Manna Bakery

Manna Bakery is a Korean bakery in Oakleigh, Victoria, turning out freshly baked breads, pastries, cakes and cookies made daily. It's the kind of shop where the smell reaches you before you reach the door, and one local said they could pick out the aroma of the bread from outside.

The range is wide, covering both sweet and savoury Korean-style breads. The red bean cream bread is something to try, with light fresh cream balancing the sweetness of the bean paste. The sweet potato bread is worth a visit too, soft and chewy with real sweet potato inside. Others rave about the garlic bread, the chestnut loaf studded with chestnut pieces, the peanut-crust bun, a mocha bun and a Korean donut finished with chewy mochi sugar. The sweet potato cake and the pizza slice, generous with sausage and sauce, are also worth a look. The fillings are known for being generous, and the cream is kept pleasantly restrained rather than sugary.

People talk about the welcome as much as the baking. Staff are friendly, the owner is warm, and you'll usually be greeted with a smile as you come and go. The shop itself is spotless and quiet. Prices are considered good value for what you get.

If you'd rather plan ahead, they take orders for pickup and also do delivery, and custom cakes can be ordered. Takeaway and in-store pick-up are available, and you can have a coffee or breakfast with your bake. There's free street parking and a free car park, and they take cards and mobile payments. There's no sitting area, and the shop faces busy Warrigal Road, so it's a grab-and-go stop rather than a place to linger. They're closed some days and keep shorter hours on the weekend, so check the hours before you head in.

If you're after a Korean bakery in Oakleigh, arrive with an appetite, as one customer found themselves buying more than planned.