You'll find more than just pizza at this Neapolitan bakery and cafe in Brunswick

The Age

30-04-2025

We're nowhere near panettone season, which descends every December with fruit-studded, sweet-bread intensity but you should know that Pulcinella's Vincenzo Marino beat pastry chefs from around Australia to earn the right to represent us in last year's Panettone World Cup in Milan. Making good panettone is art and anguish: that a charming little cafe nails this tricky tradition is another sign of the quality and dedication that infuses everything they do.
Pulcinella's namesake is referenced throughout the shop. A famous character from commedia dell'arte, an Italian pantomime style dating to the 17th century, Pulcinella is a scallywag, lively and determined. He's there in mural form on the wall and his signature beak-nosed mask is referenced in the cafe's logo and stamped on their takeaway cups.
On that, coffee culture is one place where Melbourne and Naples diverge. We drink coffee in the car. We also love sitting down for a leisurely coffee rather than resting an espresso and an elbow on a stand-up counter. Most shockingly, we'll order cappuccino in the afternoon (in Italy it is strictly a breakfast beverage). Apart from coffee protocols, Pulcinella feels like the best of Naples dropped into Brunswick, with all the wit and none of the roguishness of the character after which it's named.
Three more cultural cake spots to try
La Colmena
You don't need to know the extraordinary research that goes into baking Spanish pastries with centuries of tradition: they are as delicious eaten in ignorance as in expertise. But baker Cristina Jimenez can also enrich your pasteleria experience by explaining the backstories to such delights as ensaimada (a Mallorcan treat) and glaseado, a layered extravagance from Almeria. Also popping up at South Melbourne Market.
Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra, lacolmena.com.au
Afiouni Sweets & Pastries
A major drawcard at Mahoneys Plaza is this bountiful Lebanese sweet shop. Sit down for brewed coffee and knafeh (sweet cheese pie), mochachino and mlokieyh (a layered biscuit, pistachio and clotted cream dessert) and leave with a box of baklava and maamoul cookies to take to an occasion or hoard at home.
528 Mahoneys Road, Campbellfield, instagram.com/afiounilebanesesweetss
Manna Bakery
Sweet, fluffy breads and pastries are the deal at this family-run Korean bakery. I love the hot dog with chipotle and caramelised onion, the salted red bean butter bun and the autumnal chestnut-stuffed white loaf. Visit the store or keep an eye on their socials for periodic deliveries to suburbs around Melbourne.