Self-taught baker James Sideris takes classic French pastries and gives them a twist. Think hazelnut praline brioche, savoury croissants stuffed with honey baked ham and cheese or a pie filled with roast pumpkin, Taleggio and sage and smothered in parmesan. Pull up a stool in the Palm Springs-themed space and order a cold brew or espresso coffee on the side. A nutty house granola with Greek yoghurt and seasonal fruit keeps the health-conscious happy. 19 Rialto Lane, Manly Beach; rollersbakehouse.com

Berkelo is not your usual cookie-cutter bakery. Its long-fermented sourdough made from rare and heirloom sustainable grains is cold-fermented for 18 hours before being baked on stone. While you’re there, pick up refined sugar-free pastries adorned with homegrown fruits and flowers, handmade quiches, pies and sandwiches. Manly, Mosman, Brookvale and Terrey Hills; berkelo.com.au

Bourke Street Bakery is beloved by Sydneysiders. When it opened in a small corner store in Surry Hills in 2004, its flaky pastries, sausage rolls and excellent coffee quickly became a local favourite. Since then, the bakery has grown to 14 locations across the city and expanded its offerings to take-home meals, catering and sourdough baking lessons. Various locations; bourkestreetbakery.com.au

Oregano started as a Lebanese pizza shop, but when its co-owner, Tony Jabbour, started experimenting with scrolls, a Sydney bakery institution was born. While excellent Lebanese pizza is still on the menu, most come for the scrolls, such as the classic cinnamon-and-sugar-drenched dough or variations including tahini and sesame, almond and fig, banana and Nutella and more. Feeding a crowd? Hit them up for a big box delivery. 108 Boundary Road, Peakhurst; oreganobakery.com.au

Family-run Abla’s has been making more than 200 types of Lebanese sweets for more than 30 years, so if your sweet tooth leans to classic baklava, sugared almonds, date stuffed biscuits, churro-like syrup soaked emshabak, or the irresistible ashta (cream) your only challenge will be deciding which to choose. 52 Railway Parade, Granville; ablaspastries.com.au

Tuga’s Portuguese tarts have a devoted fan base, but its three Sydney stores offer a wide range of cakes, pastries and savouries, from bom bocado – a giant Portuguese custard tart – to Basque cheesecakes, chocolate babka and butter cakes. The window displays alone are worth a visit. 6 and 1/231 Clovelly Road, Clovelly and 10/112 McEvoy St, Alexandria; tugapastries.com.au

Synonymous with its cult strawberry-watermelon cake, which also evolved into a gin, a latte and a soft-serve ice-cream, Black Star Pastry specialises in fun cross-cultural flavour combinations, such as the zen cheesecake with black sesame and miso, with its exquisite, highly detailed decoration. It also does a classic line in croissants, brioche and pies; and the ‘ginger ninja’, a super-cute gingerbread man, is a find (and not just for kids). Various locations; blackstarpastry.com

Like an art gallery filled with edible masterpieces, Koi Dessert Bar’s sweet treats demand admiration. From exquisite flower cakes for Mothers Day to the tiniest bites of flavour, once you’ve made your oohs and aahs and taken an obligatory photo (or two), it’s all about the taste. Koi specialises in cross-cultural, hyper-creative combinations, so expect a flavour sensation. 6 Central Park Avenue, Chippendale; koidessertbar.com.au

If your idea of window shopping is looking at good things to eat, then The Good Filo cake counter will have you quickly move from browsing to buying. Featuring classic Greek pastries and cakes such as melomakarona, bougatsa and the luscious custard-filled galaktoboureko, as well as Greek breads and savoury pastries, join the locals at the tables and settle in. Shop 1/336-340 Rocky Point Road, Ramsgate; thegoodfilo.com.au