Skala Artisan Bakers

Skala Artisan Bakers is a bakery and cafe in Kensington Park, South Australia, with a full counter of breads, pastries, pies and cakes. It runs on traditional artisan methods, with controlled fermentation behind the loaves, and the bakery has been trading since 1952, so it's a long-established name for anyone after a bakery in Kensington Park.

The pies are popular with customers. The chunky beef and cheese, the beef and mushroom and a potato pie have all won fans, and one local called their potato pie one of the best they'd had. Pasties and sausage rolls draw praise too, with a pork and rosemary roll singled out by a truck driver passing through on a tip from a mate. On the sweet side, people mention croissants (including a twice baked chocolate one), a creamy mousse cake and a biscotti cheesecake. The pastries are described as flaky and full of flavour.

They offer sourdough, plus a range of other breads. One person who tried a couple of loaves wasn't won over, so if bread is your main reason for going, it may be worth asking the staff what's freshest.

You can dine in or grab something to go, and coffee and breakfast are on offer. Locals say the place is clean and comfortable, and prices are seen as fair for what you get. Staff are often described as friendly, though it can get busy, and the odd person has mentioned a wait at the counter or for a coffee when the place is packed. That's mostly a sign it's popular.

Practical touches: there's free street parking and a free car park, with a wheelchair-accessible car park and entrance. They take cards and mobile payments. Hours run across the whole week, but it's worth checking before you head in, especially on a public holiday.

For a sit-down pie and coffee or a bag of pastries to take home, it's worth a try on this side of Adelaide.