Straddie Island Bakery

Straddie Island Bakery is the first stop you meet after stepping off the ferry in Dunwich, a bakery on North Stradbroke Island on the road toward Point Lookout and Amity Point. That position does a lot of the work for them, and it's where most visitors to the island end up grabbing something to eat.

The counter covers the staples: meat pies and sausage rolls, plus cakes, slices, cream doughnuts and laminated pastries. Hot chips, calamari and a few other takeaway options sit alongside the baked goods. One local says the pies and sausage rolls are of sufficient quality, and the range of sweet things is on the modest side. There's a large drink fridge, coffee and breakfast options, and plenty of outdoor seating within a short walk of the water.

Practical points are good. There's free street parking, a wheelchair-accessible car park and entrance, and you can pay by card or tap. Takeaway is the main way people use it, handy if you're heading straight for a beach or a lookout.

We'll be fair with you: opinion is mixed. One local describes a good-value haul of steaks and another praises the brisk, friendly service, but we've also heard plenty of grumbles about the fish and chips and calamari, and about service that can feel hurried or flat when it's busy. The baked goods get kinder words than the fried food. If you're after something to eat now, the pies and sausage rolls are the safer order, and if coffee is the main aim, one visitor suggests there are better options on the island.

The bakery's days are long, with early starts most days, but it's worth checking the hours before you go, especially on public holidays when closing times and surcharges can differ. Arriving earlier in the day also gives you the full cabinet to choose from.