19 April 2016

Cheap eats - Erindale Cakery Bakery (Erindale Shops)

| Amy M
Join the conversation
14
Erindale Cakery Bakery

When I was at university I worked as an assistant at ACT Public Libraries. I looked forward to my shifts at Erindale with particular enthusiasm because at lunchtime I could follow the hordes of Erindale College students into the shopping centre and join the long queue at the bakery for a fresh sausage roll and cinnamon donut (what sort of 19-year-old cares about nutrition?).

Not much has changed in the past six years. I arrive at 11am on a weekday, and although Coffee Guru, Donut King and Michel’s Patisserie are also in the vicinity, the only queue is for the Erindale Cakery Bakery next to Woolies. It’s a good sign – for as long as I can remember the bakery has had a strong Southside following.

The line is reasonably long, which gives me plenty of time to plan my order. In the windows are rows and rows of neenish tarts, gingerbread men, cinnamon donuts, iced donuts, chocolate croissants, fruit tarts and gluten free caramel slices.

I’m spoiled for choice, and that’s before I’ve even looked at the savoury options, which include pies of just about every flavour, sausage rolls, ham and cheese croissants and even hot dogs with the lot. It’s certainly not the sort of place you’d meet your paleo friend for coffee, but I think in this case the paleo devotees would be missing out.

erindale cakery bakery pie

I choose a beef and mushroom pie with sauce and a French vanilla slice and get plenty of change back from a $10 note (the whole meal only cost $7.90!). There isn’t much seating inside the centre, so I head outside and find a bench to eat. A note to those who have similar plans: The neighbourhood magpies are rather tame and have no issues with helping themselves to your lunch.

Meat pies are one of my favourite foods, and I eat them often enough to know what separates a good one from an average one: flaky and buttery pastry, big chunks of meat and rich gravy. (As an aside, I never order curry pies. Curries and pie-making are two different culinary art forms and I’m yet to discover a bakery that nails both.)

This pie has flaky and buttery pastry and rich gravy. The meat isn’t as chunky as I’d like, but since we’re talking suburban bakeries and not My Kitchen Rules, it’s no big deal. It’s a good pie.

vanilla slice erindale cakery bakery

The French vanilla slice is also delicious, but in my opinion vanilla slice is a lot more difficult to screw up than a meat pie. There were two thick slabs of custard wedged between light pastry layers and a generous dusting of icing sugar, and I scoffed the whole thing in about a minute.

For those who work in Tuggeranong, or live close enough to pick up a treat for lunch on the way to the office, Erindale Cakery Bakery is a pretty good place for a cheap feed.

What: Erindale Cakery Bakery
Where: Erindale Shopping Centre (inside, next to Woolworths)
Opening hours: 7am to 7pm, seven days per week

Join the conversation

14
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Just bought loaf of Multigrain bread and 2 vanilla slices at Erindale Bakery for our lunch. Bought slices on recommendations on the Riot Act.

Bread was ok. Bit light on with the grains, but the vanilla slice. What a huge disappointment!!!

The Gumnut patisserie at Berrima and Bowral won Best Vanilla Slice in NSW last year and the difference between Erindale Bakery and the Gumnut is like comparing chalk and cheese.

Erindale for $4.20 one gets a very ordinary custard stuck between a couple of bits of thin wafer like pastry.

Gumnut has several thickish layers of crunchy, buttery, delicious pastry about 1/3 bigger than the Erindale one. It’s also has a FAR superior custard. The Erindale one can be scoffed in 2 bites, where the Gumnut one takes a good 10 minutes to savor.

Unfortunately Berrima is so far away, but do yourself a favour next time you’re passing that way. Coffee’s great also.

VYBerlinaV8_is_back8:27 am 16 Mar 15

Rollersk8r said :

VYBerlinaV8_is_back said :

Rollersk8r said :

Dobinsons’ vanilla slice is good but not great, although it does score extra points for being the size of a house brick. The best that I can recall is Braidwood Bakery, although I haven’t been there for years…

I had one this week from Glasshouse cafe in the city that was surprisingly good, better than the last Dobinsons one. I’m off to the coast this weekend so I might have to stop at the Braidwood Bakery and sample their wares.

It is very, very important to know if the vanilla slice – and the bakery in general – is still good. Let us know!

OK, so I stopped at the Braidwood bakery and had a sausage roll and vanilla slice.

First up, the service was good. Friendly smiles and plenty of staff, good choice, reasonable price.

The sausage roll was great, nice filling.

The vanilla slice was truly excellent. What I especially liked was that the custard wasn’t super sweet, but the icing was, so you got a nice blend of sweet and creamy, depending on how you ate it. Size was good, price was good. Would eat again.

