Artisan bakery scene blooming on the Central Coast

The Terrigal Beach foodie scene is plentiful, already boasting the likes of Yellowtail Restaurant, The Cowrie, L’isle de France Terrigal, Arc. Est, for fine dining, plus popular hubs for indulgent, Instagrammable grub including Daily Dough Co, Milky Lane and Bao Brothers, all drawing fans in droves to their doors. But this winter we welcome a new face to this seaside village. One which comes with a cult following from its humble base in Sydney, hailed as one of the capital's best bakeries...

Sonoma Bakery opens its Church Street doors on Thursday 28 July, baking fresh daily with a rotating, seasonal menu. Sonoma's famous sourdough will be on offer as well as handcrafted baked goods such as pies, sausage rolls, croissants, morning buns, turnovers, cookies, cakes...and of course artisan lamingtons!

Central Coast locals and guests to the region are invited to discover a decadent range of pantry essentials too, including batch-roasted granola, house-made jams, and specialty coffee. Plus, Sonoma are launching a new Bake-at-Home range will be launching exclusively at the Terrigal location! 

The Bake-at-Home range will give Coasties the opportunity to create the irreplaceable experience of hot, freshly baked pastry straight out of their home oven. Sonoma know the average busy person doesn't always have the time to be baking from scratch, so they've provided easy, wholesome options using the same quality ingredients and artisanal techniques.

Flaky sweet and savoury creations available instore include:

• Chunky Beef Pie
• Country Chicken Pie
• Pork Sausage Rolls
• Quiche
• Apple Pie
• Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

“We realised many of our customers have friends and family on the Central Coast and were already aware of us. Sonoma's founder Andrew Connole is originally from the Central Coast, so it's a homecoming for him.” says Leanne McVeigh, Terrigal site co-owner.

Andrew Connole has been immersed in the world of bread for most of his life. From humble beginnings, baking loaves in the north-western NSW town of Bellata and selling them at farmers' markets in Sydney, to now running one of the country's leading artisan bakeries, Sonoma.

“I am excited to be opening in Terrigal. To me bread is more than just a staple, it's a way of life and I want to share that passion with the local community. Terrigal is a special place to me as it is where the humble dream of Sonoma began back in 1998. I worked 150m up the road at the Crowne Plaza whilst we were setting up the original bakery in Bellata," says Sonoma Founder, Andrew.

“Travelling 1080km round trip we would drive from Terrigal to Bellata and back to mix, shape, and bake 300 loaves of sourdough, returning on Friday evening with 2 hours sleep to then sell at the Paddington markets on Saturday in Sydney. Those were intense times, but we were determined to build Sonoma.”

Now recognised as one of the best in the business, Andrew and his Terrigal team will be sharing the force of nature and commitment to quality bread that is synonymous with 'Sonoma' in foodie circles in Sydney and the Central Coast community.

"It was always about making a beautiful loaf of bread. We focussed on integrity, quality and respect more than profitability," says Andrew.

That commitment to quality is why it can take up to 36 hours to make and bake a single loaf of bread and why every load is hand shaped. With a string of prestige clients, hatted restaurants, fine food retailers and cafes proudly serving Sonoma's bread, the Central Coast artisan bakery scene just gained a top notch addition to its ranks.

Explore sweet local spots and bakehouses with our "baker's dozen" list - check the full article out here. Featuring 13 trusty, tasty favourites of the fresh baked goods scene on the Central Coast, there's so many delicious sit down, takeaway or delivery options to choose from.

Start with a visit to Burnt Honey, the cool (and sustainable, socially conscious) kid born in Copacabana but now also with a baker's pantry based on the trendy Long Jetty high street, or venture to Green Tangerine just across the road (look for the colourful wall mural!) serving handmade breads and baked goods daily. In the main hub of The Entrance, between the channel to the sea and Tuggerah Lake, find the local institution for hot, fresh gourmet pies at Ken's Humble Pie Shop.

Next up, following your next bushwalk on the Bouddi Peninsula pop into Bells Bakery & Larder offering freshly baked speciality breads and an assortment of sweet treats alongside a range of delicious gourmet pantry and deli goods. A fan favourite in Hardy's Bay is The Fat Goose bakery-cafe, with the most exceptionally hearty pies. New to the Peninsula foodie scene is also RISE Artisan Bakery located within the Ettalong Galleria precinct.

At Erina you'll find the pint-sized Salt Pig Deli and its European inspired Salt Pig Pantry, with baked on-site breads, foccacia and pastries, or nearby at Avoca Beach seek out Ludo’s Gourmet Kitchen.

Just like a sourdough mother, the Central Coast bakery list continues to grow - now including the likes of Mami Gato French-inspired baked goods, Brown Sugar Bakery at Forresters Beach, and Young Barons Food Store in Woy Woy, and of course Sonoma Bakery at Terrigal.

Driving the scenic route along Tourist Drive 33? Stop by Saddles at Mount White for a taste of their exceptional goods, including the classic lamington and gourmet pies. Nearby in Somersby, there's also a small, French-inspired organic sourdough bakery, La Tartine. You're never too far from a bakery on the Central Coast, with Bouffant now operating fluffy pink stores in Umina, Terrigal, Gosford & East Gosford! In the heart of the CBD there's art and pastries by the park at The Good Bits Co. and if you fancy a drive along the waterways drop into the humble Kincumber Post Cafe, serving a range of yummy bakery goods alongside their regular brunch menu.

Explore our batch of must-try Central Coast bakeries for when you next embark on your own foodie tour of the NSW Central Coast.