Banjo’s Bakery Café - Sorell

Banjo's Bakery Café in Sorell is the kind of stop that works whether you're grabbing something for the road or settling in for breakfast. It's a franchise bakery café, and the Sorell shop has built a solid local following around pies, fresh rolls and good coffee.

The pies are what people talk about most. Locals will tell you the range is a good one, from classic meat and curry chicken through to the scallop pie, which is a proper Tassie treat made with whole scallops. One traveller who stopped in on the road reckoned the pies were fresher and better than some of the famous ones. The cheese and bacon rolls get a lot of love too, especially when you arrive just as a batch comes out of the oven. Sausage rolls and toasties turn up in the praise as well.

If you've got a sweet tooth, the donuts are worth a try. We've heard there can be a dozen or more varieties on the day, soft and airy, with a whipped icing on top that isn't overly sweet. Chai, hot chocolate and cappuccinos all get a mention, and the coffee has won over a few people who say it beats other Banjo's outlets they've tried. The bread is baked fresh on the premises each day, and there are cakes and handmade treats alongside the savouries.

Staff are a highlight. People describe the team as friendly and helpful, and one family still talks about how kindly a staff member named Darcy handled a big coffee spill during their breakfast. It's a roomy shop with a cosy feel, easy parking out the front, and a wheelchair-accessible entrance, car park and toilet. You can dine in, take away, pick up in store or have it delivered, and they take custom cake orders and do catering too.

Opinion isn't unanimous. One person found a scroll on the dry side, and another noted that tables could use a wipe-down at busy times. Most people leave happy, though. The shop opens early and runs through to the evening, but check the hours before you head in.