It’s nice to catch up with a friend over coffee and cake. Some cafe options around Canberra are below:
La Baguette Cafe
After visiting for breakfast one morning, I discovered that La Baguette Cafe at the Australian National University (Arts building) bakes an amazing assortment of tarts every day. Apple, apricot, blueberry tarts and more all displayed in a large glass cabinet. The apple tart is not too sweet with a lovely buttery pastry shell. I remember thinking, this would be nice to have one afternoon with coffee and a book. La Baguette Cafe is only open Monday to Friday.
ANU School of Art Building
105 Ellery Crescent, Acton, Canberra ACT
Lolo and Lola
This Filipino bakery has a dedicated pastry chef and the cake and other dessert specials change daily. The ube white chocolate mudcake is my favourite, along with the yema cake, cheesecake ensaymada and the various flavoured sans rival made fresh in house. You can try Filipino coffee to accompany these tasty treats. Lolo and Lola’s monthly merienda cena, or afternoon tea, is a great way to get to know and taste the food with a whole course of different desserts to try.
2/3 Watson Place, Watson, Canberra ACT
Italian Continental Bakery and Cafe
The longstanding Italian Continental Bakery in Mawson has a huge range of cakes, cannoli – original, baked and Sicilian styles, doughnuts, macarons, vanilla slice and custard-filled pastries to choose from. My go-to are the original cannoli (basically a long Italian doughnut filled with custard). The cafe also do a nutella hot chocolate if coffee isn’t your thing.
1 Mawson Place, Mawson, Canberra ACT
Le Bon Melange
I love the hummingbird cake at French patisserie Le Bon Melange in Gungahlin. Very sweet but so good. There are so many other cakes you can choose from in the display cabinet including the opera cake, various tarts, cheesecakes, Mille Feuille, doughnuts and more.
Corner Gungahlin Place and Bruning Street, Gungahlin, Canberra ACT
Flute Bakery
The downside to Flute Bakery in Fyshwick is that it is only open Monday to Friday and closes at 3pm. If you get a day off, it’s worth sitting down in the quaint courtyard with a coffee and cake or two. Get in early for a better selection of pastries, cakes and macarons as items sell out fast.
8 Barrier Street, Fyshwick, Canberra ACT
Passiontree Velvet
You can find Passiontree Velvet in the beauty hub of the Canberra Centre. Red velvet, carrot cake, raspberry meringue, pistachio framboise, rose and lychee, bergamot tarts, macarons and more. They also do matcha lattes and iced teas.
148 Bunda Street, Canberra city, ACT
Adore Tea
Located at Gold Creek Village in Nicholls, the Adore Tea teahouse offers hundreds of different types of teas for purchase. The tea menu is the most extensive in Canberra with descriptions and flavour profiles of each type of tea to try at the tea house. Adore Tea also sell scones with jam and cream, apple tart, chai infused carrot cake, pavlova, and tea-infused ice cream. There’s coffee if you’re not a tea fan. It’s such a quaint area with both indoor and outdoor seating, and there is absolutely no rush to leave.
18 O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls, Canberra ACT
Silo Bakery
There is always a queue at Silo Bakery in Kingston so the earlier you get there the better. The queue is for both seating (there aren’t many tables) and to purchase the various tarts, pastries and bread to go. I always start to drool whenever I go in to see the range of freshly baked tarts that come in a variety of flavours – vanilla brulee, peach and raspberry, pear and caramel, chocolate crumble etc. These come in various sizes and are perfect for afternoon tea. There are also amazing almond croissants, pain au chocolat, and escargots studded with raisins. If you can’t find a table, get some to go and have your own afternoon tea at home or walk down to the Kingston Foreshore for a picnic.
36 Giles Street, Kingston, Canberra ACT
Dobinsons
Dobinsons in Civic (Canberra Centre) have a huge range of cheap cakes and tarts starting from around $4. Think chocolate ganache tarts, New York baked cheesecake, banana custard tarts, lime tarts, apple pie, cherry pie, chocolate jaffa slice, salted caramel slice and more. Apart from coffee, Dobinsons also do a matcha chai latte, coconut hot chocolate and mint hot chocolate.
177 Bunda Street, Canberra city, ACT
Sonoma Bakery
Although there are no actual cakes, Sydney’s Sonoma Bakery in Braddon offers some delectable pastries – almond croissants, custard flan tarts, morning buns, kouign amann, fruit danishes, pain au chocolat, chocolate brownies and more. You’ll also find single origin coffees and a Belgian hot chocolate to go with your sweet snack.
View this post on InstagramFreshly baked pastries that are irresistible. #SonomaBraddon #ForTheLoveOfBread
1/21 Lonsdale Street, Braddon, Canberra ACT
La Sable Patisserie
Located in Mitchell, La Sable Patisserie offers Black Mountain coffee, French-style cakes and desserts, macarons, and danishes all freshly made. La Sable have a regular clientele of locals and people who work in Mitchell. It’s been so popular, that the owners opened a second La Sable Patisserie Express store in the same neighbourhood.
La Sable Patisserie – 83/81-101 Lysaght St, Mitchell, Canberra ACT
La Sable Patisserie Express – 2/12 Stanford Street, Mitchell, Canberra ACT
Ricardo’s and Space Kitchen
Ricardo’s in Jamison and sister cafe Space Kitchen in Woden always have a brightly coloured cabinet of goodies – the Cookie Monster, the bomb, mango cheesecake, the milo, the mushroom and lots more. Enjoy them at the cafe or take them home. There’s also a bit more variety with drinks such as the malteser hot chocolate, iced oreo and peppermint, and a strawberries and cream shake.
Ricardos – Jamison Plaza, 1/1 Bowman St, Macquarie ACT
Space Kitchen – 3g/12 Furzer St, Phillip ACT
Knead Patisserie
Though I am yet to try Knead in Campbell, the Belconnen location is a favourite with market-goers. Selling all sorts of cakes, tarts and pastries. You might also recognise their goods at Tinker Tailor in Casey.
Knead Patisserie – Shop 18, Belconnen Fresh Food Markets, Ibbott Ln, Belconnen ACT
Knead Bakery – 55/65 Constitution Avenue, Campbell ACT
Sweet Bones Bakery & Cafe
Specialising in vegan cupcakes and desserts like the Cocowhip, there’s plenty of indoor and outdoor dining. I haven’t figured out how they make their cupcakes so super moist and lush. Delish. They also have scrolls, brownies, raw balls, cookies, cake pops, whole cakes and even do wedding cakes. Coffees and turmeric lattes available.
8/18 Lonsdale Street, Braddon ACT (entrance on Eloura Street)
Ciao Cafe and Cakes
A second Ciao Cafe has opened in Braddon (with the original in Queanbeyan) with an all day breakfast and lunch menu, as well as an assortment of cakes, cannoli, muffins, brownies and more.
You can even drool over the tall cake cabinet where you can purchase half sizes or a full cake – baked cheesecakes, tortas, mudcakes, and gluten-free, egg-free or vegan cakes made to order. Dirty chais and turmeric lattes available.
12/33 Mort St, Braddon ACT
Via Dolce Pasticceria
A large cabinet of delectable goodies to choose from – cakes, tarts, crostini, biscotti, eclairs, pies, tiramisu, and there’s also a gelato bar at the front. I haven’t been to Via Dolce in years but it’s always packed out whenever I walk past.
106 Bunda St, Canberra ACT
Where do you like going for coffee and cake?
If you want more random photos and updates about food, I’m on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:
Facebook: /foodpornjournal
Twitter: @foodpornjournal
Instagram: /foodpornjournal