Falco Bakery Smith Street

Falco comes from from Casey Wall and Manu Potoi (Madewell Group, also behind Italian diner Capitano and Fitzroy’s Bar Liberty); a duo known for having a finger on Melbourne’s pulse. The key to Falco’s success though, is head baker and co-owner Christine Tran. Tran perfected her breadmaking skills while running her own business, Nomad Bread, as well as time spent working at Tivoli Road Bakery , San Francisco’s longstanding Tartine Bakery, and North Fitzroy’s petite Loafer Bread.

The shelves are all kinds of bread, most made with a sourdough starter, but often using a mixture of techniques. You might find anything from fermented oat and porridge loaves, fruit bread, light ryes and country loaves (also used for the bakery’s sandwiches – we recommend the poached chicken).

The pies here stand out. The Double Patty Smash pie is a resurrection of executive chef Casey Wall’s popular Rockwell burger that comes with Falco's take on Big Mac sauce. There’s a smoked chicken and buttered leek pie, a vegetarian one filled with Monterey Jack cheese, tarragon and creamed corn, and a pork and fennel sausage roll.

To drink, there's espresso or filter coffee made using beans roasted in house. Get yours with a slice of carrot and burnt-butter cake, a seasonal fruit Danish (maybe cherry or plum, with a crème anglais or cream cheese filling) or a peanut butter and house-fermented miso cookie.

The fit-out of the 25-seat space is by interior architect Chris James of Chris James Studio (also behind the design of Potoi’s meticulous Collingwood cocktail bar Above Board , Capitano, and Fitzroy’s The Everleigh), who was briefed to create a fresh and light take on an old-school Aussie bakery.