Prior to my visit, I was told three things about Bourke Street Bakery: 1. The queues are long but move quickly 2. The shop is tiny and 3. They make fantastic baked goods worshiped by many.
I can confirm all three. It was 1.50pm on a Saturday afternoon, where we, pre-picnic and perilously peckish fronted up the store. We needed something delicious and tasty to take to Centennial Park to eat before enjoying a tandem bike ride. And like everyone said, the line was long but moved quickly. I was queueing for less than 5 minutes when I reached the crowded front of the counter. With 4 people taking orders behind a fairly small space, its organised chaos.
As I’ve been waiting in the line I’ve already had a chance to decide what I want. I choose my selection of two sausage rolls, two types of rolls and two tarts (the strawberry and vanilla brulee tart is fresh from the oven, the huge tray brought out while I am waiting). Alas the ginger creme brulee with pistachio is not available. Sometimes life is just not fair! Its a cry for the spoilt I know and don’t think I don’t know how ludicrous that sounds but I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t disappointed. There’s also quiches, sandwiches, pies, cookies and breads available.
Lamb, harissa and almond sausage roll $4
The short trip to Centennial Park is fraught with danger with the enticing aroma of the warm sausage rolls emanating from their brown paper houses. We unpack and unfurl our trusty picnic blanket quickly and slide our goodies out. With our wooden knife which we keep handy in the car we cut open the sausage rolls to reveal the filling. I try the Lamb, Harissa and almond sausage roll first ($4). Its flakey and gorgeous, delicious with harissa and the almond providing a lovely blunt crunch and the tiny currants sweetness. Why oh why did I take the smaller half?
Pork and fennel sausage roll $4
I try the slightly smaller and squat Pork and feel sausage roll next ($4), the one that they’re known for. Its good, very strong in fennel and my husband is enamoured of this baby. I confess I need to be in the mood for fennel and I am not today so I am greatly relieved that he swaps me his half of the lamb sausage roll for my half of the pork and fennel. See, they don’t sell you on that great part of marriage do they? They don’t have vows like “Do you promise that if your wife wants your piece of pastry, you will give it to her?”
We try the chorizo and thyme roll ($3). Its a twisted, knotted roll thick punctured with cubes of chorizo and shards of thyme. Its very tasty with the chorizo and thyme flavour strong but feels a touch dry on its own. I keep thinking that it would be wonderful with a soup, giving the soup a boost with its intense flavour.
Panini $1
We pick at the panini but at this stage, we’re feeling a little full. its soft inside with a smooth, slightly crunchy outer. It deserves a proper meal though and not to be preceded by the flavoursome sausage rolls or chorizo. I had it the next day for my lunch, toasted and filled and it was crunchily gorgeous.
Strawberry vanilla brulee tart $4.40
Now time for the tarts, who have miraculously survived the trip perfectly intact. We cut them in half to see what’s inside and the Strawberry and vanilla brulee gives that necessary crack of toffee. Its like I have OCD of toffee. I need to have the crunch. The pastry at Bourke St Bakery is apparently baked dark and a look and bite onto it and you can definitely see the darker, more caramelised, more flakey crust. Its so good you want to stamp your feet in emphasis.
Raspberry and chocolate mousse tart $4.40
The chocolate mousse and raspberry tart is next. The top scattered with what looks like Milo when its cut into half and the tangily sweet baked raspberries in the centre provide a gorgeous juxtaposition to the creamy, chocolately mousse. I confess I licked the mousse with my tongue in one swift motion and ate the tart shell still with some mousse still on it afterwards.
Mmmm yes, foot stampingly good.
Bourke Street Bakery
633 Bourke Street Surry Hills (Corner Devonshire Street)
Tel: +61 (02) 9699-1011.
Open Tue-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat-Sun 8am-5pm
Also located at 130 Broadway, tel: 92813113
15 Comments | Add your own
I like, no, luv the lamb rolls, more than the pork
I enjoy their tarts fillings but not a big fan of the tarts crust. They don’t seem to make the ginger brulee tarts much anymore.
Also used to be quite addicted to their sour cherry biscuits
my foot is stamping in unison (:
Foot stampingly good! Yes it is, you’re spot on. The other Bourke Street Baker is near us at Broadway, and its awesome. If you’re lucky you can get big slices of square pizza with different toppings that are oh so good. Well done on getting the tarts, I love them! I’ll be trying the sausage rolls next time, thanks.
Ooh, drove past this place on the weekend and made a mental note to visit (was on my way to Danks Street Depot which, by the way, sucks!).
Hi Tian-Yes the lamb one was better for me too. I really like the caramelisation on the tart shells, although this usually only happened to me if I cooked them for too long. Little did I know that you could call it “baked dark”!
I only saw the biscuits as I was paying. I might try them next time
Hi Sathya-Ooh you’re so lucky having one near you! Thanks for the pizza slice recs, I saw them and they looked really good so I’ll give them a go next time!
Hi Sheb-definitely give this place a go. Their sausage rolls are da bomb!
That’s too bad about Danks St Depot. What went wrong? I haven’t been yet so I’m curious.
Ooooh my favourite. Their sourdough is my staple and the rhubarb tart my favourite treat. Sathya is right, the pizza is also delicious. I could move in there and just live forever on bread, pizza, sausage rolls and tarts. Oh, I almost forgot, they make the best carrot cake I’ve ever eaten.
Hi Alison-I wanted to get a sourdough but forgot to ask for one in my panic to get my sausage rolls and tarts
Wow, it sounds like they really make everything well!
Just stumbled upon your blog and am really enjoying it.
I adore Bourke St Bakery and go whenever I am in Sydney (I now live in the US). My husband and I got the bread for our wedding day there, so great is our love for the place!
All this food talk has made me hungry….
M
Hi Mariana-Thanks so much!
Wow, you are a real foodie getting your wedding food from great suppliers like BSB! I’m sure your guests appreciated it too!
I’m pregnant and after reading about the sausage rolls I’m craving them even though I’ve never tried them.
Hi Irene-Congratulations!
I still crave more of the sausage rolls. The only downside is that other sausage rolls are kind of ruined now as they don’t compare 
hi! great post!
the coffee there is quite good too.
I went to the Bourke St Bakery in Broadway today and tried the Chorizio and Thyme roll. Delicious! I resisted the urge to get a strawberry brulee tart… maybe tomorrow
Hi Lisa-Thanks! I am getting the feeling that everything they do is good (unfortunately because I know I’ll want to try it all)
Thanks for letting me know about the coffee!
3 Trackbacks/Pingbacks
[...] Our sausage roll is last. Cut in half it has some melted cheese at the top and the centre looks like regular sausage with perhaps some ham ground into it as it’s pinker than your regular sausage roll filling. I wasn’t sure what to expect here, perhaps a layer of cheese and a layer of sliced bacon on top of the sausage meat. It’s fairly good but not particularly strong in the cheese and bacon flavour, especially when you compare it to the Bourke Street Bakery’s sausage rolls. [...]
[...] our visit to Bourke Street Bakery a few weeks back, we drove past The Book Kitchen, a cafe spilling over with patrons inside and out. [...]
[...] burger and $7 sausage roll. The most expensive sausage roll I’d had was the sausage roll at Bourke Street Bakery and even that was hardly what you’d call expensive at $4, and a lovely sausage roll it was. [...]
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