Penelope Bakery and Coffee Roaster

Penelope Bakery and Coffee Roaster is a small, independent bakery and roastery in Coogee, Sydney, built around traditional methods and careful preparation. The bakery stone mills its own flour in-house and allows its products to mature for 72 hours, reflecting the team’s interest in slower, time-honoured fermentation rather than rushed production. Its baking draws on Greek, Italian and broader European traditions, alongside the everyday bread-making heritage of the former Coogee Bakery.

The venue’s offering extends well beyond loaves and pastries. The team makes panini in-house using its signature schiacchiata bread, which is prepared with a traditional European 72-hour rise. Other offerings mentioned by Penelope include freshly baked scrolls, Greek, Italian and European baked goods, fresh juices, organic matcha prepared to order, and pizza al taglia served by the slice. The bakery also continues the previous shop’s longstanding role in the local area, with its baker having worked in Coogee for three decades and supplying freshly baked burger and milk buns to businesses along Coogee Bay Road.

Coffee is treated with the same attention. Penelope roasts its own beans in Sydney in small batches, selecting seasonal green beans and aiming to serve each roast within four days. The business also sells its beans online, including subscriptions, and offers its Penelope House Blend in different pack sizes. The coffee program has family roots, inspired by the team’s patriarch and his long-standing interest in roasting, as well as a blend developed by the family’s “big boss” several years ago.

Penelope presents itself as a neighbourhood bakery with a strong sense of continuity: it has taken over the legacy of a Coogee institution while introducing its own baking and roasting practice. The website describes it as a “little spot” with familiar staff members who have worked together for years, suggesting a personal, community-minded service rather than a large or impersonal operation. It suits locals dropping in for bread, coffee or a quick bite, as well as visitors interested in naturally matured baking, small-batch roasting and European-influenced bakery fare. The Google rating is 4.6 from 77 reviews.