard tart that keeps turning up in conversation. They've been known to run a special pie or two for the occasion, which tells you something about the kitchen's sense of fun. Sausage rolls get a good word as well, and there's a fried chicken that more than one person rates above the big takeaway chains.

On the bread and pastry side, the sourdough has a following, along with a soft white loaf with a golden crust. We've heard good things about the apple turnover, cinnamon scrolls, snail buns and custard-filled donuts, all baked fresh through the day. Cakes are a strong suit too: caramel slice and almond raspberry cakes come up often, and a story goes around that the baker spent time in a well-regarded Wollongong kitchen, which people say shows in the cake work. Custom cake orders are available if you've got an occasion coming up.

It's a cafe as well as a bakery, so you can sit in with a coffee that people describe as strong and good. There's a corner of handmade timber products, plenty of room at the tables, and the staff come across as friendly and welcoming, from the teenagers who stop by after school for chips to visitors passing through. Locals also say prices are fair for what you get.

Practical bits: takeaway and dine-in are both on offer, there's free street parking and a free car park, and the car park has wheelchair-accessible spaces. It opens early on most days and is closed one day a week, so check the hours before you head in. If you're after a pie, a pastry or a decent coffee in a friendly village spot, this is a good one to know.