Ovens Street Bakery — Restaurant in Melbourne

Edit. I've updated my review as Oven Street Bakery now mentions on their website that some products come out of the oven a bit later than others which helps set the right expectations. Once they allow you to book a timeslot I'll bump it up to 5 stars.

Original review: Let me start of by saying that all the reviews on the quality of the food are right. It really is that good.

That quality comes at a price though. A simple croissant here, while delicious, is the same price as at the many cafes a stone's throw away from here. Cafes they actually supply to themselves, where you are able to sit down and are served.

The price however isn't what made me give this rating, because something is worth what people are willing to pay, and going off the long lines you'll find here, people definitely are willing to pay. The rating is based on the process involved in buying.

You have two options. You can stand in line, which literally means standing on the sidewalk, as one by one customers are let inside to purchase. Which means that on a weekend, you can easily find yourself in a line of 20+ customers only find that when it's finally your turn, what you had wanted to buy is already gone.

The second option is to order online. With lines like described above, you would assume that more people would do that, but there's a reason why that's not the case. The process of ordering online is fairly simple, you select what you want, select the day you want it. The days don't have dates and you can only order a couple of days in advance. And then you wait for a text to confirm your order is ready. Sounds easy enough, but the issue comes from the fact that there's no time slots. You simply wait. Had you hoped to surprise your significant other with a nice breakfast? Well, it could just be that you have to wait until 12:30pm before you get your text. And showing up without a text is discouraged. You might just find yourself waiting for your order while you see people who simply waited in line, walk out with the same thing you pre-ordered.

It's difficult to tell if they're simply a victim of their own success or if it's part of the mentality that's becoming more and more common in Brunswick, where you as a customer should be happy that they're willing to take your money.

Again, the food is great and to a degree I guess it's worth the wait in line, but just as often I find myself going to a cafe instead where the food is equally good and equally priced, but where I don't have to jump through...

TLDR: 5*. Unpretentious, tasty and reasonably priced. Will definitely be back!

Many outdoor seats, great for warm and sunny weather - that blessed us last weekend! Note there is huge construction work on Ballarat Street, so come in from the Hope Street side instead (see screen shot from google maps below).

What to get? Well, the pastries are amazing. Get in line and wait to get to the counter. My husband shared a sesame fougasse (this ribbon shaped thing), savory danish with vegetables (probably zucchini and other gourd veggies), and green eggs roman-style pizza. The roman-style pizza is only available after 12:30pm, so we had to pay first and wait for it to be baked.

Sesame fougasse - so so good. chewy inside, nice crispy outside. My only peeve is that it is slightly sweet, probably honey on it; but thankfully it is not overly sweet, just a bit sticky for the fingers too. The sesame fougasse is HUGE, we had to keep half of it, otherwise we couldn't try anything else.

Savory danish - lovely layered pastry, very flaky and crispy. The insides were nicely baked and not overly dry. Great hopes for the croissant, which our friend enjoyed too!

Green eggs and ham - very yummy pesto sauce and chewy crispy dough. It is not overly sour, so I personally might like it a bit more fermented. The only negative is the overcooked egg yolk. I would prefer it to be more runny or half cooked, so maybe they could add it only at the final minute or less. Good size for half a meal for one person, so two slices would be perfect!

3 pastries less than $20! Sorry the details of price escape me..

I also got the oat chat (oat milk chai latte) - $5, decent, but nothing to wow about.

There's no bin around, but I feel like you should bus the table if you have any paper bags or disposables. Probably ask the ladies at the take out collection area if they could dispose it for you.

Such a cute place, and so lovely for a beautiful warm day. Yay for summer in Melb!

#drkyleats #melbeats...

I have been a loyal customer of several bakeries in the area, and I must say, the bread and pastries at Oven Street are truly delicious. However, the nonchalant and disdainful attitude displayed by some staff members can make you feel intimidated. During a recent visit, they served our pastries on dine-in plates but provided take-away cups, resulting in unnecessary waste. This seemed contradictory and could have been avoided with more attention to detail. A few days ago, a staff member was completely unfamiliar with the pastries on display and showed no interest in seeking assistance from another staff member. As a foreigner, I have become accustomed to repeating my name or order multiple times, but the staff members there appear even less willing to understand a different accent. Their lack of enthusiasm and disinterested behaviour really make customers feel undervalued. These bakeries have managed to retain a loyal customer base, even during times of inflation and economic challenges. However, it is crucial for them to recognise the valuable contributions customers make by purchasing their goods. It is only fair to appreciate a minimum standard of customer service in return. I hope that the management takes note of these concerns and implements measures to improve...