You know you’ve hit on a great idea when people respond to it immediately. When Banette Bayside opened a brand-new location on Bay Terrace in Wynnum back in mid-November, hoards of locals turned out from the jump. By the time we check Banette out two weeks later, the bakery cafe is still busy with patrons occupying most of Banette’s street-side tables. But according to Banette Bayside’s owner Tim Marco, it’s the first day where his team hasn’t been run off its feet. “It’s been insane,” admits Tim, in regards to the soft-opening period. “We didn’t advertise, but there was a line at the door from opening to close in the first week to the point where it was hard to keep up with the demand and the production.”

One could attribute the instant popularity as a sign of Wynnum’s overwhelming (and frankly, valid) desire for more baked goods. You could also point to Banette’s established reputation as a significant driver of interest – its Rosalie and West End bakeries are also exceptionally popular. In the end, it’s the product that does the talking. Banette is regarded as one of Brisbane’s premier purveyors of French-style baked goods. Part boulangerie, part patisserie, part cafe and part epicerie, the venue goes to great lengths to deliver an offering that is as close to the genuine article as it can be. “We don’t even call it ‘French style’ – for us, it’s a French bakery,” says Paris-born Tim. “We’re using all French ingredients. We import French butter, French flour and French cheese. We’ve got some French staff, as well. Even the epicerie (a small retail shelf located near Banette’s pastry counter) features all French imported products.”

Those that have arrondissement-hopped around Paris will agree that Banette’s range of pastries, cakes and savoury items certainly looks legit. You’d be hard pressed to pick between the fruit-filled danishes, decadent chocolate eclairs, caramelised kouign amanns (which are filled with custard on the weekends), citrus-packed lemon tarts and the croissants (including the flaky classic, ham-and-cheese, and almond- and pistachio-coated options). You can’t forget the bread, either – Banette’s rustic and sourdough loaves are delightfully soft, with a clutch of baguette sandwiches making for a great grab-and-go option.

Speaking of which, Banette Bayside’s most popular item so far is undoubtedly its croque monsieur, which Tim admits has been selling out as quickly as they can make them. “Some days we sell over a hundred of them,” says Tim of the cheesy masterpiece. “We’ve got one of our bakers dedicated to just making them on the weekend.” While plans are in the works to add more cafe-style dishes to the offering (think avocado toast and brekkie sandwiches with a buttery croissant as a bun), the Banette team is holding off until the opening frenzy dies down, at least a little bit. You can also get top-notch coffee from Noosa-based first specialty roaster Clandestino, especially if you can’t have a croissant without a silky caffeine hit to go with it.

Banette Bayside is now open to the public daily from 6:30 am until sold out. Head to the Stumble Guide for more information.