Inside Bella & Tortie – Brisbane’s cult bakery open just two mornings a week, or until sold out
Welcome to the tiny suburban cafe with such a cult following people drive from all over Brisbane to savour its delights. Get in quick but, it’s sure to sellout.
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Tucked away behind Stafford Road, Bella & Tortie is a local secret you’d never find if you weren’t looking for it.
Known for its rotating menu of high-end pies, pastries and desserts, this tiny cult bakery is only open Fridays and Saturdays from 7.30am -midday or until sold out - and it always sells out.
Having heard whisperings of this bakery that people were willing to drive from every corner of Brisbane for, I knew I had to venture out to see it for myself.
So I drove out to Stafford with a clear mission - locate and taste.
After missing the driveway-sized lane I was supposed to turn into, I took the next left I could find and ended up in a random carpark on the edge of Stafford Road.
Turns out that was a totally legal place to park, so I hopped out of the car and headed back down the road to track down this bakery.
Slightly behind schedule, I finally made it by 7.45am – 15 minutes after opening – and the line was already out the door.
I waited my turn, which I will admit didn’t take too long, and ordered three things: a mushroom, leek and parmesan quiche, a slice of chocolate basque cheesecake, and a chocolate, yuzu and black sesame tart.
For my extremely decadent breakfast, I paid $45.
I took a seat at one of the picnic-style tables and ordered myself a coffee from Papa’s Corner, one of the street-front shops on Stafford Road.
Bella & Tortie has partnered with the cafe so customers can enjoy a coffee with their treats by ordering from QR codes left on tables.
A few minutes later, I was sipping on an iced oat latte and unboxing my precious pastries.
The first thing I tried was the quiche, and it set the bar high.
It was creamy, savoury, and delicious – I gave it an 8.5 out of 10.
Next up was the chocolate basque cheesecake.
This simple dessert was rich and decadent – perhaps not the perfect breakfast food but delightful nonetheless – so it got an 8 out of 10.
The third and final treat was my favourite.
Chocolatey and sweet, but also vibrant and zingy, the tart was unreal – I gave it a 9 out of 10.
The lovely owner of the bakery, Suzi, also gave me a browned butter chocolate chip cookie to try.
As a cookie lover, I feel qualified to say this one was especially good – sweet, salty, chocolatey, it had it all.
Bella & Tortie is easily one of the best bakeries I’ve been to and I can wholeheartedly recommend making the trip.
I’d definitely encourage grabbing some goodies takeaway and heading to a sunny spot in a nearby park for a picnic breakfast over sitting at the tables though.
The seating area is on the edge of a carpark and, between construction noise and the glare coming off parked cars, I think you’d be better off enjoying your treats somewhere else.
- Some of the best bakeries, cafes and restaurants in Brisbane seem to be the “if you know, you know” kind, so The Courier-Mail is on a mission to track some of them down and let you know which ones are worth the journey. Let’s see where we head to next.
Originally published as Inside Bella & Tortie – Brisbane’s cult bakery open just two mornings a week, or until sold out
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