Pigalle brings Parisian patisserie culture to Victoria’s Surf Coast in this chic offshoot of Le Comptoir Bakehouse in Aireys Inlet. Bakers hit the ovens at 3am daily, laminating everything from shatteringly flaky pain au chocolat to buttery brioche and French baguettes. Order a hot panini with your coffee and eat it by the water. A must-stop when exploring the Great Ocean Road. 76 Mount Joy Parade, Lorne; 85 Great Ocean Road, Aireys Inlet; lecomptoirbakehouse.com Best for: Traditional French baguettes, buttery croissants and seaside paninis.

Ket Baker is a sustainably minded Bellarine Peninsula bakery devoted to sourdough. Belgian-born, French-trained founder Miek Paulus follows a time-honoured, low-and-slow fermentation process to craft a curated selection of breads and small-batch pastries. The dedication is evident in every bite: each of its famous croissants takes a full five days to develop those complex flavours. There is also an outlet in Geelong (2/174A High Street, Belmont). 377 Grubb St, Wallington; ketbaker.com.au Best for: Sourdough.

A historic fixture since the 1950s, Cliffy’s Emporium is much more than a charming general store: it’s one of the best bakery experiences in Daylesford, in one of the cosiest regional towns in Victoria to visit on a road trip in winter. While food lovers flock to the region for high-end dining, Cliffy’s remains a beloved local haven for fresh produce, regional goods and sensational house-made tarts, buns and rolls. 30 Raglan St, Daylesford; cliffysemporium.com.au Best for: A pastry and coffee combo.

Located on the Mornington Peninsula, Butterken Bakery brings authentic, traditional German baking to regional Victoria. This rustic bakery’s shelves are packed with hearty rye loaves, wholegrain spelt and organic wheat sourdough. The undeniable star attraction? The artisan German pretzels, served traditionally plain or generously stuffed with ham, cheese and salad. 54 Mt Eliza Way, Mt Eliza; butterkenbakery.com.au Best for: German-style pretzels.

Carrying on a regional baking legacy that dates back to 1887, the Dunkeld Old Bakery remains a must-visit destination for pastry lovers exploring Victoria. While it may have moved on from its original historic footprint, this beloved bakery sticks to a tried-and-true formula, specialising in classic, high-quality baked goods. Open Wednesday to Sunday, it serves a steady stream of locals and tourists its signature sourdough, flaky croissants, fresh bread and hot pies. 109 Parker Street; dunkeldoldbakery.com.au Best for: Croissants and cakes.

Bakeries don’t come much more historic than idyllic Trentham’s Redbeard, with its own 140-year-old Scotch oven. This traditional woodfired contraption means business, storing enough heat from one firing to bake 600 loaves at a time. Redbeard uses it to churn out its famously delicious sourdough, alongside an expanded repertoire that includes pastry, tarts and pies (a noteworthy breakfast pie included). Best for: Traditional sourdough. redbeardbakery.com.au

Add this Rutherglen institution to your road trip itinerary if you are a fan of Australia’s national delicacy, the humble meat pie. Parker Pies, a family-run bakery in Victoria’s High Country, focuses solely on crafting the perfect pie, earning a stellar reputation across the state. Indulge in hearty classics like Chunky Beef and the Jolly Jumbuck or try highly creative gourmet options like the Tiger King Prawn pie. 88 Main Street, Rutherglen; parkerpies.com.au Best for: The Rutherglen Red meat pie.

Proserpina Bakehouse mills its own organic grain onsite for wholesome sourdough and slow-fermented, decadent pastries. Break up your mountain drive with a detour to the bakery hidden away in the quiet town of Ferny Creek in the Dandenong Ranges. Your go-to is the galette topped with seasonal fruit paired with a specialty coffee in the greenhouse-style cafe at Ferny Creek. 261 Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, Ferny Creek; proserpinabakehouse.com.au Best for: House-milled organic sourdough and seasonal fruit tarts.

