You never know what you’re going to find at Miller’s Bread Kitchen. Dromana’s Rustic Bakery has no online menu to read ahead of time and baked goods always rotate, which screams decision fatigue. But what it lacks in certainty, it makes up for in deliciousness.
Sister duo Rebecca and Vanessa Graley, and Vanessa’s husband, chef Tyler Miller, are behind the Mornington Peninsula spot, which opened in 2019 but has since established itself as a local treasure. His initial intention was to supply restaurants in the region with good quality bread. But the community had other ideas.
The shelves are packed with all kinds of freshly baked breads, from stone-ground to olive sumac sourdough, made with flour milled at nearby Tuerong Farm. You’ll also find the bread on the tables at Montalto, Paringa Estate, and other restaurants and wineries on the peninsula.
The pie warmer is always packed with crowd-pleasing treats, like decadent pies loaded with chicken, bacon, leeks, and chardonnay, or jumbo rolls of pork sausage and fennel, both served with house-made seasonings. The spicy side is often made from excess homegrown produce from the community, which is exchanged for fresh bread and lasagna to take home. You’ll also find a variety of first-rate focaccias and sandwiches brimming with seasonal produce. My destiny? Free-range meatballs sub with parmesan custard and fresh basil.
You have the same options to choose from on the candy front (and if it were up to the team, “they’d change the menu every half hour,” says Miller). Go all out with a creamy lemon meringue Danish, a classic cinnamon roll, or a vanilla slice with a croissant-inspired twist.
A former car wash in an industrial pocket seems like an unlikely location for a bakery, but the elevated space was transformed with the help of family and friends. It still has a warehouse feel but has been warmed up with wooden furniture and lots of greenery.
While it might still be considered a hidden gem to some Melbournes, it’s been so popular on the peninsula that passionate chef (and close teammate) Tom Ward joined the team to help them open a second venue, Miller’s Bread Cantina, at Mornington’s. Main Street to “take the pressure off the Dromana store [and] expand [its] range,” says Miller.
And while we’re not holding our breath, there’s talk of a hole-in-the-wall place in town. And we are excited. But for now, the Mornington Peninsula couple are worth a trip.
Miller’s Bread Kitchen
Nepean Road 116, Dromana
Hours:
Mon to Fri 7am–3pm
Saturdays and Sundays from 8 am to 3 pm
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