Delicia

If you don’t have a patisserie in your life, you need to get one. It’s as crucial as a plumber, or a justice of the peace. More crucial, actually.
And damned if Delicia is both delicious AND just down the road from me. Some patisseries have scraggly displays of dull, wonky baked goods that scream «we just don’t care anymore» but Delicia, man, everything is giant, and fresh, and glistening with what I hope is some kind of honey glaze.
There’s sumptuous croissants, perfect little lemon curd tarts, and a chocolate-​caramel-​coconut biscuit slice that I spilled all over my car trying to eat before I got home. Seriously, now there’s little bits of shredded coconut everywhere, mum’s going to kill me. She hates messy cars.

Delicia claims (every Easter) to have the best Hot Cross Buns in the universe! While I can’t judge on places I haven’t been, the tasty seasonal rolls at Delicia are the best I’ve had hands down!
If you’re after beautiful French pastries, cakes, freshly baked rolls, loaves, pies or just great coffee; pop into this little gem on the lower north shore!
P. S. they also cater for any occasion!

Delica has all the trappings of your usual patisserie — pies, scrolls, cakes, coffee plus more substantial offerings like burgers and big breakfasts. It is a little confused in this sense — almost like it doesn’t quite know what it is at heart. I personally think they should stick to what they do best — being a bakery. They’ve got all the spirit of a local bakery which is evident in their frog –face cupcakes and fun gingerbread men as well as their friendly prices. I picked up a pink meringue with smarties eyes — such a cute afternoon treat for the little kid in me.

Delicia reminds me of the bakeries of 20 years ago — before the time of chain stores like Bakers Delight and the gourmet pastry boutique craze started. It has cream cakes (the butterfly cup cake kind) and eclairs and smartie ginger bread men and custard tarts and glazed cupcakes, meringues with sprinkles and home made pies. It’s not a truck stop by any means but when I was surveying the cake cabinet I couldn’t help but imagine these sweets being a truckies delight. All baked daily on the premises they are fresh so if cake is your fancy and you do indulge it should be a scrumptious occasion.
Unfortunately I didn’t get to taste the coffee as they had run out of soya milk (9am on a Friday which was a tad disorganized).
Besides the freshly baked goods the best bit about this place is the wall of cycling art and posters. I’d get a seat facing this if you can as it’s the only good view around given the café is next to a car park. To get to the toilets you need to through the kitchen. They’re a bit grubby so avoid if possible.
Service is fine but to be honest the cafes up the road are prettier, more comfortable, make great coffee and modern gourmet treats.

Come Easter I make a beeline for Delicia. Why? Because they make the most ridiculously divine (oops, no bad pun intended) Easter Buns. They’re fluffy, fruit filled and downright addictive.
But for the rest of the year Delicia more than holds its appeal. Everything on the shelves looks and tastes scrumptious — it’s definitely the place to head if you want to treat yourself to a cake or crumble. Even a pie — there’s some all too good smelling gourmet varieties in the oven up the back. The bread is also crazy good — look, this is a top notch bakery, it’s all good! Even the Paul Bassett coffee is served up well, perhaps not up the standard of its rivals at Cream and Forsyth’s, but it goes down nicely with your freshly baked treat.
Given Naremburn’s spot betwixt and between bike paths dodging the express way, it’s fitting that Delicia caters to the lycra clad. They seem to be quite the Tour de France fans, with posters and paraphernalia adorning one wall, and a TV that always seems to be streaming cycling highlights. And seeing as cyclists must burn serious calories, they must be the best customers for all of Delicia’s delicious wares.