A.P House (A.P Bakery)

A.P House is the rooftop home of A.P Bakery in Surry Hills, and it's a bit of a find if you like your pastry with a view. You take the lift up from the ground floor, which spares you the stairs, and you land on a terrace with both shaded and sunny spots. The word around Sydney is that it's a lovely place to linger on a nice day, with a good mix of ages and a relaxed weekend feel.

The bakery side comes from a multi-location Sydney business that works directly with farmers and mills its own grain into flour at its Marrickville bakery, so the breads and pastries start with a story. Here you'll find pies, croissants, focaccia and sandwiches, plus coffee, breakfast dishes and takeaway if you'd rather not stay. They also take custom cake orders and do catering, and dine-in is on offer too.

Pies are what locals tend to rave about. The brisket pie gets a lot of attention for its flavour, and one local described the cheese and onion version as a stack of impossibly flaky layers. The croissants draw plenty of talk as well, from the macadamia and the twice-baked to the pain au chocolat and a hazelnut chocolate praline pastry. Turkish eggs are another order people mention for brunch.

We should be fair: opinion on the pastry is a little split. Some find it beautifully crisp and flaky, while others have found a croissant that didn't quite live up to the hype, so it may depend on the day and the time you go. Expect a short queue, and it pays to arrive earlier in the day, as popular items like the pies can sell out. Prices sit towards the premium end, and a weekend surcharge can apply.

The staff are friendly and keep the line moving even when it's busy, and the wheelchair-accessible entrance and card and tap payments make things easy. It opens daily, but check the hours before you head in.