Bluewater Bakery

You can smell Bluewater Bakery before you reach the counter, and that's usually how first-timers end up inside. It's an artisan bakery in Redcliffe, Queensland, set in Bluewater Square, and the cabinet is a proper mix of the familiar and the unexpected.

The pies are what people come for. Locals rave about the pastry on the meat pies and sausage rolls, and the mince and cheese gets a special mention, with one fan saying they'd happily drive up from the Sunshine Coast again for it. The steak and pepper pie has its followers too, and we've heard the custard tarts are worth a try. Jam donuts and a cream longjohn (mock or fresh cream, your pick) round out the sweet side. Things come fresh from the oven, and it shows.

The other big drawcard is the Vietnamese side of the menu. The banh mi are a regular topic: a crusty baguette with pate, pickled carrot, cucumber, coriander and chilli, filled with crispy roast pork, lemongrass chicken or pork belly. People talk about them as excellent value, and some travel a fair way just to eat one. Rice paper rolls and a crispy pork noodle salad bowl also have their fans.

It isn't universally loved. We've heard one visitor found the savoury items a bit greasy and another wasn't taken with a banh mi, and one person wasn't sold on the caramel slice. That's fair enough with a menu this wide, but the general mood is warm, with plenty of mentions of friendly, accommodating staff and good value.

You can eat in, take away or have things delivered. They also take custom cake orders and serve coffee and breakfast. There's a wheelchair-accessible entrance, car park, seating and toilet, and they take cards and mobile payments. They trade six days a week and are closed on the seventh, so check the hours before you head in, especially if you're planning a weekend market trip.

If you're after a bakery in Redcliffe for a proper pie, a banh mi or both, this one is easy to recommend.