You can pick up a loaf of Summer Kitchen organic sourdough from a range of stockists around Tasmania. But we suggest – and this is on a knead-to-know basis – heading straight to the bakery café to pick up a loaf moments after it’s been pulled from the oven. This rustic bakery in Ranelagh attracts everyone from high-vis-vest wearing tradies to MAMILs and mums on their way to or from the school pick-up. Sit in the courtyard and order soup with a wodge of pumpkin sourdough studded with pepitas. Or a few chocolate and cherry brownies for afters. summerkitchenbakery.com.au

Have you even been on a road trip around Tasmania if you haven’t stopped at a roadside honesty box? Bruny Island locals are well acquainted with The Bruny Baker, where artisan sourdough loaves (such as cult favourite cinnamon sultana) and picnic flatbreads are baked fresh each day and left for purchase in a vintage fridge. It’s baking on island time – small-batch and seasonal. Bring cash, take a loaf of sourdough (known for their dark, crackly crusts and chewy, fermented crumb) and leave with your heart (and stomach) full. Be first in the queue by booking a stay onsite at The Shack or The Hide. You’ll find The Bruny Baker bread fridge on the corner of Bruny Island Main and Sheepwash Road.

You might have been doing great, M8, at your commitment to the no-carb, zero-sugar cult. But chuck those dietary constructs out the car window for a day and steer the family sedan to Swansea to break the drought. The praline croissant is as comforting as it sounds and we recommend phoning ahead to make sure there’s some in the cabinet. Get your mitts on a toasted sanga if the pastries have sold out. It’s a must-stop if you’re exploring Tasmania’s historic heart. The pecan cake with chocolate mousse and praline topped with a vanilla ganache will also sweeten your mood. instagram.com/dalilas_patisserie

The Ross Village Bakery is a slice of baking history. Initially gaining recognition for its scallop pies, the 19th-century wood-fired oven still churns out crusty loaves and classic vanilla slices. The bakery’s other claim to fame is its resemblance to the bakery in Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s 1989 anime film, Majo no Takkyubkin (Kiki’s Delivery Service). Tourists from around the world who are fans of the Studio Ghibli production have been known to make cameos in the queue to pay homage to the coming-of-age story about the little witch (Kiki). Take your set-jetting to the next level with a stay upstairs in the Ross Bakery Inn, where B&B should stand for Bread & Breakfast. rossbakery.com.au

The boutique Little Bay Patisserie looks like it could have been conjured up on Canva as a background filter. That’s a good thing, as you can keep up with the illusion that you’re WFH when in fact you’re on hols in Tasmania. Relax and reward yourself after your latest Lunch and Learn session with a fantastical quince and cream creation. This boutique patisserie is so bougie you’ll want to throw in the towel, cash in on your long-service leave and move to Bicheno. The darling little bakery also doubles as a boutique. facebook.com/littlebaypatisserie

Swim from the shore to this café in St Helens just as fast as you can so as not to miss out on the daily specials at the charming Lifebuoy Café. Order a barista-made coffee while you peruse the all-day breakfast menu which includes French toast, homemade cakes and blueberry pancakes. Wander next door and you’ll find Sco & Co., a carefully curated homeware store where you can purchase some of the objects you’ve been coveting in the café. The atmosphere at the dinky little eatery, all turmeric and timber tones inside, feels like all your most beloved places on Pinterest smooshed together. Pull out the credit card and go nuts: that’s your prerogative. thelifebuoycafe.com

A lot of Tasmania’s best bakeries are of course in Hobart. But it’s worth spreading your wings beyond places like Pigeon Whole Bakers, Jackman & McRoss and the darling Daci and Daci Bakers to find the best bakeries beyond the national capital. Drop a pin on your map app to find Manubread in the town of Invermay, in the greater Launceston area. It’s given us yet another reason to linger near Lonnie. You can also pick up a hand-crafted loaf of the artisan sourdough or pastries at Launceston’s Harvest Market, Evandale Market and Cradle Coast Farmers’ Market in Ulverstone. instagram.com/manubreadtasmania

No guide to Tasmania’s best regional bakeries and cafes would be complete without a mention of Sweetbrew Coffeehouse in Campbell Town. The dinky little café deserves a detour when road-tripping between Hobart and Launceston. Get ready to refuel on Sweetbrew Coffee Roaster’s own blend alongside some of the best sweet treats in the Apple Isle. We’re particularly enamoured with the toasted pides with Mediterranean flavours sandwiched between two slabs of Turkish flatbread. Order a muffin and pot of chai at this conveniently located rest stop. bunacollective.com.au

Poolish & Co’s apple crumble was recently featured in an extract of The Baker’s Bible in delicious. magazine alongside high-profile makers and bakers such as Nadine Ingram, of Flour and Stone in Sydney, and chef Danielle Alvarez (Fred’s). Poolish & Co is, in essence, an advertisement for the good life in Cygnet. Pop in to find head baker Jesse Knierum and head pastry chef Aaron Morgan dusted in flour as they work double time to produce everything from a humble pain au chocolat to soft, pillowy slabs of focaccia. It’s normal to find a queue of people snaking out the door. Get to the back of that orderly line and start scrolling through Poolish & Co’s Instagram for inspo. 26A Mary Street, Cygnet, instagram.com/poolishandco