Stressing in hipster-town

Noodlies, Sydney food blog visits a popular corner shop

It’s 8am on a crisp winter morning and there’s a quiet buzz around this busy corner shop, the famed Bourke Street Bakery. Low tables and benches are stacked against the walls and along the footpath, already fully occupied by an eclectic mix of people, mothers with prams, power couples with dogs in jackets and off-leash, boys in cycle get-ups and a group of ladies piercing the quiet hum, speaking in assertive Mandarin.

Noodlies is stressed, tired working on a story with an impossible deadline, requiring a visit to more than 30 eateries within 10 days – Bourke Street Bakery is one the list. To save precious time, I come to write the the story, at the location of this story, while the experience is still fresh. I have no intention of blogging about this experience, just to sample, quickly write-and-file before heading to the next eatery on my shortlist. Plenty have raved about Bourke Street Bakery on the bloggersphere and I reckon another post would be unnecessary.

But of course, I’m instantly enamoured with their croissants, stacked alluringly in the window. These crab like pastries are browner than other places, leaving a slight bitter after taste which only makes you want more. Flaky, light and buttery it leaves a satisfying mess on the plate and table when torn. The darker outer is a stunning visual contrast to the pristine white centre. Such a simple pastry that gives such profound pleasure. It’s even more sublime with a hot cup of strong flat white.

The queue is steady, the staff go about their business in a confident and friendly manner. When my croissant and flat white arrives, she says “enjoy your breakfast”, I’m charmed and chuffed, it’s exactly what this writer needs to hear as I face days of unending eating and writing.

Of course, Bourke Street Bakery is more than just croissants, there’s an amazing range of muffins, tarts, butter cakes as well as pies and a bewildering range of tasty sourdough bread. But for this project, it’s croissant, simple, plain and as it turns out, just what I need.

Wonderful food, lovely staff a community feel, I’m loving Bourke Street Bakery. I don’t have to blog about it, but I want to.

633 Bourke St, Surry Hills
(02) 9699 1011