When you travel somewhere there is always one place that people ask if you have visited. For me when I visited Canberra last time it was Silo bakery. Inevitably it will also be the place that you fail to visit which happened to us last time as we were in Canberra on a Sunday and it was closed. But not this time as the gorgeous Gaynor from Accor made sure that I got my wish to visit Silo Bakery in Kingston which is about a 10 minute cab ride from the city centre of Canberra. It’s busy of course as they do a roaring breakfast trade. The line stretches all the way down the counter this Friday morning and on Saturday it is said to stretch all the way down to the back of the 47 seater cafe.
Silo Bakery was started by Leanne Gray who is a chef by trade and Graeme Hudson a former scientist who runs the front of house. We sit down and take a look at the menu. Since it is truffle season there are two truffle based options: scrambled eggs and baked eggs with truffles. I opt for the scrambled eggs as I know that that is a great way to showcase truffles while Gaynor and Katrina order the baked eggs and Heather orders the poached eggs with chilli jam.
Sunrise juice $5.50
I start with a Sunrise juice which is freshly squeezed orange and raspberry juice which lends the fresh orange juice a gorgeous richness in flavour and colour. Gaynor starts with their hot chocolate which isn’t bad although I like super rich hot chocolates. While we wait for our food we check out the cheese room which has truffle butter and a range of cheeses, French butter and chilli jam.
Truffle butter
Fresh local truffle
The truffle butter is made of truffles that have been stabilised in butter with parsley and then rolled in ground rice to give it that unusual appearance. The Canberra truffle industry has grown and there are now about 100 truffle farmers. Interestingly here at Silo, they use New Zealand butter as Australian butter doesn’t have a high enough fat content for the pastries.
Tea-how cute is the milk bottle!
The Evie
We try an “Evie” which is a bread that was created by their daughter Evie when she was small and playing around with the dough. It features apple, raisins and an almond frangipane filling and it multi layered and buttery. Evie is now 19 years old and works in the bakery and we see her flit back and forth attending to the customers.
Our meals arrive shortly after and I start on my scrambled eggs ($16). And yes there is a picture missing as I was a bit flustered trying to capture everyone’s meals that I clear forgot to take a picture of mine! Arrrggh!! Although you’ll have to trust me in that they look like scrambled eggs with some dark truffle flecks. They are incredibly good, perfectly flavoured and really bring out the richness of the truffle while at the same time, tempering its earthiness. The bread it has to be said is worthy of all of the acclaim.
Baked eggs with cheese, celery, truffle and walnut toast $21
I try some of Katrina’s baked eggs. We’re both surprised as we expected them to be baked with a tomato sauce and instead it’s baked in cream with a wash rind cheese although it needs a touch of seasoning.
Chilli jam, roasted tomatoes, poached eggs on bruschetta $15
I also try some of Heather’s chilli jam which came with poached eggs and it is satisfyingly spicy although I didn’t try the rest of her meal (manners and all that 
).
Leanne Gray
We get a little tour of the kitchen and meet Leanne who bakes every day. Unlike a traditional baker’s hours which is baking from the early hours and leaving at 6am, she does split shifts which makes for a better life balance but also provides fresher bread. They use slow fermented yeast and never add sugar to it. The pizza bases are made using the same dough as the baguettes.
Wool basket filled with bread
Stirato $5 Potato and gruyere pie $3.50 and blueberry brioche $5.50
We know that even though we have a lot of luggage to take back with us, we can’t resist and buy some goodies. I buy a Stirato bread which is soft and spongy with a floury baked outer. The bread’s soft texture is ideal with the scrambled eggs and Poacher’s Pantry ham that I’ve brought back. I buy a potato and gruyere pie for the flight back home but end up eating it at home after heating it on the oven. It’s seasoned well but the potatoes are not quite fully cooked and give a little bite back. The blueberry brioche is buttery and dense.
Banana & Caramel tart $5.50 and date and ginger tart $5.50
I am undecided about the tarts so I ask the girl behind the counter which is better or more popular. “They’re both different” she says which doesn’t make it easier. I choose the date and ginger tart for Mr NQN and a banana and caramel one for me (ok really they’re both for me, but I need to make a gesture don’t I? . There is also a chestnut and chocolate tart and a chocolate and pink peppercorn one. The tarts have a good base and both have nice fillings although I think transporting them back to Sydney proved to be a foolhardy idea as they didn’t arrive in an ideal condition. Next time I think I’ll have to stay a bit longer and eat them there.
