Rustic Bakehouse

If you're passing through the Midlands and need a proper stop, this bakery in Cressy, Tasmania is the sort of place that gets mentioned. Rustic Bakehouse is a country bakery and cafe where the cabinet is full and the portions are generous. Locals describe the food as fresh, tasty and big, with prices that feel fair for what you get.

The pies are what it's known for. We hear the pepper steak is a favourite, and the chicken and jalapeno has its fans too. Pasties get a mention as well, with one local calling their Cornish pastie crisp and perfectly seasoned. Sausage rolls, ham and salad rolls, pizza bread and party pies fill out the savoury side, and breakfast rolls are popular too.

Then there are the donuts. One customer has travelled for them. They're big, fluffy and not overly sweet, and flavours like Top Deck, creme brulee and biscoff come up often. If you're coming specifically for donuts, one visitor suggests ordering ahead through the bakery's website so your pick isn't gone. The vanilla slice has its own following, with one person calling it probably the best they've had, and the eclairs and other cakes and slices round out the cabinet.

It's a small shop with a big variety, and you can eat in, inside or out, or grab it to go. Coffee and tea are on offer, including a chai latte one visitor raves about, and there's free street parking, a wheelchair-accessible entrance and car park, and card and mobile payments. It works well as a lunch stop or a pit stop on the road.

The welcoming staff are a common thread, and the queue at busy times tends to be seen as a good sign. We've heard the odd grumble about service when it's busy and about a few items being on the dry side, but the pies, donuts and slices are what keep people coming back. It's open daily, with slightly shorter hours on weekends, so check the hours before you head in.