Bels Gordon St Bakery

Pies are the reason people point you toward Bels Gordon St Bakery in Port Macquarie. Ask around and the talk is of hot, generously filled pies with chunky fillings and sturdy pastry that holds together. Beef, egg, bacon and cheese gets plenty of love, and so does a chunky pepper steak. The range goes well beyond the classics, with a big breakfast pie packed with egg, bacon, spinach and hash brown, a curry chicken pie, beef stroganoff, jalapeño, mushroom, and a spicy seafood combo in a mellow Thai-style sauce. One interstate visitor said it was worth the detour off the highway, and one local put it simply: it's hard to find a bakery that makes a fresh, hot pie, and this one does.

It isn't only pies. Sausage rolls, vanilla slices, apple turnovers and Danishes, muffins, croissants and birthday cakes all get a mention, and there's a coffee machine going if you want a flat white with your breakfast. You can take your order away or sit down in the small, quirky dining area. The seafood pie is a matter of taste, and the odd person finds the sausage roll just fine rather than special, but the overall picture is a bakery people return to.

The counter staff come in for warm praise, with friendly, quick service even when the queue is long. Value is a regular point too, with pies described as filling and fairly priced. One visitor reckoned they'd happily split their visit across two pies, though one pie is plenty for most.

Practical details help on a busy morning. There is free parking out the front and a free car park, plus a wheelchair-accessible entrance and car park. They take cards and tap-and-pay, and the place is LGBTQ+ friendly. Doors open very early on weekdays, with shorter hours on weekends and a day off during the week, so check the hours before you set out.

If you're after a proper pie in Port Macquarie, this is a bakery worth lining up for.