So tell me Dear Reader, what is your favourite baked good? A croissant? Tart? Pain au chocolat?
NQN travelled to and explored Canberra as a guest of Accor Hotels and Australian Capital Tourism.
Silo Bakery
36 Giles Street, Canberra, ACT
Tel: +61 (02) 6260 6060
open tuesday to Saturday 7am-4pm
No bookings for breakfast but bookings recommended for lunch
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53 Comments | Add your own
oooh Lorraine! I am so excited that you got to go to Silo! It sure is very popular amongst us Canberrans
Such a delicious foods and Drinks. no one can hide their eagerness in front of those foods. Liked the pictures. They are Awesome.
OMG this is making me drool – I would visit Canberra just to try those egg dishes. What a phemonenal place.
One favourite baked item? Only? Perfect almond croissants, fresh aromatic bread, CAKES! Let’s be honest: all of it.
Wow, you seem to travel a lot! Or do you just portion out your posts about travel? This place sounds pretty good, if I’m ever back in Canberra I’ll know where to go for breakfast.
You’ve jut reminded me that it is the winter truffle season now… I am going to keep my eye a for them!
Probably not very authentic, but I love a good cripsy croissant with jarlsberg cheese and ham in the centre mmm
I’ve actually visited this place before as part of a work trip. Like your friend Heather, I had the ‘chilli jam, roasted tomatoes, poached eggs on bruschetta’. It was awesome, I’m still salivating coz the housemade chilli jam went really well with the poached eggs.
Wow – where to start? I think the date and ginger tart is for me
Silo is my second home, and I’m proud to consider Graham, Leanne, and Eva friends. Nothing beats hanging out with Graham in the cheese room, sneaking little bits and pieces of cheese.
Their snail pastry is my favourite, followed by the almond croissant. Of the tarts, the blackcurrant, mint, and cabernet absolutely owns my soul.
At lunchtime, I can never say no to their pizza. As much as I try to branch out, it always wins me over!
Ps…Eva told me her original “Evie” recipe contained chocolate – as you would imagine a little kid would do! I’m doing my best to convince Leanne to re-release the original prototype… Evie 2.0?!
Oh I wish that was there when I lived in Canberra, must put it on the to-do-list when we visit next!
I stay in Kingston when I go to Canberra and have not happened across this mecca of baked goods, the other offerings in Kingston are also excellent…wow…next time, next time. My favourite baked good would have to be a sweet tart of any description…(readers of my blog would know that!)
Oh I loved silo bakery, when I used to live in Canberra. Delicious pastries….
Oh, I used to love going to Silo when I lived in Canberra! Unfortunately it was always far too busy on a saturday morning.
PS – I think I recognise my friend’s husband in one of the pics – he’s looking into the cheese room, he’s French and loves his cheese!
Ooo what a cute looking bakery!! The pastries look delicious!
Silo Bakery sour dough and Danish butter is the bomb!
I went to Silo earlier this year when I visited Canberra for the Masterpieces of Canberra exhibit! I went hungry, straight from the airport so got there about 9am on Saturday and didn’t have to wait long. Very satisfying indeed!
x
I love how the bread doesn’t look ‘contrived’, but rustic and real.
My favourite baked goods are Scharr gluten free as they taste ‘real’!!
I can absolutely see why this lovely bakery is a place that must be visited! The baked eggs look wonderful and I love the attention to detail in everything, like the adorable milk glass!
I love bakeries – and this place looks great! My favourite baked good is a lemon curd tart, I can’t go past it!
Its a big hit with most peeps in the Berra thats true & where I meet my gal pals for our weekly goss session
Ooh, custard tart. Delicious! This bakery looks fab, will be sure to go there when in Canberra.
Looks like a great place.Hmm truffles with scrambled eggs.
I love anything baked,can’t resist brioche with custard filling.
I love a good bakery, but struggle to make decisions when faced with too much wonderful choice.
I really can’t go past a really good baguette, though.
That looks lovely. I love a Portugese Custard Tart. Although in a fit of bad taste I occasionally will go for a Neenish tart.