Just steps from the Great Southern Rail Trail in Meeniyan, Pandesal Bakery is a busy haven for cyclists, road-trippers and locals. Known for handcrafted sourdough, pies and a huge range of gluten-free and vegan cakes, this bike-friendly hub fuels every South Gippsland adventure. Grab a fresh sandwich and specialty coffee before bouncing between the town’s artisan boutiques and galleries. 96 Whitelaw Street, Meeniyan; @pandesalbakery Best for: Great Southern Rail Trail fuel and dietary-friendly cakes.

A culinary pit stop at the Forrest General Store is highly recommended if you are driving the Great Ocean Road. More than just a charming stop for locally produced goods, this regional gem serves up some of Victoria’s best-loved home-style pies. Baked fresh in-house using locally sourced ingredients, the menu rotates weekly – sometimes featuring rabbit – but it is the famed slow-cooked Otway beef pie that consistently draws a dedicated crowd. 33 Grant St, Forrest; forrestgeneralstore.com.au Best for: Rustic home-style pies.

Nick and Megan Hawtin opened this bakery café in a restored 1929 Holden dealership in 2020 and filled it with more than 50 vintage and handcrafted motorcycles. You don’t need to know a carburettor from a crankshaft to appreciate the Italian-influenced baked goods: sourdough, meat pies, sausage rolls and doughnuts made daily, coffee from Merchant Roasters and a Black Dog Pie that donates 50 cents per pie to the Black Dog Institute; 62-64 Main Street, Rutherglen; caffeinenmachine.com.au Best for: Bee stings and scrolls.

Johnny Baker offers a modern, creative take on the classic patisserie. The Castlemaine shop tucked behind the Northern Arts Hotel is divided into three distinct sections: pies and bread, tarts and cakes and delicate pastries. While classic French-style favourites like macarons and eclairs are abundant, Johnny Baker is most famous for its outlandish, highly Instagrammable croissants, including Anzac Biscuit and Cherry Ripe renditions. 46 Forest Street and 359 Barker Street, Castlemaine; johnnybaker.com.au Best for: French-style pastries.

Officially crowned a three-time winner of Australia’s best vanilla slice, Bridgewater Bakehouse is a must-visit for sweet tooths exploring regional Victoria. With outposts in both Bridgewater and Bendigo (Shop 9/20 Bath Lane), the bakery’s take on the nationally celebrated dessert features a crispy pastry topped with cloud-like vanilla custard and an impressive drizzle of icing. Beyond its famous sweets, the bakery’s shelves are stocked with top-tier savoury options including hot pies, pizza, sausage rolls and pastries. 6 Main St, Bridgewater; bridgewaterbakehouse.com.au Best for: Vanilla slices.

Set inside Wycheproof’s grand 1897 Shire Hall, Bakery on Broadway is a regional destination in its own right. The kitchen turns local Chalmers Butchers beef into hearty, golden-crusted pies and is known for some of the crispest, creamiest vanilla slices in the Mallee. Grab a fresh sourdough loaf or settle into the courtyard with a coffee. Either way, it earns its stop on the Calder Run, one of the best road trips in Victoria. 317 Broadway, Wycheproof; bakeryonbroadway.com Best for: Award-worthy vanilla slices and meat pies.

Founded by Michael Quealy, who trained as an apprentice baker in Beechworth aged 52, this micro bakery in historic Yackandandah has earned cult status well beyond Victoria’s High Country. Tucked away on Turntable Lane, Happy Baker turns out small batches of long-fermentation sourdough, hand-laminated French pastries and seasonal tarts built around regional produce. It also does the occasional cameo at Yackandandah Lions Club Market, so keep an eye out. 6 Turntable Lane, Yackandandah; @happybaker.yack Best for: Long-fermentation sourdough, hand-laminated croissants and seasonal fruit tarts.