You will certainly not be grumpy after savouring delicacies at this local favourite
The days of every area having their own bakery are well and truly gone in the age of supermarket chains dominating the suburban landscape. Which is why it is so glorious to have The Grumpy Baker in not one but two stores on the North Shore – Waverton and Neutral Bay.
Waverton Grumpy has been my go-to café for 10 years, and given it is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, it is extremely popular with the locals – and beyond.
While founder Michael Cthurmer started Grumpy as a bread artisan sourdough specialist in 2002 on Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, the 10 locations across Sydney now offer a great range of baked sweet and savoury goods, with some operating a café as well.
Waverton is set up as a family-friendly venue, and while my children are now older, when young they loved playing in the dedicated kids areas with toys to occupy themselves while mum or dad enjoy their café latte with a delicious pastry on the side.
The pastries are a prominent feature of the bakery, with beautiful window displays of the sweet and savoury offerings, baked on site in the mornings. I was very lucky to be given a huge box of goodies for the family to sample, and I do admit I ate the Nutella cronut before my four children even got to smell the treats within. The cronut has always been my favourite, the doughnut-like chewy pastry shaped like a muffin and filled with creamy chocolate spread. Just the best!
There was so much for us to share. We started with the savoury: Turkish cheese as well as spinach and cheese bourekas. They are incredibly tasty, and not too thick: a perfect mix of filo with creamy filling. For the sweet tooth, there is such a variety: little berry frangipane tarts, rugelach – a delicious Jewish pastry that looks like a croissant and has delicate spices within – crispy pain au chocolat, raspberry muffins which explode with fruit, and even the humble lamington gets a run – deliciously moist. I was very pleased to see some gluten-free options for my celiac daughter, with the caramel slice an absolute winner for its texture and the fact it was not too sweet, which is too often the case in other cafes.
As well as a full dining menu, if you are on the run at the Waverton Grumpy you can pick up pies of every flavour. And of course don’t forget your loaf of artisan sourdough!
Michael Cthurmer, owner and head baker, tells us more about The Grumpy Baker
How did you start off?
I opened the first shop in 2002 on Oxford Street with the simple idea to bake fresh and homemade food using recipes I’d grown up with. It started small, but built a loyal following, and from there it’s grown into a family business with locations across Sydney and NSW.
What is the inspiration for your baked goods?
It comes back to a lot of my foundational memories visiting bakeries with my dad and eating bread straight from the oven. That feeling has always stayed with me, and it’s the inspiration behind baking fresh and warm goods across our stores every day, including those in Waverton and Neutral Bay.
No dinner after these treats
What ingredients do you like to work with?
We keep our ingredients of a high quality and classic but bring in a bit of variety through things like grains, spices and different baking traditions. You’ll see that in our sourdough range, from wholemeal and mixed grain to darker styles like Russian black and rye, as well as in dishes that lean into Middle Eastern flavours like tahini, spices and herbs.
What is popular with the locals?
The classics never miss. Pies, muffins, croissants, brekkie rolls and sourdough are staples. But locals also love the more distinctive items like our spinach and cheese bourekas and the Moroccan lamb pie, which have become cult favourites.
Do you have people come from afar to eat your produce?
We do, especially at some of our destination spots like Bilpin in the Blue Mountains. But what we’re most proud of is being a neighbourhood bakery that people come back to again and again, whether they’re around the corner or making a trip of it.
Why do people love The Grumpy Baker?
It’s that 365-day consistency and reliability. People know they can always come in for a quality coffee and something freshly baked, whether they’ve just finished up a surf in Newcastle, are hankering for a brekkie roll on a long weekend road trip in The Blue Mountains, or want a sweet treat for their leisurely Sunday morning walk in Waverton or Neutral Bay.
THE GRUMPY BAKER
Waverton: 85 Bay Road
Neutral Bay: 64A Clark Road
thegrumpybaker.com.au
