Flour and Stone

Flour and Stone is a small artisan bakery on Riley Street in Woolloomooloo, New South Wales, and it works across two spaces a few doors apart. The Pantry is the sit-down side, with coffee and breakfast. The Annexe, just down the street, handles takeaway and order pick-ups. That split confuses a few first-timers, so it helps to know the takeaway shop often has a wider spread of baked goods than the dine-in room.

The pannacotta lamington is the one people travel for, and the cake is creamy and chocolatey enough to justify the trip. Beyond that, the cabinet draws plenty of talk: carrot cake with coconut and big nut pieces, a lemon drizzle cake, a lemon dream with a meringue layer, an almond croissant, a pear tart one visitor called delicate, and a passion fruit tart a couple went back for a second time. Savoury lovers mention the leek and gruyere tart, the scones and a cheese and chive scone, and sourdough is part of the story too. Custom cake orders are on offer if you're planning something for an occasion.

The owner, Nadine, is a pastry chef who trained in Michelin-star restaurants in London, including Le Gavroche, Le Caprice and The Ivy, and later worked at Bourke Street Bakery from 2003. That European grounding shows in the delicate, simple style people describe, and one visitor compared the place to the small patisseries of Paris and the bakeries of Copenhagen. Ingredients come from local producers, and everything is made in-house.

Staff get a lot of warm mentions, from friendly service at the counter to a sense of being part of the community. The coffee gets the same praise, including a soy latte one regular couldn't tell from dairy. One person found a baguette dry and hard-crusted, and another wished the toast under their breakfast had been crisper.

Seating is limited, so expect a short wait at peak times. Cakes can sell out by mid-afternoon, so earlier in the day gives you the best pick. Card and contactless payments are accepted, and it's worth checking the hours before you head in.