Black Swan Bakehouse

Black Swan Bakehouse is a family-owned bakery in Midland, Western Australia, with a baking pedigree to match: the website talks about 29 years' experience in the baking industry. The focus is artisan breads, sourdough and in-house pastries, cakes and pies, and there's a café area for sitting down over a barista-made coffee or grabbing something to take away.

Sourdough is the headline here. Locals mention the rye, jalapeño and beetroot loaves as favourites, and one regular described it as the most amazing bakery in the Gilbert's building, always busy. Fruit toast and raisin bread come up too, as do brownie bites. Our advice is to ask for your sourdough with a quick look at how well it's baked through, because we've heard one or two loaves have come out underdone, and it's a letdown when you've made a drive for it.

Pies are the other draw. One local called out a pie that was generous on the filling with good pastry, and lower priced than average. Sausage rolls and vanilla slice get a nod as well. Things come fresh from the oven, and the range of breads, cakes and pastries is wide enough that people have used the place to cater events. One group came away happy with sandwiches and slices for a function, and another had a large mixed donut order sorted for a wake, with a staff member named Faye clarifying the details and offering suggestions along the way.

Staff are mostly spoken of warmly. People mention friendly service and helpful advice, including help choosing loaves for a family occasion. Opinion isn't all one way: we've heard a few grumbles about orders going astray, inconsistent pricing at the counter and a slower, chattier pace from some younger staff, so for larger or pre-arranged orders it pays to confirm the details when you collect.

Black Swan Bakehouse offers dine-in and takeaway, coffee and breakfast, gluten-free options and custom cake orders. There's a free car park with wheelchair-accessible parking and entrance, and they take cards and tap payments. Hours run long, with doors open into the evening most days, but check the times before you head in, and ring ahead for cake orders.