Hillston Bread Basket

If you're passing through Hillston, this is the bakery locals point you to for a pie and a coffee. Hillston Bread Basket is a bakery in Hillston, New South Wales, with takeaway for people on the road and a few tables for those who want to sit down with their order.

Pies are what it's known for. Locals rave about the chunky steak and mushroom, and the beef, cheese and bacon is another favourite, with a tip passed along that you should ask for it by that full name. Sausage rolls, pasties and an egg and bacon roll round out the savoury side, and we've heard good things about the sandwiches and salad rolls too. For something sweet, there are pastries and cakes, and one traveller was delighted to find a proper real cream bun with icing sugar on top.

Coffee gets plenty of praise, and so does the hot chocolate, which makes it a popular smoko stop for people heading through to Darlington Point. Breakfast is on offer as well. Prices come across as fair, and the pies in particular are talked about as good value.

The staff are a big part of why people stop. They're described as friendly and helpful, and visitors enjoy hearing the locals chat away with the team at the counter. Some travellers make a point of calling in every time they pass through.

To be fair, opinion isn't unanimous. We've heard one visitor found the pies and sausage rolls too salty, and another thought a sausage roll was overdone, so it pays to see what's fresh from the oven. One customer also took issue with a small surcharge on card payments, so it's worth asking at the counter. Card, debit and tap payments are all accepted.

Seating is limited both inside and out, so it can feel snug at busy times. There is free street parking nearby, plus a wheelchair-accessible car park and entrance. They open early most mornings and close in the afternoon, but check the hours before you head in.