Best businesses outer east: Croissant Bar By Garon, Novel Nook, Hello Harry

A croissant bar in Heathmont, a new book shop in Yarra Glen and amazing burgers in Lilydale are among the local businesses making their mark.

There’s no shortage of amazing local businesses across the outer east.

If you’re looking for an awesome sweet treat, a mouth-watering burger or a great book to read these businesses in the outer east have you covered.

Croissant Bar By Garon

Croissant Bar by Garon has opened in Heathmont.

A pastry chef is whipping up some tasty and incredibly colourful treats at his new Heathmont store.

Unable to find a great croissant locally, Garon De Angelis-Pearce decided to make some himself.

He opened Croissant Bar by Garon at the start of this year, specialising in sweet and savoury croissants.

As well as popular plain, chocolate almond, and other sweet croissants, customers can also choose from a range of croissant sandwiches and quiche croissants.

“We also create bicolour croissants – we add coloured portions to the dough to give them a bit more visual appeal,” he said.

“Those colours relate to whatever fillings are inside.”

Mr De Angelis-Pearce has worked hard perfecting the recipe for his croissants.

“We use a large amount of sourdough starter in our croissants for a few different reasons – a lot of croissants out there are airy and you kind of eat it and it disappears – our croissants are substantial, nice and buttery, and they have a bit more of a complex flavour.”

“We make everything on-site – down to the ricotta that goes into our spinach and ricotta rolls.”

Mr De Angelis-Pearce uses as much Victorian produce as possible in his products, including Gippsland Jersey for milk, butter and crème fresh.

As well as the Heathmont cafe, Mr De Angelis-Pearce also supplies his products to some select cafes and coffee shops around Melbourne.

He has been a pastry chef for 12 years, and has worked at a number of different bakeries, and also worked at Nobu at Crown, The Fat Duck and for the Lucas Group.

The cafe also serves homemade sausage rolls and cronuts, along with milkshakes and coffee.

It is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 7.30am-3.30pm, and Sundays from 9am-2pm at 126a Canterbuy Rd Heathmont.

Novel Nook

The new book store has received a warm welcome from locals.

Owner Naomi outside the store.

Opening her own book shop has long been a dream of Healesville mum of three Naomi Gibson – and now it has come true.

Ms Gibson has opened Novel Nook in Bell St Yarra Glen, a haven for book lovers, selling a wide range of new and second hand books.

She has received overwhelming support from the community since opening her doors a few weeks ago.

“Everyone has been so excited, it’s been amazing,” she said.

“Yarra Glen just needed a little bit more life in it, it’s got so much potential and it’s a beautiful spot.

“I was really blown away by how excited everyone was and how needed (a book shop) was.”

Ms Gibson also works in sales and is managing both jobs while she gets the book store up and running.

She hadn’t planned on opening the book store quite so soon, but when she saw the space become available in Yarra Glen – a 100-year-old building with lots of space and high ceilings, that used to be an old tractor shop – she jumped at it.

“I saw the space and thought it was a really unique place and I thought it was perfect for what I was trying to do,” she said.

Ms Gibson said she was aiming to create a space similar to the old Borders stores – where people could browse books and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere.

There is a cafe inside the building and customers are welcome to bring a coffee through and explore the books.

There is also a kids’ room and Ms Gibson is starting a book club where members will be invited to enjoy a wine and discuss different novels.

There is also a popular “mystery book” section, where customers can buy a wrapped up book before taking it home to discover the title inside.

The store is open from 10am -5pm Tuesday to Sunday at 21 Bell St, Yarra Glen.

Hello Harry

The burgers are a hit at Hello Harry.

The restaurant has been open in Lilydale for six years.

Burger fans have been flocking to Hello Harry since the business opened in Lilydale six years ago.

The owner of the Lilydale store, Deb Fife, said the Hello Harry brand started back in 2014 in Maroochydore, Queensland, and there were now 16 stores around the country, including a second Victorian outlet in St Kilda.

The burger joint also sells beer, wine and cocktails.

“I think the one thing that makes us a little bit different is that we do make everything to order,” Ms Fife said.

“We actually get all our fresh ingredients from next door, The Lilydale Pantry, which is great, we’ve got fruit and veg on tap 24/7.

”We make it all cooked to order, it’s not fast food, it’s not mass produced, and we don’t add anything into our meat, it’s just real meat.”

The business also makes all its own sauces, chutney and relish.

“All our staff love what they do and come and give 100 per cent every time, which I think makes a difference to customers,” Ms Fife said.

“The biggest challenge we have after Covid is getting customers to come and dine in again.

“We’re really trying hard to get customers to come back in store, we’re making sure the atmosphere is great, we’ve got music going, and we’re engaging with our customers.”

Hello Harry’s regular beef burger and maple bacon burger are among its most popular, along with the Southern Fried chicken burger.

They also have popular pulled meat burgers, with all meat slow cooked on site.

“Our hot chips with seasoning are also pretty amazing,” Ms Fife said.

Hello Harry is open 11am-8pm Sunday to Thursday and 11am-8.30pm Friday and Saturday at

245 Main St Lilydale.