In praise of the neighbourhood bakery
Pies, custard squares and the quiet economics of a good local. The bakery is the most democratic room in New Zealand food.
Every New Zealand suburb worth living in has one: the bakery where the tradies queue at seven, the office crowd at ten, and the school kids at three-thirty. It is the most democratic room in the country’s food culture, and its judgements are final — a town knows exactly which bakery has the best pie, and will tell you unprompted.
How to read a bakery
The tells are reliable. A cabinet that empties by early afternoon is a good sign; so is a short menu that never changes. If the mince and cheese sells out before the fancier options, the locals have voted.
A town knows exactly which bakery has the best pie, and will tell you unprompted.
Rate your local — the next hungry person will thank you.
Find a bakery