Ocab Bakery

Look for the green umbrellas and find Ocab Bakery, the lovechild of friends Houman Namavarkedanji and Tristan Rezzani. Rezzani is a lifetime baker who refined his pastry-making skills in Paris, while Iranian-born Namavarkedanji, a former civil engineer, is self-taught. After meeting in Melbourne in 2013, the pair bonded over their mutual love for one thing: bread, a central component of both Iranian and French diets.

That love is on full display at Ocab, where sweet and savoury pastries are made with additive-free ingredients. Croissants come plain or with a new spin – they might be split open and stuffed with crisp bacon and a baked egg, or laced with a ribbon of Vegemite. More French influence can be found in spinach and ricotta chaussons and flan patissiers (French custard tart), while a Persian-inspired tart with honey-poached pear and saffron nods to Namavarkedanji’s heritage. There are also savoury stalwarts, like pork and fennel sausage rolls, chicken pies, sandwiches on ciabatta and cheesymite scrolls. Plus, find loaves of bread for home and custom-made cakes for weddings and beyond.

Coffee comes hot, made with beans by Abbotsford roastery Coffee Supreme. There are a few tables and benches inside and out the front, but it’s mostly takeaway here. Stop by for a coffee and pastry fix, or just to luxuriate in the smell of baked goods made with passion and care.