Brioche by Philip

If you work in the Melbourne CBD and want something better than a desk-side muffin, this is the sort of French-style bakery people tell each other about. Brioche by Philip sits on Little Collins Street, and the pastry cabinet is the main event: croissants, danishes, donuts and the bronuts that regulars keep returning to. Locals rave about the matcha red bean mochi croissant, which comes out gooey and a little different from the usual. Others go for the coffee almond bronut, which is warmed up and brought to your table, or the soft, tear-apart brioche loaf, which people say is buttery, chewy and fluffy all at once. The ham and cheese roll baked into the bread has its own fans, including someone who followed the brand over from its Prahran days.

You can eat in or take away, and coffee and breakfast are both on offer. Weekday mornings tend to be calm, with decent seating and no scramble for a table, and the staff get a lot of friendly mentions for being warm, quick and welcoming. We hear it's a handy pick for travellers too, whether you're staying at a nearby hotel and fancy skipping the buffet, or grabbing something fresh before a flight.

Value comes up often. People talk about donuts with rich fillings (custard, salted caramel, Nutella) at prices that feel fair for what you get, and a couple of pastries with two large takeaway coffees coming in well under what you'd expect in the city.

Not every pastry wins everyone over. One visitor found an almond croissant a touch dry, though the matcha red bean croissant the next day made up for it. That's the exception rather than the story.

The entrance is wheelchair-accessible, and cards and tap-to-pay are all accepted. They keep weekday hours and are closed on weekends, so check the hours before you head in.