La Panella Bakery is well known to many Melbourne vegans. La Panella have been making vegan and vegetarian pastries and goodies since 1996.
I’ve been there a few times and to be honest, nothing has blown my mind. I do like the vegan pasties and the curry pie was okay but well, they’re only a couple of bucks each and when you pay that for a pie you shouldn’t really expect anything amazing. People have raved about the ‘vegan croissants’, which to me are simply a sweet bread in the shape of a croissant and nothing like a croissant at all. I also tried some kind of tart once, I can’t remember if it was lemon or vegan custard tart and I only managed to eat half as it was just bland and the filling on the runny side.
I walked past there yesterday on my way to the Preston Market and I took some snaps. I bought a pastie with sauce for $2.20 and ate it on the walk to the market:
Then I stuffed my face on the totally vegan hot jam donuts from the donut van at the market ($4.50 for 6 donuts. I had two then took them to the car for the family…):
I know La Panella is a favourite for so many vegans but unfortunately I can’t share in their enthusiasm– for me it’s an “it’s okay” place but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Still, I’d be happy to get a pastie or another sweet treat the next time I’m nearby and I do think it is worth a visit as you may find something you like 🙂
La Panella Bakery is located at 465 High Street in Preston and is around the corner from the Preston Market.
I always get so confused w/ Australian terms. “Pasties” here are something a gal who works the pole wears. But these look much more interesting.
Bwahaha! These are pronounced “pahsties”. No tassels!
Hahaha!!
Oh yum! I haven’t had a jam donut in about, ah, 17 years!
I wish I could get them locally. Then again, that could be dangerous!
I was so pleased to learn these were vegan, I thought it was too good to be true and did the whole “so they’re not cooked in lard? And there’s no trace of egg?” 🙂
Yep, I’d be the same!
Are the jam doughnuts as good as the ones at the vic market – I love those ones but haven’t tried the preston market ones!
As for La Panella, I feel the same way as you – it is just the sort of bakery that I used to go to as a child but my tastes have changed and there are other baked goods (such as those doughnuts) that I would much prefer to eat
The jam donuts were a bit less greasy than the Vic Market ones, although I haven’t had the vic market ones in over a year 🙂 They were bigger too, which always gets my vote!
The donuts look awesome 🙂 I used to love jam donuts as a kid, and have missed donuts in the years since going vegan. However, I bought a donut maker a couple of years back which makes mini donuts – I found a good vegan batter recipe on the net. But I would love to be able to just buy a jam donut from time to time, as they aren’t very easy to make!
I have a non-vegan recipe somewhere for hot jam donuts I made a few years ago. When the weather cools down I’ll veganise it and make them for the blog 🙂
Ooh, I look forward to that!