Carby's Bakehouse

If you're after a proper pie in Wavell Heights, Carby's Bakehouse is the name that comes up. It's a bakery in the full sense: pies and sausage rolls, bread and rolls, croissants, pastries and vanilla slices, with takeaway and delivery on offer and custom cake orders for the occasions that call for one.

Pies are the main event. Locals rave about the Carby's chicken pie, creamy and thick, and the jalapeno pie, which has some real heat without taking your head off. We've heard the chunky pie and the pepper beef are popular too, the pepper beef often paired with the mushy peas made in house. The pastry is described as fresh and flaky yet sturdy enough to hold the filling and gravy, and the sausage rolls are said to be made with real meat. Ask around and you'll also hear about the vanilla slice, which one fan went so far as to call the GOAT. The croissants and loaves of bread get a nod too, and there are jam cream donuts and beef pasties if you want to round out the bag.

People mention the welcoming staff behind the counter, and one local singled out a young man named Ted for his manners and good service. Pies come out fresh from the oven, and the general view is that you get good quality for a fair price. One local did find it a touch dearer than their usual bakery, but still worth the trip, and not every visit has been perfect: an apple slice that was short on flavour, and a batch of pies that arrived cold, though the mince and pastry still impressed. Some regulars order through delivery for a weekly lunch, and others drive well out of their way to pick up in person.

Coffee is available, and card and tap payments are accepted. There's a free car park with wheelchair-accessible parking and entrance, though one visitor found the parking tight, so it's worth allowing a little extra time. The bakery opens early most days, but check the hours before you head in.