20 years of bourke street bakery
Bourke Street Bakery started as a little rustic corner store bakery cafe in the winter of 2004 and over the years has grown to become a much loved Sydney staple.
humble beginnings
the birth of a bakery
Bourke Street Bakery evolved in a beaten up old car. Two friends talking about their dreams and aspirations makes for a long drive. We (David McGuinness and Paul Allam) spent six months driving around Sydney looking for the perfect site. Somewhere between hours on the road punctuated by eating research breaks, we began testing recipes. We discovered we had similar ideas, tastes and opinions.
the local
it had to be right
The vision of the perfect bakery was small, rustic, homely and timeless; we wanted to create a bakery where people would feel comfortable. And food that people wanted to buy every day. Most importantly, we wanted it to appeal to the whole community. Our focus was, and still is on the quality of ingredients rather than the aesthetic. We were both trained chefs who learned the art of bread and pastry making in Sydney – so we shared the load across both skills as we developed the range and opened our vision.
not just pastries
More than just a bakery
After months of searching, we discovered the perfect location for Bourke Street Bakery at 633 Bourke Street in Surry Hills, Sydney. Blessed with immense charm and character, the bakery thrives due to its proximity to local cafes, restaurants, artists, and the beautifully gentrified streets of the neighbourhood. It truly was the perfect site.
classics + more
The big blur
The first sale was a pain au raisin and a bear claw. It was just past 7am on 5 July 2004. Although we were not yet tired, that would come; we just felt the fear and excitement of the unknown and the inevitable responsibility of starting a new business. As it turned out, this was the only day we could recall of that first six months. And so started the 'big blur'.