Hamilton's Newest Micro-bakery – Rüdi's

For those that are familiar with Hamilton, I’m sure have ventured down Riverbank Lane. Tucked in the heart of the city, it has quickly become a bustling community that is home to a quirky bookstore, fabulous bars, fashion and homeware stores, an art gallery and now a delicious micro-bakery! 

In late August, we saw talented artisanal baker Stefan Kelly-Zander and his wife Fern open their doors to serve up their artisanal sourdough breads and sweet and savoury viennoiserie. 

Now, if you know me, a fresh pastry and coffee are a quintessential part of my Saturday morning routine to the point where I have developed an unofficial checklist of what makes a pastry stop worth another visit.

First on the checklist: being able to get a good cup of coffee on the same premise. It is simply fact not opinion, that coffee goes hand in hand with baked goods and if you can provide me with both I’m a happy girl. And I can confirm that Rüdi’s bakehouse most certainly did with their top notch Eighthirty blend.

Second on the checklist: catering both sweet and savoury options. I can’t predict what mood I will be in – yes, it is a 90-10 chance of being sweet, but I still need to account for that 10. And this was another check! My top picks were definitely the Cinnamon Swirl which is layer upon layer of crisp, yet soft and airy, croissant pastry perfection with just the right amount of cinnamon sugar; the savoury Pain au Ham and Cheese, made using Italian prosciutto and aged cheddar; and the sweet Nordic Knot bun, loaded with vanilla custard and topped with blueberries and pearl sugar.

Third on the checklist: vibes. It’s all good and well if you can bake yummy scrolls and make a good cup of coffee but I want the vibes, the atmosphere, and the story. Given the location in Riverbank Lane, this was an automatic check for me, especially given you can pick up the goods and sit on the bank just outside for a gorgeous view of the river on a sunny day. But you should also chat with the team because they have such a fun story, sparking the idea during the pandemic and running pop-ups across Whangamata before making the move to Hamilton.

The team also has plenty more notable offerings, including a range of loaves that have been specially created to be easier on the gut and have a longer shelf-life than most breads! And you can also enjoy a small but inspired lunch menu, with sourdough pizzas, cheese toasties and filled sandwiches using local and seasonal ingredients.

All in all, I can confirm that this is a bakery I will be coming back to when I venture back to Hamilton and absolutely recommend you do too!

Rüdi’s Bakehouse – Unit 5, Riverbank Lane, 298 Victoria Street, Kirikiriroa Hamilton.
Open Tues 7:30am-12:00pm (coffee and pastry only, due to nature of sourdough)
Wed-Fri 7:30am-2:00pm 
Sat 8:30am-1:30pm

Visit www.rudis.nz

Instagram: @rudis.nz