Darling Group knows baked goods. The company behind popular brunch spots such as Higher Ground, Top Paddock, and Kettle Black has made all of its bread and pastries in-house for two years. But it’s not something they’ve been loud about. With the opening of its all-day bakery and cafe Cheri in South Melbourne today, the group is finally ready to put its house-made baked goods and patisserie front and centre.

Cheri, in the former Bibelot and Chez Dre site, sits beneath the group’s new production kitchen, where pastry chef Michael Germanos leads a team that churns out a constant stream of cruffins, doughnuts, quiches, baguettes and choux.

Upon entering the 150-seat venue, you’re greeted with a large display case showcasing the day’s offerings. They may include Paris-Brest (a ring of choux pastry with hazelnut or pistachio crème and praline), lime and basil eclairs, or spiral-shaped croissant-cookie hybrids (crookies) finished with dulce de leche and salt. There’s also a gelato case featuring 18 house-made classic and Asian-inspired flavours such as fior di latte, pistachio, and yuzu mandarin.

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“This is an extension of [our existing offering], letting the bakers and pastry chef [Germanos] flex their muscles and be a bit more creative,” group culinary director Ash Hicks tells Broadsheet.

“We’ve got everything from nostalgic cinnamon buns [with cinnamon almond cream and dulcey, (caramelised white chocolate)] and finger buns [flavoured with rum and raisin, cookies and cream, and seasonal berries], to high-end tarts and hand-made pastries,” says Hicks.

While the sweets change seasonally, one mainstay is the triple-chocolate brownie croissant filled with chocolate batons, glazed and baked until caramelised. The team currently produces around 800 each week to stock its venues, not including any increased demand from Cheri.

Savoury options include Roman-style slab pizzas, focaccia sandwiches, and piadinas (Italian flat bread) stuffed with produce from the South Melbourne Market.

Guests can also head to the dining room for an all-day menu that includes Neapolitan-style pizzas made from 72-hour fermented dough, croissant French toast and sourdough baguette sandwiches. Drinks range from European-inspired cocktails to peach cold brew and decadent triple-chocolate brownie shakes.

The semi-visible kitchen and breezy, open-plan dining room offer a full view of the action, while the venue’s high ceilings and industrial edge hark back to its former days as a Kodak factory. Out the back, there’s a 50-person courtyard with a retractable roof.

Cheri
285-287 Coventry Street, South Melbourne
9690 2688

Hours:
Daily 7am–5pm

cherieatery.com.au