The bakeries worth a detour after a surf, from Noosa to WA, and the closest break to each.
My first post-surf pie was standing in a car park at Sawtell, NSW at nine in the morning, still wet. I genuinely didn't know what was happening. Having recently moved to Aus from the States, I expected apples. Instead, there was gravy involved. A bloke I'd met earlier was watching me expectantly.
Four years on I think the post-surf pie might be the most underrated institution in this country, and here are some of my favourite picks.
Best pie shops on the surf coast
Rolling Pin Pies, Bellarine Peninsula VIC
Three-time winner of Australia's Best Pie at the Baking Association's national competition, taking it in 2021, 2022 and 2024. The 2024 winner was a prawn laksa pie, which tells you where the whole form is heading.
Closest surf: minutes to Ocean Grove Main Beach, or 10 minutes to Thirteenth Beach Barwon Heads.
Yatala Pie Shop, Yatala QLD
Going since 1914, and turning out around 3,500 pies a day. Named a Q150 Icon of Queensland back in 2009. It sits off the motorway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, so it's not exactly near the surf but has been the halfway mark of many surf trips on that run for over a century.
Closest surf: Main Beach and The Spit on the Gold Coast, 35km south.
Hayden's Pies, Ulladulla NSW
On the Princes Highway down the south coast, started in 2003 by Hayden and his mum. The butter chicken is the famous one. The Thai green curry and the lamb rendang are what I'd order second and third. The shop is walkable from Ulladulla Harbour.
Closest surf: Rennies Beach, 2km away, or Mollymook Beach 3km north.
Apollo Bay Bakery, Apollo Bay VIC
On the Great Ocean Road, right in the middle of town. The scallop pie is the reason to stop, and it comes in either curry leek or mornay, try both.
Closest surf: across the road from Apollo Bay main beach, Marengo 2km south-west, or Skenes Creek 6km towards Lorne.
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How to find a great pie shop in an Australian coastal town
The good ones almost never have the best signage. The bakery that matters in any coastal town is usually the one with cars parked out front at seven in the morning, where the person behind the counter clearly knows someone's order before they've said a word.
See you out there.
| Shop | Town (north to south) | Pie to order | Closest surf |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rick's Artisan Pies & Sourdough | Noosaville QLD | Angus and béarnaise with mushrooms and cheddar | Noosa Main Beach and First Point, 5km |
| Yatala Pie Shop | Yatala QLD | Lamb coconut curry | Main Beach and The Spit, 35km |
| Cutty's Cakes | Coffs Harbour NSW | Pepper steak | Park Beach, 3km |
| K'Pane | Sawtell NSW | Whatever's fresh from the gourmet pie range | Sawtell Main Beach, walk |
| Brown Sugar Bakery | Forresters Beach NSW | Mushy pea | Forresters Beach, walk |
| Milkwood Bakery | Berry NSW | Curry chicken | Seven Mile Beach, 10km |
| Hayden's Pies | Ulladulla NSW | Butter chicken | Rennies Beach, 2km |
| Paul the Pieman | Inverloch VIC | Pepper steak | Inverloch Surf Beach, 2km |
| Rolling Pin Pies | Ocean Grove VIC | Prawn laksa | Ocean Grove Main Beach, minutes |
| Routleys Bakery | Torquay VIC | Chunky pepper steak | Torquay Point, 1km, Bells Beach 7km |
| Apollo Bay Bakery | Apollo Bay VIC | Scallop, curry leek or mornay | Apollo Bay main beach, across the road |
| Port Elliot Bakery | Port Elliot SA | Ned Kelly | Boomer Beach 1km, or Middleton 5km |
| Miami Bakehouse | Falcon WA | Garlic prawn | Falcon Bay, on the doorstep |
Know others? Tag #surfstitchsummer
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About the author
Baker is 33, and lives outside Coffs Harbour with his wife Sofie. He's a sparky by trade, learned to surf at 28 on a hire board in Bali and is now obsessed with it. He covers surf for SurfStitch.
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