1. Bowan Island Bakery || 183 Victoria Rd. Drummoyne. Ph: (02) 9181 3524; Cnr Queen & Williams Street. Five Dock. Ph: (02) 9747 0484; 2/108 Warrane Rd. Chatswood. Ph: (02) 9882 3525. bowanislandbakery.com.au.

Sydney’s oldest sourdough bakery now plies its organic breads and pastries through three cosy cafes. Drop in for a savoury Monterey jack cheese muffin or chocolate babka, or pick up a loaf of the city’s only organic ciabatta.

2. Sonoma || 241 Glenmore Rd. Paddington. Ph: (02) 9331 3601; 215 Glebe Point Rd. Glebe. Ph: (02) 9660 2116; 2/9 Dank St. Waterloo. Ph: (02) 9699 1920; R10, 178 Campbell Pde. Bondi. Ph (02) 9130 1224. sonoma.com.au.

A simple recipe and a whole lot of love have turned Sonoma into a household name. In the hands of their skilled bakers, a few organic ingredients become classic sourdough, rye spelt or walnut raisin loaves.

3. Bourke Street Bakery || 633 Bourke St. Surry Hills. Ph: (02) 9699 1011; 474 Gardeners Rd. Alexandria. Ph: (02) 8339 1001; 2 Mitchell St. Marrickville. Ph: (02) 9569 3225. bourkestreetbakery.com.au.

The line down the street should alert you to the popularity of this neighbourhood bakery. Top of the organic baked goods is the chewy sourdough loaf, but the pork and fennel sausage rolls are a Sydney favourite.

4. La Tartine || 111 Wisemans Ferry Rd. Somersby. Ph: (02) 4340 0299.

Nick and Laurence Anthony have skipped the fancy bakery-café side of things and concentrated on turning out amazing certified organic bread form their Somersby bakery. It’s a bit of a drive for a loaf, but you can find their fresh bread at most of Sydney’s good produce markets.

5. St Malo Bakery || 83 Willoughby Rd. Crows Nest. Ph: (02) 9906 6256. stmalobakery.com.

Combining artisan techniques and organic ingredients with French-inspired recipes has been a smart move. North Shore locals have been won over by St Malo’s massive range of baguettes, croissants, spelt loaves and sweet fruit tarts.