13D Australia Summer Trip: Bourke Street Bakery, Sydney
Cafes in Sydney opens pretty early everyday (usually from 7AM) but they close pretty early too (can be as early as 4PM). So I tried to make it a habit to start the day early. But sometimes, you cannot really believe your own standard of being early. As Lee and I have expected of our own capability, we were only able to get out from our accommodation around 9-ish. Not too shabby and yet, not significantly earlier than our usual waking-up time in Singapore when we are not working. But this timing works out to our convenience because by the time we were having our breakfast, the morning office crowd has dispersed and gone to their respective office buildings. This means we can easily find seats in any cafe for our breakfast fix. Woohoo!
For our first breakfast in Sydney, we are going to Bourke Street where the famous Bourke Street Bakery is located. Bourke Street is located in Surry Hills area and it is a quiet neighbourhood where you can enjoy morning/afternoon/evening walk peacefully.
Bourke Street Bakery is located at the corner of Bourke Street so you have to walk all the way until you reach the corner. The cafe was opened by a duo, Paul Allam and David McGuinness, who are both bakers and chefs. The cafe is famous for its artisanal breads, pastries, tarts, pies and sausage rolls. Bourke Street Bakery's morning pastry includes classic items like croissant (AUD 3.50) and chocolate almond croissant (AUD 5). Muffins like dark chocolate and raspberry or pear and rhubarb muffin (AUD 4.50) are also available as part of their morning pastries. Sourdough seems to be the nation's favourite bread because Bourke Street Bakery's daily artisan breads include many type of sourdoughs such as Soy & Linseed Sourdough (AUD 7.50) and Wholemeal Sourdough (AUD 7.50). If you prefer to have savoury items, you probably want to give their Pork and Fennel Sausage Roll (AUD 5.50) or Beef Pie (AUD 6) a try.
I feel like trying all of their menu but that would be kinda impossible for my stomach to handle so Lee and I decided to order one danish and one tart as our breakfast for that day. Our orders are served on a metal tin plates which I find a bit unusual and yet, unique at the same time. It was a breeze to find a table at Bourke Street Bakery after 9AM. Other than Lee and I, there were only two other tables, one occupied by two retirees and their dogs and the other one by a couple which seems too young to retire. Probably they were enjoying their off day.
The Pear Danish (AUD 4.50) has the right balance of fruit, custard filling and pastry. The pastry is heavenly and flaky I enjoyed my every bite of the danish so much.
The Passionfruit Curd Italian Meringue Tart (AUD 5.50) has a balance flavour of zesty and sweetness. The tart crust is crunchy and it holds up the filling of the tart pretty well without being crumbled easily. I initially thought that meringue will make the whole tart too sweet but the combination of passionfruit and meringue works toward a perfect balance of sweetness.
Bourke Street Bakery is located at:
633 Bourke Street
(the corner of Devonshire and Bourke Street)
Sydney, Australia
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 7AM to 6PM
Saturday and Sunday 7AM to 5PM