Merriwa Cakes & Pastries

If you're driving through Merriwa, this is the bakery locals and travellers alike seem to pull up at. Merriwa Cakes & Pastries has a name around town for its pies, and we've heard the cheese and bacon and the minted lamb come up more than most. People describe a solid base that holds together to the last bite, flaky pastry and a filling packed right to the top. One visitor reckoned they should write poetry about them.

The sweet side gets just as much love. The vanilla slice is the one people go out of their way for, with one traveller stopping in twice in a single week just to have another. Caramel and macadamia slices, apple slice, custard tart, apple turnover and blueberry muffin all get a mention too, though the turnovers can sell out. Sausage rolls are on the counter as well, and the bacon and cheese version is a little flatter than you might expect but still goes down well.

It's a proper sit-down-or-grab-and-go spot. You can dine in or take away, and the coffee, hot chocolate and milkshakes are good enough that groups tend to order a full round. There are also sandwiches and salad rolls for a lunch stop, and the bakery takes custom cake orders if you're planning something for an occasion. Parking is easy, with free street parking and a free car park (including a wheelchair-accessible bay), and they take cards and tap-and-go payments.

Service is the other thing people keep coming back to. Staff are friendly, and even when the shop is full and the queue reaches the footpath, it tends to move fast. Prices are considered fair for what you get. One visitor found the steak and kidney pie light on flavour and the sausage roll on the small side, but most people leave happy.

It's a handy stop for motorcyclists, families on the road and anyone in Merriwa, New South Wales, after a fresh-from-the-oven bakery lunch. Hours run early most days, so check them before you head in if you're timing a visit around a drive.