Tatiks Delights

Southbank has plenty of places for a coffee and a cake, but Tatiks Delights is the one to know if you want something you won't find at most Melbourne bakeries. It's billed as Melbourne's first Armenian bakery, and everything is handmade: layered Armenian cakes, savoury pastries and breads, with coffee and breakfast alongside.

The honey cake (medovik) is the item people talk about most. It's less a soft sponge than thin, biscuit-like layers that slowly soak up honey cream and soften as they sit, usually finished with a crunchy crumble. We've heard it called one of the best slices in Melbourne by several people. Napoleon cake and walnut cake also get a good word, and the cakes in general are described as rich but light rather than heavy.

Don't skip the savouries. The piroshki, golden pockets with a seasoned meat or potato filling, are a favourite. The khachapuri is a boat-shaped bread filled with melted cheese and topped with an egg yolk, and the feta borek and gata round out the range. One visitor found the honey cake dry and not to their taste, though that's a lone grumble against plenty of praise.

You can eat in, take away or have things delivered, and kerbside and in-store pick-up are available too. Custom cake orders for celebrations are a speciality, and they also cater events. One local who used them for a work function was full of praise for how helpful and accommodating Aisha was, from talking through the menu to handling a late change of date. Orders placed online have arrived fresh and well packaged, sometimes with a handwritten note, and the First Taste Box is a handy way to sample a bit of everything.

The team is friendly, the room is cosy, and there's free street parking and a free car park nearby. Opening hours differ between weekdays and weekends and the shop is closed one day a week, so check the hours before you head in.