Baked at Ancora

It seems that bakeries are moving in one of two directions: rustic homebaked goods or fine patisserie.

Baked at Ancora gives us the best of both worlds: an artisan bakery producing rustic sourdough, fine patisserie and a select menu of brunch dishes with casual dining inside or out. All bases covered.

Opened by the PLB Group, who founded Osteria, Spice Den, Taverna and Bombay Cricketers Club, with the expertise of European-trained chef Gavin Rudd (more recently ex-Paddock and Bam Bam), the baked goods from Ancora are top draw.

The timber-clad bakery café with huge rustic barn doors literally hangs off one side of the group’s gorgeous blue and white Mediterranean-themed Ancora wedding function centre. It’s a top location adjoining a park shaded by poinciana and fig trees with both the wedding venue, café and park boast absolute water frontage overlooking the Terranora Inlet.

Full table service is available within the trendy café, where patrons can sit at tables or on swing chairs enjoying a full brunch-style menu as they watch the bakery at work through a huge viewing window.

The alternative is to dine more casually outdoors on the same menu, or to buy any of the baked items to take away or to eat outside looking over the river.

Shelves of sourdough, fresh out of the imported Bongard oven, line one end of the café. They’re so keenly priced that we buy two.

Made in a temperature-controlled pastry room, croissants are a taste of buttery flaky perfection, sausage rolls stuffed pork and fennel are the best we’ve tasted, and little cakes such as peach melba and meringue citron are a sweet decadent delight. Biscuits, cake, slices and muffins complete the takeaway menu, washed down with cold pressed juices or Tweed’s locally roasted Ground Control coffee.

Think that picnics are too much trouble? Think again! In a re-definition of the occasion, Baked at Ancora is geared up for the casual lifestyle of locals, offering picnic rugs and tray tables as a service for diners. There are also small tables and chairs available in the park.