If I could be locked in this place for just one hour I think I could do some serious nom damage!
This is my favourite cafe in Canberra. I stumbled upon it by accident during my 1st trip there. I always go back when I get a chance. They have really yummy coffee too!
A bakery that has great baked goods AND truffles? My gawd! It’s like one-stop noshing there.
How I miss Canberra… Love the baked eggs!
I visited this lovely bakery earlier this year when we trekked down to the art gallery. We made it there about 15 minutes before they closed and managed to snaffle their last tart. It was delicious (but we had to share between five!!) Definitely want to head back there on my next Canberra trip. The food looks fabulous!
The Evie is such a sweet pastry – eps in terms of the story behind it
The banana caramel tart looks so yummy. I will have to try this place out next time I am in Canberra.
My favourite pastry…I love a good pain au chocolat, or an almond criossant. I think the Evie would be right up my alley. Nothing beats a pastry when in France. Its tough to find one that lives up to it over here. When I was young I LOVED the custard filled tarts topped with fruit and that clear glaze
Havent had one in years!
Heidi xo
truffle butter! I’ve tried that before, but I wasn’t too impressed…I liked cooking salmon in it, though. Now chilli jam? Never tried, but boy would I love to!
So many delicious baked goods. I’d love this place. But asking me which baked good is my favourite? Well that’s kind of like you asking a mother to choose between her children LOL. Cant do it.
*kisses* HH
Stop telling other people about our good places – they will all want to move to Canberra and then we will never be able to get in.
The Evies are my absolute favourite and if they offered a chocolate version I might have to buy one of each.
Any pastry from Laduree would do me nicely. Any time. I dream of them. I want one now. No, I want them all now. Sigh.
I love love loved Silo! I lived in Kingston 10 years ago and was a regular, I still think about the bread there… Nothing like it this side of the nullabor…
You should try Cornucopia Bakery in Braddon, North CBR next time. Well worth it.
Why bakeries likes this are rare in my part of the world I have no idea. But I think the world would be happier if there were more of them.
I don’t think I could possible pick a favorite baked good, just not possible. Ooooohhh that little milk bottle is so cute and yum the baked eggs look delicious with that walnut bread, baked with cream and cheese (and a bit of ham)is the way we do it here at home.
No wonder its a popular place…those tarts and baked goods look fantastic! And the bakery looks rather European now doesn’t it. I’ve truly never ever heard of a banana tart…I must go there if I ever visit Canberra.
Can you imagine being a Canberran born and bred and never having eaten at Silo? Yep. That’s me. I’m a shell of a woman.
Though today I went to Flute Bakery, which seems to be earning a reputation as even better than Silo…?
Discovered Silo when a girlfriend moved to Canberra to work for a few years. Visits to her in Canberra also meant visits to Silo and she also graciously brought me their bread whenever she travelled back to Sydney!
Drool…..
My favourite is Brioche
Oh those tarts look good! A good chocolate tart would have to be my fave.
A crusty loaf and a bowl of chilli jam, please! Okay and maybe a tart too, but I am not sure I could choose between then either. Love the sound of banana and choc, but that big fat date is just begging to be picking off and eaten.
Oh Lorraine, I can’t tell you how excited I was to see this post! When I used to travel to Canberra for work when parliament was sitting, I’d stay in Kingston (close to Parliament House). No matter how gruelling the 7am-10pm parliamentary days were, I’d always stop at Silo on the way to the hill for breakfast, and it’s still the thing I miss most about Canberra. Those tarts – oh!
For me little tarts are definitely my favourite baked good – either a frangipane or a rustic gallette or some kind of savoury (goats cheese and caramelised onion being my current favourite).
Briony xx
Pie! I want the pie!
Ok, the truffles have me completely distracted, and I love truffled scrambled eggs! I have a lot of favorite baked goods, but right now I’ll say it’s almond croissants.
I have loved Silo for many years and visit every time I am in Canberra from Sydney, however the last time I was there the service was shocking, including from the owner when I complained about finding a chunk of broken glass in my half drunk latte. As much as I love the place I will never return.
Been to Canberra many times and everytime, I was told by Canberra resident and friends that there is nothing good enough to eat in Canberra. Seem these people do not know anything about this bakery. Is there are more posting to come so that we can have a descent eating places when we are in Canberra?
