Baketico by Wonder Pies

Pies are the main event at Baketico by Wonder Pies, a Collingwood bakery that locals treat as a proper stop for a hot lunch or a bag of something to take home. Wonder Pies is one of the suppliers, and the selection includes pies, sausage rolls and pastries. We hear the lasagne pie and the cheeseburger pastie are the ones to try if you want something a bit different, while the sausage rolls and a classic meat and gravy pie with golden pastry and chunky filling get plenty of love too. One visitor from across the Tasman, notoriously fussy about savoury pies, called them right up there with the best they'd had anywhere.

It's not all pastry and gravy. The spinach and ricotta rolls get a good wrap, the donuts and small cakes are worth a look, and one local rated the croissant among the buttery, soft best they'd tried. They also serve fresh bread, salads and coffee, and the flat white comes with a little biscuit on the side. Breakfast is on, and you can dine in, take away, get delivery or book catering. There's free street parking nearby, and they take cards and tap-and-go.

The room is small and cosy, with outdoor seating rather than much space inside, so plan on grabbing your order and heading off if the weather's bad. Not every pie is on the shelf each day, so a favourite can sell out. The staff are friendly and happy to steer you toward something good, and one visitor said it was lovely to be looked after even just before closing. They'll even tell you how to reheat a pie at home, which is a nice touch. If you'd like something for later, there are frozen party sausage rolls and mini pies, plus family-sized pies, to stock the freezer.

Prices are seen as fair for the quality, though one local did find a drink came out smaller than expected. Check the hours before you head in, since they close on a couple of days a week. For a pie, a coffee and a friendly counter in Collingwood, Victoria, it's an easy one to add to the rotation.