Bakeries are too timeless to be “trending”, but there’s an undeniable bakery boom in Melbourne right now. Successful operators are expanding; sandwich shops and coffee roasters are getting into the dough game; and a new bakery hub is rising in Richmond and Cremorne that could eventually rival the pastry paradise that is the inner north.

Among them is the first designated bakery for sanger specialist Hector’s Deli, where the team bakes their own bread for the brand’s crowd-favourite sandwiches and has introduced a brand new viennoiserie (pastry) program.

Hector’s co-founder Dom Wilton says affordability plays a big part in what pulls punters to bakeries.

“People don’t have a lot of money right now. The level of attention to detail and consideration at sandwich shops and bakeries is allowing [diners] to fill the void that maybe fine dining used to ... with something that might cost them $15 or $20.”

Here’s a baker’s dozen of new – and soon-to-open – bakeries to put on your radar.

Hector’s Bakery, Richmond

Eight years on, Hector’s Deli’s commitment to quality control has resulted in a bakery that not only services its sandwich shops, but is a destination in its own right. Pastry and sandwich artistry are on full display in a warmly lit chapel of carbs, decorated with pops of pink.

The bake to buy: Cinnamon bun. It’s got “Cinnabon vibes”, according to Wilton, but uses laminated croissant dough.

33 Stewart Street, Richmond, hectorsdeli.com.au

Dua Bakehouse, Collingwood

From Raya’s Raymond Tan, this new “Scandinasian” bakery located in arts precinct Collingwood Yards is in a league of its own. Where else can you get a mash-up of Swedish semla (cream-filled buns) and Japanese melonpan, the soft buns with a crisp cookie-like crust?

The bake to buy: Picture-perfect pandan princess cake, a riff on the Swedish sponge.

1/35 Johnston Street, Collingwood, instagram.com/duabakehouse

Suburbia, Fairfield

This lofty warehouse bakery by coffee roaster Seven Seeds is a reprieve from the busy industrial street it sits on. A baby-blue tiled counter displays the day’s bakes, from pastries channelling shakshuka and spanakopita to unsurprisingly excellent coffee scrolls.

The bake to buy: Sea-salt choc-chip cookie. It’s one of the chewiest in town.

177 Grange Road, Fairfield, instagram.com/suburbiabakery

Baker Bleu, Cremorne

Finding a car park? Hard. Choosing what to order? Harder. The sourdough star’s biggest location has it all, in sleek stainless-steel surrounds: loaves great and small, readymade sangers, and winter warmers like sausage rolls and miso-apple hand pies.

The bake to buy: Slabs of sourdough pizza, perfect for a solo lunch, available from 10.30am.

65 Dover Street, Cremorne, bakerbleu.com.au/cremorne

Baker of Things, Richmond

“Funfetti white-choc-chonk” cookies. Vegemite-butterscotch cheesecake. Heart-shaped blueberry Yo-Yos. Playfulness reigns at Maker Coffee’s new bakery (which also provides goods to its coffee shops), thanks to former Beatrix baker Zoe Pearce. Visit mid-morning when the backstreet space is flooded with sun.

The bake to buy: Citrus layer cake, a stack of zingy goodness.

17 Burnley Street, Richmond, bakerofthings.com.au

Backhaus Foodstore, Essendon

Born in Airport West as a wholesale bakery with a simple retail shop, Backhaus is now front and centre on a small north-west eat street. Crusty, slow-fermented sourdough loaves are the breadwinner, but there’s also fancy cheese and condiments, and flowers.

The bake to buy: Salty sumac-sprinkled fougasse, sold warm from 10am.

35 Rose Street, Essendon, backhaus.com.au

Croix Croissant, Richmond

This Flemington croissanterie created by Audi Krisnandika and Rizka Puspita has had a warm welcome to the inner east. Croissants come in myriad forms, from classic almond and pain au chocolat to vegan alternatives and “Asian-fusion” specials such as mi goreng brulee.

The bake to buy: Flaky French butter croissant, a bestseller.

462-464 Bridge Road, Richmond, instagram.com/croixssant.au

Ket Baker, Belmont

Its original shed bakery is a Bellarine Peninsula gem, but Ket Baker is edging closer to Melbourne with a Geelong shopfront that’s just as serious about sourdough bread and pastries − some of the latter take five days to make.

The bake to buy: Stripy sourdough croissant, filled with house-made raspberry jam.

1/174A High Street, Belmont, ketbaker.com.au

Coming soon

May is shaping up to be another big month for bakeries, with a trio of newcomers to open. The team behind Malvern East’s Riserva (plus South Melbourne’s hatted Lucia, and Sandringham’s Baia Di Vino) is unveiling “modern market” Breadcetera two doors down on Wattletree Road.

Tarts Anon is relocating its Cremorne flagship to a new location on Church Street in Richmond, as well as running a CBD pop-up at Liminal cafe.

And Collingwood’s loyally followed To Be Frank is about to hit East Brunswick Village.

Then, in early winter, two bakeries that are so popular they regularly have lines out the door will become a little more accessible when they open second venues. Niagara Lane bakery Tori’s is doubling down in the CBD with an Exhibition Street location, while Rathdowne Street’s Calle Bakery is taking over the former Kolya site in Northcote.