The best places for muffins in Canberra

A great muffin is one of life’s simple pleasures. They’re quick, cheap, delicious and they’re the perfect accompaniment with a cuppa.

I’ll admit it, I’m a muffin snob. I have scoured the glass cabinets and pastry stands all over town to discover the best Canberra has to offer. It’s my personal belief that a muffin needs to have the perfect combination of a crunchy top, a soft spongy middle and plenty of goodies sprinkled throughout. They can’t fall apart too easily, but you don’t want to be munching on a doughy brick.

You often need to be quick to get your hands on these freshly baked sweet treats before they sell out. So here are my top picks for muffins worth getting up for in Canberra.

Good Brother (Dickson)

A hidden gem nestled within Dickson shops, Good Brother’s wholesome and hearty cooking gets snapped up quickly! Their muffins are baked fresh every day, and the service is always on point. They use big fat choccy buttons and always have just the right amount of crunch on top. My top pick is the milk chocolate and raspberry, sprinkled with caramelised raw sugar.

1/20 Challis St Dickson open Monday – Friday 6.00am – 2.30pm and Saturday 6am – 1.00pm.

Penny University (Kingston)
The muffins at Penny University have a different taste than any other ones I’ve tried. There’s a wholesome, comfort to them and they aren’t too sweet. Their flavours rotate weekly, and with a pile of icing and a dusting of edible flowers atop each one, they are pleasing to both the eye and the tastebuds! My personal choice is the nutella and banana.

15 Kennedy St Kingston open Monday – Saturday 6.00am – 3.00pm and Sunday 7.00am – 3.00pm.

Harvest (Canberra City)
Friends and co-workers travel from Tuggeranong for these muffins! Harvest is a buzzing coffee spot nestled on Marcus Clark Street. Their muffins are always filled with hero ingredients, and have a rustic and effortless perfection about them. They’re often sold out mid-morning so get in quick so you can grab one when they come out of the oven.

40 Marcus Clarke St open Monday – Friday 7.30am – 4.00pm.

Sweet Bones
I couldn’t forget our vegans out there! You can’t go past Sweet Bones without gazing into their glass display packed with mouth-watering, radical baked goods. Their muffins are spongy, with fluffy tops piling over the sides. My favourites are the apple and rhubarb crumble, and choc-chip filled with round vegan chocolate buttons. They’ve just opened a second café and bakery in Scullin so you can head to the suburbs if you don’t want to make a trip to Braddon for your vegan goodies.

Find them at 18 Lonsdale St Braddon open 8.00am – 3.00pm every day. They’re also located at the Scullin shops.

The Cupping Room (City)
You’ll find some of the prettiest muffins in town at The Cupping Room with their unique flavour combinations atop glass plates on their rambling counter. Chocolate, banana and strawberry, or oreo and condensed milk are some of the best ones I’ve tried. The chefs experiment every day with seasonal produce so you’re always guaranteed something interesting.

1/1-13 University Ave Canberra open Monday – Friday 7.30am – 3.00pm and weekends 8.00am – 3.00pm.

Typica (Manuka)
Situated on the lush lawns of Manuka is Typica with freshly baked muffins still nestled in the oven trays gracing the large benchtop. They absolutely nail the all-time favourite combo of raspberry and white chocolate, but they rotate different flavours every day. This is one of my personal favourites for the crunchy muffin top!

4 Palmerston Ln Griffith open every day 7.30am – 2.00pm.

Pattisez (Manuka)
From the home of monster shakes, and adventurous cakes, Pattisez was a no brainer when it comes to a good muffin. They’re double the size and double the density to anything I’ve had. The carrot and walnut with cream cheese icing takes the…. cake. Layers of real carrot, currants and fat walnuts swarm the delicious sponge – but somehow it’s still light and fluffy. I highly recommend a visit!

21 Bougainville St, Griffith open Monday – Friday 7.00am – 2.00pm and weekends 7.30am – 2.30pm.

Le Bon Melange (Gungahlin)
This French patisserie is such a delight to visit. Upon arrival you’ll be overwhelmed by the colourful treats that fill the cake cabinets. Their muffins have cute blobs of icing, and offer some of the best quality GF options around. My favourite is the carrot with cream cheese icing sprinkled with pumpkin seeds. But be careful….. you will probably leave with more treats than you thought you would.

48 Gungahlin Pl & Bruning St Gungahlin open Mondays 8.00am – 2.30pm and Tuesdays – Sundays 8.00am –4.30pm.

Kynefin (Hall)
Country home cooking at it’s best, Kynefin bakes wholesome food from their gorgeous shopfront in Hall. Their berry and white chocolate muffin is an example of the perfect ratio of cake to berry. They make British-influenced food that, in their own words, ‘makes you feel good’. And their muffins do just that!

2/4 Victoria St Hall open Wednesday – Friday 8.30am – 3.00pm and weekends 8.00am – 3.00pm.

A Bite To Eat (Chifley)
Full of flavour! These muffins are made with spelt flour giving them a wholesome texture, balanced with delicate ingredients. I can’t rave about the fluffy ricotta and blueberry enough. They’re jam-packed with chunks of baked ricotta and juicy blueberries and it’s the perfect belly-filling treat to enjoy on an Autumn morning. Coffee in one hand and muffin in the other – perfection!

8 Chifley Pl, Chifley open Monday – Friday 7.00am – 3.00pm and weekends 7.30am – 3.00pm.

As You Like It (ANU campus)

Situated on the ANU campus next to the Street Theatre boasts a cosy urban café home to the epic ‘monster’ muffins! The muffins took a little break from the menu but we’re pretty happy to let you know you’ll find now be able to get your hands on them again. They’ve nailed the base recipe and they experiment with outrageous flavours each day. Think peanut butter and jelly, coconut rough, lemon meringue, Reese’s Pieces, Iced Vovo… need I say more? They are eye-catching beauties that you won’t be able to resist. I had the apricot and almond, and it was just as tasty as it sounds.

15 Childers St, Canberra City open 7.00am – 4.30pm weekdays. Closed weekends.

Wildflour (Fyshwick, Kingston + Weston Creek)

Of course I had to include Wildflour. One of Canberra’s fastest growing bakeries that now boasts three shopfronts in Fyshwick, Kingston and Weston Creek. Their pastries are made in-house every morning and flow with the seasons. Their muffins are consistently yummy, offering reliable flavours like raspberry white chocolate and blueberry. Their apple crumble filled with warm spiced chunks of granny smith are a must-try too.

Fyshwick: 8 Townsville St open Monday – Friday 7.30am – 2.00pm, Saturday 8.00am – 2.30pm, Sunday 8.00am – 2.00pm.
Kingston: Shop 8/34 Eyre St is open Monday – Sunday 7.00am – 5.00pm.
Weston Creek: Shop 25, Cooleman Court, Brierly St is open Monday – Sunday 7.30am – 5.30pm.