This Bakery is in my to visit list now
Hi Lisa-Thanks! I was determined to make it this time!
Hi London-Thankyou so much London!
Hi Karen-I wish I had more of those truffle scrambled eggs! Mmm I’m with you on almond croissants!
Haha ok all of it! 
Hi Leah-I do portion them out but I also travel a lot
Hi Shirley-Absolutely! So sad that the truffle season is over here but I do love Spring!
Hi mashi-Mmm that sounds delicious actually!
Oh yes I should have bought some to take home with me!
Hi Cakelaw-hehe I bet you could make an awesome version!
Hi Lizzi-What a delicious home! That atrt sounds amazing, it wasn’t there when I was there or I would have ordered it
Oooh the original one sounds amazing! 
Hi Liss-Absolutely, you’d love it!
Hi Tenina-hehe yes absolutely! You and tarts are a match made in heaven!
Hi leah-That’s fantastic!
Hi Gab-yes I can imagine it would be a zoo on Saturday morning!
hehe that’s hilarious! 
Hi Rhonda-they are really good
Hi Cris-Yes I wish I could have brought home more!
Hi She Wore It Well-Oh great timing! I think you did it the right way!
Hi InTolerantChef-yes my bread actually had the funniest detail to it!
I haven’t tried that I don’t think!
Hi Faith-I know, I love little details too!
Hi Chanel-Mmm I do love a lemon tart too! So tart and sweet and buttery
Hi Anna -haha you definitely have it all sorted out!
Hi Loll-Good idea! I’d love to know what you think of it!
HI Portuguese Kitchen-Mmm that sounds absolutely divine! I love a custard filling
Hi Amanda-Oh yes I almost forgot about breads there for a moment!
Hi SuperShan-I love Portuguese custard tarts too-I can never say no to them!
It’s been years since I had a Neenish tart though!
Hi Emily-haha now wouldn’t that be fun!
Hi einna-Oh yes I should have tried a coffee too come to think of it!
Hi Carolyn-I know, you must come back here!
Hi Siti-Oh fantastic!
Hi Lisa-How lucky to get the last tart! That’s so cute sharing between five!
Hi Heidi-yes I loved the story behind it! Absolutely, there is nothing like pastries in France. We’ve just got too much humidity for pastries here! xxx
Hi sophia-Actual truffles are better IMHO
You’ve never? Wow! Maybe it’s an Australian thing?
Hi Heavenly Housewife-hehe is that too hard?
Hi Ailsa-Oh where’s the love for other people?
Everyone needs to eat and eat well 
Hi Ellen-Mmm amen sista!
Hi Sarah-Oh no, what a shame you can’t get anything like that near you now!
Hi Miki-hehe next time!
Hi Midge-hehe I can imagine life would be fabulous with a good bakery around!
Hi Linda-hehe I know, it’s a very hard question
I want to get one of those little bottles for styling! 
Hi Brittany-It does look European now that you mention it!
Absolutely! Just don’t forget they close on a Sunday & Monday (I learned the hard way 
)
Hi Hannah-No way! I’m shocked
*picks up jaw off the ground*
Hi mlle délicieuse-What a lovely girlfriend!
HiMatilda-Mmmm buttery brioche!
Hi Phunk-Oh yes a lovely rich ganache chocolate tart!
Hi Conor-hehe aye aye ma’am! I know, that was the first thing I ate
Hi B-Oh what fabulous memories!
Oh we are so on the same wavelength when it comes to pastries 
xxx
Hi Blond Duck-and so you shall have it
Hi Lisa-me too, in fact I can’t think of a better way to serve truffles!
Mmm!
Hi ej-Yes the service is quite up and down I agree. The person behind the counter wasn’t very helpful at all
Hi Lilia-Oh really? No there is lots of good food in Canberra! Absolutely so!
in france the bakery is a place very important socially speaking as in some villages this is the only shop where people can gather ans speak ! pierre
Everything looks awesome, but OMG look at that truffle!
Decadent and delightful – the way life should be especially where food is concerned. I will be in Canberra shortly for a visit so I will add Silo to the ‘to do’ list. Thanks for the report, Lorraine. (and we excuse you for not getting a picture of your scrambled eggs!)
i want a buttery hunk of bread named after me–is that so much to ask?
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