I encourage members of the RiotACT community to stop here on the way to or from the coast. This is a good business that is worth supporting.

watto23 said :

I’m a big fan of a variation of the vanilla slice. Apparently its origins are dubious but a hotel in bled in Slovenia claim to have invented it and its very delicious. Its half vanilla slice and half cream slice. I had one with coffee daily when I visited Bled.

Just the thought of a Bled Cream cake has me salivating at my workdesk!

I’m sure I put on about 5 kilos when I visited Bled a few years ago from all the Bled Cream Cakes I had. Soooooooo yummy! Bled is a wonderful place in its own right (What a lake and amazing Castle and Church on the island), but the cakes just top it off!

watto23 said :

I’m a big fan of a variation of the vanilla slice. Apparently its origins are dubious but a hotel in bled in Slovenia claim to have invented it and its very delicious. Its half vanilla slice and half cream slice. I had one with coffee daily when I visited Bled.

Oooh yes I would kill for a kremna rezina right now! Bled is the best.

VYBerlinaV8_is_back said :

Rollersk8r said :

Dobinsons’ vanilla slice is good but not great, although it does score extra points for being the size of a house brick. The best that I can recall is Braidwood Bakery, although I haven’t been there for years…

I had one this week from Glasshouse cafe in the city that was surprisingly good, better than the last Dobinsons one. I’m off to the coast this weekend so I might have to stop at the Braidwood Bakery and sample their wares.

It is very, very important to know if the vanilla slice – and the bakery in general – is still good. Let us know!

VYBerlinaV8_is_back2:03 pm 12 Mar 15

Rollersk8r said :

Dobinsons’ vanilla slice is good but not great, although it does score extra points for being the size of a house brick. The best that I can recall is Braidwood Bakery, although I haven’t been there for years…

I had one this week from Glasshouse cafe in the city that was surprisingly good, better than the last Dobinsons one. I’m off to the coast this weekend so I might have to stop at the Braidwood Bakery and sample their wares.

I’m a big fan of a variation of the vanilla slice. Apparently its origins are dubious but a hotel in bled in Slovenia claim to have invented it and its very delicious. Its half vanilla slice and half cream slice. I had one with coffee daily when I visited Bled.

Amy Birchall11:27 am 12 Mar 15

Rollersk8r said :

“… there is nothing worse than the generic mass-produced type sold at takeaways. Inedible! Vanilla slice needs to be fresh and the contents needs to be cold and creamy and not too solid. Icing could also be debated at length!

The best that I can recall is Braidwood Bakery, although I haven’t been there for years…

Agreed. It’s well worth a trip down the coast just for a vanilla slice at Braidwood Bakery. .

North Western Victoria is Australia’s Vanilla Slice capital and so may very well be the World’s Vanilla Slice capital. Ouyen used to hold the championships but bailed in 2011 after a decade or so and Merebin did it after that. I’m not sure if they still do.

The Mallee bakery was the place to go and still is.

I want to go to there! But I must strongly disagree on one point – there’s a much bigger margin between good and bad when it comes to vanilla slice compared to pies!!

I am a world authority on the subtle differences that make a truly great vanilla slice – and a caramel slice for that matter! In both cases there is nothing worse than the generic mass-produced type sold at takeaways. Inedible! Vanilla slice needs to be fresh and the contents needs to be cold and creamy and not too solid. Icing could also be debated at length!

Dobinsons’ vanilla slice is good but not great, although it does score extra points for being the size of a house brick. The best that I can recall is Braidwood Bakery, although I haven’t been there for years…

VYBerlinaV8_is_back12:23 pm 11 Mar 15

Magpie said :

Speaking of vanilla slice, perhaps there should be a vanilla slice taste-off on RiotAct. I’d happily go anywhere in Canberra for a great one.

Hell yes.

Milly Withers12:18 pm 11 Mar 15

Magpie said :

Speaking of vanilla slice, perhaps there should be a vanilla slice taste-off on RiotAct. I’d happily go anywhere in Canberra for a great one.

Another vote for a vanilla slice taste off!

Speaking of vanilla slice, perhaps there should be a vanilla slice taste-off on RiotAct. I’d happily go anywhere in Canberra for a great one.

I agree with your review. They also have a great range of fresh baked bread rolls in different styles and flours – panini is my favourite.. The wholemeal options are very good as well – even a choice of plain or topped with sesame seeds.
I am also glad that they are now selling scones (two types) again. These were previously only available on special order.
Their curried pies are scrumptious on a cold day.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.