Exeter Bakery

Exeter Bakery is a proper country bakery in Exeter, Tasmania, the sort of place where the pie cabinet, the sourdough and a good coffee all share the same warm room. Locals are quick to point to the pies. The scallop pie has had some fame beyond town, though it can sell out, so don't count on it. The pepper steak, chunky beef, chicken and potato pies, plus the sausage rolls, are what people tend to talk up. One local who has eaten a fair few pies around Tassie called this the best of them, and a line of tradies out the door tends to say the same thing.

Sourdough is a speciality here, and the cheese and bacon toast made from the next day's loaf gets a mention at breakfast. Sweet options are wide: custard tarts with a generous hand of custard, berry and custard muffins that come out warmed, apple slice and apple turnovers with flaky pastry, and a lemon meringue tart. We've heard the savoury range is a touch smaller than the sweet side, so it's worth knowing that going in. As with any busy bakery, freshness can vary, and one visitor was let down by a danish, though most people head away happy.

They also take custom cake orders, and you can eat in or take away. Coffee is a real part of the visit, served in a mug if you want it, and the cosy fireplace makes the seating inviting on a cold Tasmanian morning, with outdoor seating too. Staff come up again and again as friendly and patient, which matters when you're juggling a few mouths to feed.

Practical details are good: free street parking and a free car park, a wheelchair-accessible entrance and car park, and cards and tap payments accepted. Breakfast is on the menu, and a few travellers have walked over from nearby holiday stays to start the day here. Check the hours before you head in, as the bakery is closed one day of the week.