Elwood Patisserie & Bakery

If you're hunting for a bakery in Elwood, Victoria, Elwood Patisserie & Bakery is worth a visit. It's a big, busy corner of sweet and savoury baking, and locals will tell you the hardest part is deciding what to order. There are breads, pies, cakes, tarts and pastries all on display, plus savoury scones, sausage rolls and spanakopita for anyone after something other than sugar.

Pies are what the place is known for, and people keep mentioning the vanilla slice too, with its rich, creamy custard a long way from the bland kind. The choux bomb, filled generously with cream, has its own fans who order it every visit. Cheesecake and the wide cabinet of cake slices round things out, and we've heard the apple tart is a good pick. One local found a savoury pie a bit dry, and another thought the tiramisu's coffee flavour was too strong, so it pays to follow the crowd favourites.

Value is a big part of the appeal. People say prices feel fair for the range on offer, and the cakes may not be fussy boutique creations but are good honest slices at a sensible cost. Staff get friendly mentions from plenty of people, though one or two found the service a little brisk on a busy day, which is easy to believe when the place is heaving.

You can take your order away, dine in, or have it delivered, and there's coffee and breakfast if you want to settle in. There are tables outside, with a heater that locals say copes well in cold weather. Inside is on the tight side, but there is outdoor seating available. Access is straightforward, with a wheelchair-accessible entrance and car park, free street parking and cards and tap-and-pay all accepted.

The hours run long across the week, with early starts and late finishes, but check before you head in if you're coming at the edges of the day. For a wide choice under one roof, with pies and vanilla slice leading the way, Elwood Patisserie & Bakery is an easy one to put on the list.