Pastry & Pieces

Pastry & Pieces is a bakery in Sale, Victoria, and the pies are what people tend to bring up first. The party pies at the front get special mention, with one local calling them the best pies they've ever had. The egg and bacon roll has its own following too, and one regular who has been popping in before school for a couple of years rates it as the perfect balance of bacon, egg and cheese. People who work nearby say they've lost count of the breaks they've spent on one.

Beyond pies, there's a mix of pastries and sandwiches, and sandwiches can be made to order. Sausage rolls and donuts come up often, and one local says the donuts are fried just right and rolled in a generous coat of sugar. An apple turnover and a coffee also made a good tea break for a traveller heading up to Falls Creek, and the passionfruit cream puffs have been worth a dedicated train trip from the Mornington Peninsula. Milkshakes get a good word as well, though one person found the drinks a touch sweet for their taste.

Cakes are a real strength. Families come here for custom birthday cakes, and one parent was delighted with a sponge decorated just the way their daughter asked: cream and jam, rainbow icing and sprinkles. Another says a last-minute phone order saved a birthday. People also mention fair prices, which is a relief when you're ordering for a crowd.

You can take your order away or sit in, with indoor and outdoor seating that locals describe as clean, plus coffee and breakfast on offer. Getting there is easy, with free street parking and a free car park, and the entrance and car park are wheelchair-accessible. They take cards and tap-and-go payments.

Most people talk warmly about the helpful staff, though the odd grumble surfaces about a slow or off-day experience. Check the hours before you head in, as weekends run shorter than weekdays.