Three To Try: New Bakeries for Doughnuts, Sourdough and Jet Black Croissants

Melbourne has no shortage of bakeries (and there are plenty of exciting new ones already slated for 2026). But the end of 2025 saw some stellar openings. Here are three new bakeries from sourdough stalwarts, a sandwich favourite and a Culinary Class Wars contestant. 

Time After Time, CBD

If you’ve seen ink-black croissants around, chances are they’re from Time After Time. The new bakery on Howey Place in the CBD is the work of chef Mino Han, who is best known for pasta bar Alt and his appearance as “Melbourne's Best” on season one of Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars.

The menu is mostly restrained and simple, with breakfast classics including folded eggs with avocado and a breakfast plate with soft-boiled eggs, house-made baguette, saffron butter and Emmental cheese. But it’s the relatively out-there charcoal croissants that have brought in the crowds. The pastries are inspired by popular viennoiseries found in Seoul cafes such as eyewear brand Gentle Monster’s Nudake dessert shops, known for their inventive serves, often featuring stark, gothic colour combinations. 

A Melbourne-brunch-inspired charcoal croissant topped with ricotta, berry coulis, fresh figs and honey is the favourite. It’s joined by a matcha-topped charcoal croissant with custard and shards of matcha butter, and an equally dramatic black cocoa version. 

Urbanstead, Abbotsford

Tivoli Road is one of the most influential bakeries in Melbourne. Founded by Michael and Pippa James in 2013, the South Yarra bakery worked to showcase local grains and produce, and focus on heritage baking, long before players like Falco and Baker Bleu started firing their ovens. But the Jameses sold in 2018, and while they’ve consulted and popped up at markets, they hadn’t run another bricks-and-mortar bakery until Urbanstead opened at the end of 2025. Their triumphant return is a continuation of the work they did at Tivoli Road. Spelt galettes come topped with seasonal fruit and vegetables. Chicken sandwiches served on sourdough have pickled celery mixed through the filling. And pork, apple and fennel sausage rolls, a Tivoli favourite, are back.

Urbanstead also intends to double as a small providore that will grow over time, selling local produce and preserves made on-site. You can pick up eggs and pork from Bundarra Berkshires, dairy from Schulz Organic, chocolate from Cuvée and soon kimchi from Ji Kimchi – made by a Tivoli Road alum who’s currently subletting the team’s kitchen. House-made pickles and ferments are also on the way.

Hector’s Kiosk, CBD

In an old-school kiosk just outside the GPO, one of Melbourne’s favourite sandwich makers has opened a stall where you won’t find any sangas. Hector’s Kiosk focuses solely on doughnuts. Maple-glazed and cinnamon numbers have long been Hector’s fan-favourites. At the kiosk, the brand adds to its line-up without losing sight of its don’t-reinvent-the-wheel ethos. Head pastry chef Aram Yun (ex-Bloomwood) describes Hector’s Kiosk as “a space where we can reinterpret existing flavours in our own Hector’s style”. In addition to maple-glazed and cinnamon, there’ll be kiosk exclusives. Flavours include strawberry milkshake, rum and raisin, chocolate peanut butter and evaporated milk. 

The yeasted doughnuts are all made at the 350-square-foot Hector’s Bakery production space in Richmond. Dough is left to prove for three days before it’s cut and fried. The team now makes 1000 doughnuts per day, with 500 going to other stores and the remaining 500 going straight to the kiosk. There are also scrolls and apple turnovers. And if you’re at the Australian Open, stop by the Hector’s Deli stand for a tennis ball doughnut. It’s a classic Hector’s doughnut covered in brat-green summer apple-flavoured icing, complete with two white stripes that mimic tennis ball seams. A great courtside companion.

Additional reporting by Claire Adey and Sarah Palmieri.