Where Chefs Eat: The Best Bagels, Loaves and Shokupan According to Small Batch’s Charlie Duffy

Small Batch is a roastery and coffee shop hidden on Little Howard Street in North Melbourne. The coffee is excellent, but pastry chef Charlie Duffy, formerly of Tivoli Road Bakery, has made it a destination for laminated pastries.

Mainstays include pain au chocolat with wattleseed, morning buns filled with cinnamon and pastry cream and Hugh Allen’s favourite chilli cheese twist. But when Duffy lets his creativity run free, he really shines. This is seen mostly in specials, which have included a finger-bun-inspired laminated pastry with coconut and Davidson plum; toasted buckwheat and tonka bean kouign-amann and fresh-strawberry-topped danishes filled with lemon verbena jam and blackcurrant leaf cream.

We caught up with the under-the-radar pastry chef to find out where (and what) he’s been eating in Melbourne lately.

What’s your go-to breakfast spot?
Masses Bagels on Smith Street is a gem. Whether it’s the sweet seasonal jam or the pickled green tomato – which already feels iconic – you can’t go wrong. Market Lane coffee in-house really rounds things off.

Where do you take visitors when they’re in town?
Start off at Patricia for coffee, then wander across to Embla for a long lunch. Institution is a big word, but if these two places aren’t that yet, they’re very close.

What’s the best place for a drink and snacks?
Definitely Reed House. The beer list is topnotch and every wine they pour is a winner. You can’t go wrong with the ramen eggs and Welsh rarebit crumpets – you’ll want a whole plate to yourself.

Where do you recommend for a date night?
Brico in Carlton North. Great relaxed atmosphere, top wines and food that’s delicious without stealing the show.

What’s your favourite ice-cream or gelato spot?
If you haven’t had the pistachio at Cono Gelateria, you’re missing out. The texture and flavour is something else.

What’s the best place to eat when you’re with a big group?
Jim’s Greek Tavern. It’s lively, a little chaotic, but full of charm. The hospitality is warm and the food is so tasty. Bring your booze and they’ll do the rest.

What’s the best place for a late-night feed?
This one’s probably shown up on a few lists, and for good reason. Butchers Diner hits the spot, and, for me, it’s the steak sandwich every time.

What’s your favourite bakery (other than Small Batch)?
Baker Bleu never misses for me. Mike [Russell] and the team are consistently absolutely nailing the classics. Crusty, burnished loaves, beautiful pastries and a seriously good lunch offering. It’s got it all.

Where can you find the best bread in Melbourne?
Oji House in Preston. Quentin [Berthonneau] is one of the most passionate, knowledgeable and skilled bakers in Australia. The table loaf and shokupan are some of my favourites. Keep an eye out for his panettone, too.

What’s the most underrated restaurant?
If you know me, you’ve heard this before, but A Boy Named Sue in St Andrews is just the best. Delicious pizza, a beautiful location overlooking produce grown in the gardens. On a warm summer evening, there’s nowhere better.

What Melbourne restaurant would you like to learn from the team at?
It’s not open yet, but Hugh Allen’s new restaurant Yiaga. His food is thoughtful, seriously delicious and backed by supreme technique. This place has the potential to shape the future of Australian dining. If I were a young chef again, I’d be banging down the door to be part of it.

What’s your bucket list restaurant?
Sezanne in Tokyo. Daniel Calvert and his team have created something exceptional there.