Dough Street

Dough Street is a fully gluten-free bakery and cafe in Balcatta, Western Australia, and for coeliacs around Perth it has become something close to a pilgrimage. We've heard people travel in from interstate and overseas just to eat here, and even those who don't avoid gluten tend to walk out impressed, with the odd friend not realising it was gluten-free at all.

The pastry is what people rave about. Croissants, almond croissants and pan au chocolat come out flaky and buttery, the cinnamon buns get a lot of love, and the steak pies are known for both filling and crust. Beyond that there's a good spread of sweet and savoury: sausage rolls, danishes (the mushroom one with caramelised onions has its fans), scrolls, donuts, cookies and cakes, plus focaccia and loaded sandwiches. The fresh-from-the-oven quality shows. It's a proper cafe too, with coffee, breakfast, brunch and lunch, dine-in or takeaway, and catering if you need it.

A few practical things. It's a small space and it's popular, so expect a queue at peak times, and the best items can go early in the morning, so it pays to get in fast. Parking gets tight when it's busy. There's seating inside and out, high chairs for little ones, and a wheelchair-accessible entrance and car park. The hours are limited to certain days of the week, so check them before you head over.

The staff come across as friendly and attentive, though one visitor found service a touch rushed on a busy day. Another mentioned the food can run on the rich, oily side, and a few sweeter or more sour flavours won't suit everyone. Those are small quibbles against a bakery that gives people with coeliac disease somewhere they can order without a second thought, and for pies, pastries and cinnamon buns in Balcatta, Dough Street is the place to try.