Paringa Bakery

If you're driving through the Riverland and wondering where to stop, Paringa Bakery is a bakery in Paringa, South Australia that travellers and locals alike seem happy to have found. One visitor called it an oasis in the middle of a long drive, and that feels about right for a small town just outside Renmark.

Pies are what it's known for. The range runs from pasties and sausage rolls through to chilli and potato pies, and we've heard a steak and kidney pie is the one to grab if you're lucky enough to catch it. Everything comes fresh from the oven, and one local described the sausage roll as the best they'd ever tasted. One visitor found the pastry a touch harder and paler than they like, but most who stop in leave happy.

The sweet side gets just as much talk. Vanilla slice, jam roll cake, kitchener buns and hot cross buns all get a mention, and the bee sting cake is standout. The word is that the cakes are baked by the chef, whose wife works the counter. There are also breakfast rolls with egg, bacon, cheese and onion, plus coffee, and even chicken yiros have their fans.

One traveller assumed the price was a mistake because it was so cheap. The staff are another big part of the story, with plenty of talk about friendly, jovial service and a welcoming vibe, enough that a cycling tour group came away grateful for how well they were looked after.

You can take your order away or sit down in the small dining area. There's free parking out the front and in a car park, step-free access, and card and mobile payments are accepted. The shop also sells a few handmade bits like hair ties and candles. It opens early on weekdays and keeps shorter hours on weekends, so check the hours before you head in.