We love bread but bread doesn’t necessarily love us back – until now. Well Bread & Pastry is here to reignite our soft spot for sourdough with irresistibly crusty-on-the-outside-fluffy-on-the-inside loaves that line the shelves of the beachside suburb’s new bakery. Although only being open for a week, the locals have been quick to embrace it with open arms judging by the constant stream of people in and out. Well Bread & Pastry is the handiwork of husband-and-wife duo Stefan and Michelle Van Der Hoven who, like many 20-somethings, spent a few (eight) years swanning around Europe and living their best yacht life. With plenty of time on his hands Stefan, a chef by trade, began dabbling in the art of bread making and quickly found himself with a new-found passion for baking. Stefan always knew he wanted to open his own venue someday so when the pair decided to plant some roots on the Gold Coast and start a family, the question of what that venue would be was a no-brainer.

Well Bread & Pastry’s impressive fit-out was inspired by the old-world charm of French bakehouses and brought to life by Michelle from Hamptons Design Co with an aesthetically pleasing palette of olive green and dark timber – most of which has been repurposed from a salvage yard. Breakfast bar-style seating underscores the expansive windows providing the perfect perch to indulge in a spot of people-watching over a pastry, and there are a handful of table settings. A cabinet brimming with Portuguese tarts, glazed-strawberry topped fruit danishes, croissants, scrolls and cookies takes pride of place on the front counter while those in the mood for something a little heartier can make their way over to the handmade sausage rolls and pies that are definitely not your servo variety. The bread is undoubtedly the hero here with a rotating selection of loaves ranging from spelt to dark rye lining the back shelves. Stefan uses traditional stoneground and roller mill methods to preserve the flavour and essential enzymes and nutrients of the wholegrain flour. The bread contains only four ingredients – flour, salt, water and a live culture – so there’s no chemicals or added preservatives whatsoever and undergoes a slow fermentation from 18 to 36 hours. The result is lighter and better for your gut than regular bread. What would baked goods be without coffee? Thankfully, you needn’t worry because the beans are supplied by the Gold Coast’s own Paradox Coffee Roasters and utilises the Penny Lane blend for milk-based sips and a rotating single-origin for long blacks.

If you too possess an appreciation for baked goods, skip over to our Stumble Guide for details.