We’re close enough to Easter now that we can taste it. No seriously, we can. It seems every bakery, café or eatery is doing an Easter special this year and who could blame them? Easter brings out the very best flavours: sugar, spice and lots and lots of chocolate. Below are our favourite Easter eats in town for 2024.
Churro and chocolate Easter egg from Beatrix Bakes x Melbourne Cocoa
Natalie Paull from Beatrix Bakes has collaborated with Melbourne Cocoa this year to craft a milk and white chocolate egg. You'll detect festive notes of cinnamon, sweet vanilla and caramelised waffle in the delicious egg – all inspired by the flavour of churros, one of the recipes from Beatrix Bakes' new cookbook, Another Slice. They’re available for a limited time only at select retailers or online at the Melbourne Cocoa website.
Gelato-filled Easter eggs from Pidapipo
It's always an egg-citing time when Piccolina launches a new delicious gelato creation. This Easter, the beloved ice cream shop has released its much loved, limited edition gelato-filled Easter eggs. There are three new nostalgic flavours to choose from, including Milo, Banoffee and Baileys Cheesecake, meticulously designed and handmade by Piccolina's team of pastry chefs and gelato makers. Each egg will set you back $39, serves at least two to four chocaholics, and comes in a limited edition gift box. Purchase one in-store or online.
Good Friday fish pie from Antara 128
This new-ish eatery and bakery from the crew behind Sunda and Aru are bringing a delicious savoury treat to the table this Easter long weekend: a Good Friday fish pie. Sink your teeth into succulent white fish and ocean trout fillets, prawns, mussels, leek and fennel, all braised in a herbaceous white roux, and then encased in a rich, buttery shortcrust pastry with a puff pastry lid. The huge pie ($90) will generously feed up to four to six lunch guests and comes with tartare sauce and a leafy vinaigrette-dressed side salad. It's available for pre-order and pick-up on Thursday, March 28. Go here for more details.
Hot cross bun gelato sandwich from Pidapipo
Ice cream mavens Pidapipo Laboratorio will have its usual exclusive hot cross bun sandwich specials, all baked daily in house. Choose from a chocolate hot cross bun, served with a scoop of milk chocolate and amarena cherry gelato, or a spiced raisin hot cross bun with a scoop of honey and blueberry jam gelato. And for those wanting to assemble a sandwich at home, you're in luck: the hot cross buns will be sold individually or in a pack of 6 with a one-litre tub of gelato. Pick-up is available from all stores.
Babka from Ruben's Deli
In 2024, Armadale favourite Ruben's Deli is recreating its much-loved limited edition babka with an Easter twist. Available individually or as a wheel, the dough is filled with Ruben's signature cinnamon filling mixed with traditional Easter spices, marinated currants and housemade candied zest before being rolled, baked and topped with a citrus-infused cream cheese. The end result is a lusciously fluffy, delicious Easter treat. Get 6 in a wheel for $40, or individually for $9. The babka will be available in-store from this New York-inspired deli from Friday, March 22 until Friday, March 29.
Golden Easter egg special from Society
Perhaps this year, your stock standard supermarket Easter egg isn't enough and you're in the mood for something a little more bougie. This is where Society's new Golden Egg comes in. It's an intensely indulgent Easter-inspired dessert consisting of Jivara chocolate mousse, strawberry chocolate ganache, vanilla ice cream, marshmallows and crisp chocolate pearls. It's available exclusively at Society for just $26.50 and is the perfect way to bookend a fabulous long weekend meal at the CBD fine diner.
Hazelnut chocolate croissant from Callé Bakery X Bonne Maman
Just in time for Easter, beloved French jam and spreads brand Bonne Maman has teamed up with Callé Bakery to create two irresistible pastries using the newly released Hazelnut Chocolate Spread. This limited-edition signature croissant wheel with a hazelnut chocolate custard centre is crowned with hazelnut praline and a dollop of the exquisite Bonne Maman spread, and will be available for a limited time only. To get your hands on one, your best bet is to pop into Carlton North's Callé in the next few days.
Velvet Noir cocktail from the Everleigh Bottling Co.
If you prefer your Easter-inspired flavours in a drinkable form, there's a new cocktail from renowned Australian cocktail brand the Everleigh Bottling Co. that's sure to light you up. The Velvet Noir is designed to pair perfectly with decadent dark chocolate, an exceptional blend of choc, black cherry and baking spice notes with extra bittersweet hints of plum, bitter orange, and cola spice. Whether it's a holiday gift or simply a treat to yourself, you can get your hands on a bottle of the stuff at the website.
Plus two bonus snacks 'cause these are just too good to ignore:
Easter egg and hot cross bun tarts from Tarts Anon
For Easter this year, Melbourne's fave tart shop has created these two insanely good-looking (and delicious) limited edition tarts. The Easter egg tart is a delicate tart shell filled with moist almond cake, enclosing a white chocolate 'egg shell' full of creamy brown butter mousse and luscious apricot gel for the yolk. If that doesn't make you swoon, we don't know what will. The hot cross bun tart features a rich cake batter infused with dried citrus peel, spices, brandy and orange juice-soaked raisins. Yum. The easter egg tart will be available until stocks last from the Cremorne location only, but you can pick up the hot cross bun tart until stocks last from both the Cremorne and Collingwood stores. Don't want to miss out? Pre-order for both tarts is now open here. All Tarts Anon locations will be open from 9am–3pm on all 4 days of the Easter weekend from Friday March 29 to Monday April 1.
Super luxe caviar and lobster roll from Pinchy's
We've been informed this decadent caviar and losbter roll will only be available from Pinchy's throughout the Easter period, so if you're a fan of the eatery's luxurious seafood buns you'll want to get in quick. Pinchy’s new executive chef has created the most luxe lobster roll experience ever. Think two times the amount of lobster, lots of Osteria caviar, tobiko and lime mayo, fresh lettuce, tarragon bearnaise and a blend of fresh herbs. It's served with saltbush fries and a Martini glass full of foamed bearnaise sauce. Valued at over $60, you can get your hands on this all Easter long weekend for $40. Expensive? Sure, but if you can, go ahead and treat yo'self.
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