La Promenade Patisserie

La Promenade Patisserie is a French-style bakery in Sans Souci, New South Wales, sitting just across the road from the beach. It's the sort of spot where a stream of regulars drop in for their daily coffee and something sweet, and where cyclists and motorcyclists swap stories over a pastry.

Cakes are the main event. Locals have been ordering birthday and celebration cakes here for years, and the custom cake service gets a good word, including a vanilla slice cake made for a big family milestone that left nothing on the plate by the end of the night. Gluten-free options are on offer too. The cabinet runs well beyond cakes, with vanilla slices, eclairs, pies and sausage rolls all getting regular mentions. The pies in particular tend to vanish early, so go sooner rather than later if you've got your eye on one. People who know their choux pastry rate the eclairs for being light, with the sweetness coming from the glaze rather than the cream.

Everything is made in store, and there's coffee and breakfast to go with it. You can dine in, grab a takeaway, or pick up in store. Some locals make a weekly ritual of the takeaway breakfast. The staff are widely described as friendly and welcoming, and the prices are considered good value for the quality.

The shop looks a little dated these days, though most people find it has a charm of its own, and being near the main road it can get noisy. One person found the cakes below average, and another was disappointed when a request to write a message on a birthday cake couldn't be met. If you want piping or lettering on a custom order, confirm it when you place the order.

Practical bits: there's free street parking and a free car park, and the entrance and car park are wheelchair accessible. They take cards and mobile payments. Check the hours before you head in, as the shop closes one day a week.