Ouyen Mallee Bakery

Ouyen Mallee Bakery is known for a proper country pie. It's a bakery in Ouyen, Victoria, that does a lot more than pies, though, and it's the kind of place travellers on the highway are told to pull off for.

The pies are the main event. The lamb and rosemary gets plenty of love, with a rich gravy and tender meat under a crisp crust, and the cheese and bacon has its fans too. We've heard one visitor say the pastry on the pies and sausage rolls was properly crisp, and another compare the pies to the best they'd found on a long trip. Pasties and sausage rolls sit alongside them, and one local noted the cheese and bacon could do with a bit less gravy and a touch more filling, which is fair to mention.

Then there's the vanilla slice, which people travel through town specifically for. Slices in general are a highlight, so much so that one family bought extra for the road. Breads, cakes, sandwiches and rolls fill out the counter, and gluten free items are available, handy if you're travelling with particular needs. They also take custom cake orders.

You can eat in or take away. The indoor seating area is roomy and clean, and there's room out the front, where one couple sat with their dog. Coffee and breakfast are on offer, and people rate the coffee as full flavoured and not bitter. Breakfast burgers and toasties go down well too. Staff have a reputation for being friendly and welcoming, even when the queue is long, and prices are seen as good value for what you get.

It's accessible, with a wheelchair-accessible entrance and car park, free street parking and a free car park, and you can pay by card or mobile. Weekends can get busy, so allow a little time, and check the opening hours before you head in, as they're shorter on weekends.

If you're passing through Ouyen, grab a pie and a vanilla slice and take your time over a coffee.