El Mercado

El Mercado is a South American bakehouse in Cheltenham that produces handmade, freshly baked products. The tagline is "handmade, freshly baked, every day", and locals say that's exactly how it tastes. One customer would drive here from anywhere for the empanadas alone.

Those empanadas are the main event. Fillings include slow-cooked beef, cheese and caramelised onion, blue cheese and walnut, and chipotle pork. They come with a little chimichurri on the side, and if you're buying a dozen to take home, they're labelled so you can tell the flavours apart. One local reckons they're the best they've found in Melbourne, and a parent says the beef and ham and cheese ones go to school in lunchboxes and still taste good at room temperature. Vegetarian options are easy to find, though they all use cheese, so vegans will want to look elsewhere.

The sweet side holds its own. People rave about the medialunas, alfajores, Portuguese tarts with a hint of orange in the custard, the morning bun, and the mil hojas with its thin crisp layers. Coffee, chai and milkshakes are all on offer, so it works as a proper sit-down stop as well as a grab-and-go.

You can dine in or take away, and they also do catering. Beyond the café counter, the bakehouse supplies cafes, bars and catering companies around Victoria. It's accessible, with a wheelchair-accessible entrance and car park, free street parking nearby, and cards and tap payments accepted.

The staff and owner come across as warm and generous, and the place has the feel of somewhere with regulars. It's popular, so get in early if you want a table. We've heard the odd quiet moment before being greeted at the counter when the team is busy, but people tend to come back anyway. Check the opening hours before you go, as they're closed one day of the week.