Sebby’s Scrolls is the latest food venture born out of Melbourne’s series of lockdowns to find a permanent home, much to the delight of Caulfield South residents.

Not that it was resting on its laurels beforehand. Sebby’s Scrolls is stocked at 45 venues across Melbourne and co-founder Annabelle Strahan says they have a waitlist for additional stockists. But opening a takeaway-only retail storefront – affixed to a production kitchen that churns out thousands of scrolls a day with a coffee servery to come – has allowed Annabelle and her business (as well as life partner) Sebastian Castro to experience the firsthand response of their customers. 

“We love the diversity and reach of wholesale, but nothing beats the feeling of having people at our door, purchasing our scrolls and devouring them in delight from the garden across the street or in their car because they just can’t wait to dig in,” Annabelle says. 

“When you’re selling something as sweet and decadent as a cinnamon scroll, the transaction is always joyful.”

Sebby’s Scrolls has gained a cult following for their classic cinnamon scrolls with cream cheese icing. Though there’s a savoury scroll in the form of a Vegemite and cheese scroll, it’s the cinnamon one that’s the bestseller. 

Soft, gooey dough with discernible layers of cinnamon sugar that pull apart easily. A rich layer of caramelised brown sugar that sits at the bottom of each scroll, which Annabelle says is achieved by baking each scroll in an individual mould. The signature ‘swirl’ of silky cream cheese icing, the perfect balance of tart and sweet. 

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Vegans will be pleased to know there’s a plant-friendly scroll on offer that’s every bit as decadent, flavourful and textured as its dairy forebear with vegan “cream cheese” icing. 

The savoury scroll is not to be trifled with either. Instead of cinnamon sugar, layers of pillowy dough are encrusted with cheese, with edges that culminate in cheese chips, while the smear of vegemite between layers is just the right amount – salty with the slightest tinge of bitterness. 

It’s a gruelling schedule to prepare the scrolls, with each workday starting at 3.30am. 

“Sebastian arrives and bakes, boxes and ices the scrolls for wholesale. Our drivers arrive around 6am to deliver them across town. 

“The rest of the day is spent preparing for the following day, including making kilo upon kilo of our signature cream cheese icing, mixing cinnamon sugar and, of course, making our dough. We then get started with hand-rolling the scrolls with our team, all the while baking trays of fresh scrolls for the retail window. We finish up by about 4pm.”

Creating artisanal baked goods that are both rolled by hand yet consistent when it comes to look, taste and feel is a perennial challenge, Annabelle says. But it’s all worth it for customers’ feedback.

“Something we hear very often is: ‘this is the best thing I’ve ever had / eaten / tried in my life’. And my favourite is when people come in and simply say, ‘thank you for creating these’, with so much sincerity.”

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