Heyfield Bakery

Heyfield Bakery is the kind of country-town bakery that gets busy at lunchtime, and for good reason. If you're after a bakery in Heyfield, Victoria, for pies, rolls or something sweet with a coffee, it's well known around town.

Pies are the main drawcard. People talk about the range of flavours, from a lamb and mint pie that one local described as chunky and minty to a beef brisket pie that goes down well with a splash of tomato sauce. Not everyone loves every flavour (one visitor found a pulled beef curry pie a bit light on meat), but the general verdict is that the pies are tasty. The sausage rolls get just as much praise, including a cheese and bacon version and a plain one that one visitor called the best they'd ever had. Because the hot range is popular, we've heard it pays to come earlier in the day if you have your heart set on a particular pie. Plenty of people have turned up late and missed their first choice.

Beyond the hot cabinet, there's a sandwich counter and ready-made salad and chicken rolls for grabbing on the go, plus fresh focaccia, cakes and slices. The vanilla slice gets a good wrap, with crisp pastry, a nice filling and not too sweet. Coffee scrolls, milkshakes and a decent cup of coffee round things out. Locals like that the food is made on site and has that handmade country feel, and one visitor reckoned it was a good deal cheaper than the city.

You can eat in or take away, and they also do catering and custom cakes. If you're bringing a group through, we hear they can organise a larger order with a day's notice, so it's worth giving them a call ahead. The staff come in for warm mentions too, described as friendly, patient and quick with a joke, and service is quick even when the place is flat out. There's free street parking nearby and a wheelchair-accessible entrance and car park, and they take card and mobile payments. They open early on weekdays and keep shorter hours on weekends, so check the hours before you head in.