Where to Find The Best Chocolate Treats & Hot Cross Buns in Melbourne This Easter

Every year, bakers across Melbourne rise early so that we can satiate our annual cravings for fresh from the oven hot cross buns. And in a city that has an enviable selection of artisan bakeries, we are well and truly spoilt for choice.

But not all hot cross buns are made equal. In the weeks leading up to Easter, hit up the city’s finest bakeries that are renowned for serving up the best hot cross buns in Melbourne. Butter up!

Best Hot Cross Bun-Inspired Treats in Melbourne

Hot Cross Ice Cream at Billy Van Creamy

Easter has officially landed at Billy Van Creamy, and the flavours are absolutely worth the wait. This year, they’re serving up not one but two beloved seasonal specials to sweeten the long weekend. First up: the cult-favourite Hot Cross Bun gelato, made with a spiced milk base, hand-cut choc chips, dried figs, currants, and a zing of orange zest. Then there’s the Vegan Deconstructed Easter Egg — a caramel swirl, dark choc flakes, and vanilla base that’s completely dairy-free. Bonus: their rich chocolate fudge sauce is now pouring in Albert Park. Hop to it before they vanish!

Fitzroy North, Brunswick and Albert Park locations

Hot Cross Bagels at Mile End Bagels

The iconic Hot Cross Bagel has returned to Mile End Bagels — and this year, she’s bringing a decadent new bestie. That’s right, after nine years of perfecting the recipe, this wood-fired beauty is officially at her peak.

From April 15th to 21st, Mile End’s limited-edition Easter specials menu is in full swing, starring your choice of two house-whipped cream cheeses: the cult-favourite Hot Cross Cream Cheese (cinnamon, orange zest, sultanas) or the brand-new Choc Hazelnut Cream Cheese, made with Mile End’s own gianduja, roasted hazelnuts, and 54% Callebaut chocolate.

Both are rich, silky, and utterly scoopable — and available in take-home tubs while stocks last. Luxe, nostalgic, and a little over the top (in the best way). Run, don’t walk.

Fitzroy, Brunswick, Richmond, and Hawthorn locations

Pidapipo’s Easter Collection

Pidapipo’s Easter collection is the kind of indulgence that makes you forget your wits and surrender to pure decadence. Hot Cross Doughnuts filled with fior di latte gelato and spiced caramel sauce? Yes, please. Available exclusively at the Fitzroy Laboratorio, these melt-in-your-mouth creations set the stage for a proper treat. Their artisan chocolate eggs, made with single-origin cacao and wrapped in vintage Italian flair, are perfect for gifting or devouring solo. Feeling extra? Grab a large Easter egg stuffed with mini chocolates and a surprise Pidapipo pin.

Then there are the gelato cones—peppermint chocolate with white fudge, hazelnut Bacio, and malted milk chocolate, all dipped in chocolate shards. Pidapipo’s got you covered for an Easter that’s as indulgent as it is unforgettable. Swing by their Melbourne stores and elevate your holiday with serious dessert game.

All stores

Hot Cross Doughnut, available at Pidapipo Laboratorio in Fitzroy only

Le Yeahllow’s Easter Treats Are (Almost) Too Pretty to Eat

Step aside, choc bunnies—Le Yeahllow is taking Easter desserts up a notch. From 7th April, their seasonal collection drops, featuring “Le Carrot” (a chic little carrot cake with vanilla bean cream cheese and shiny orange glaze) and the returning cult fave: Hot Cross Cake—a sponge-meets-Valrhona chocolate masterpiece that looks exactly like a bun but tastes ten times better. Available in single or party slab sizes, these are the desserts to impress your Easter guests.

Shop the collection here

Driver Lane, Little Collins Street, and South Yarra locations

Hot Cross Bun… But Make it Pretzel

This Easter, Pretzel Australia is serving up a nostalgic twist with their Hot Cross Bun Pretzel—a spiced fruit dough creation topped with a generous swirl of cream cheese glaze. It’s sweet, spiced, and seriously addictive. At $12.50, it’s their Flavour of the Month and only around for a limited time across all Melbourne locations. Ideal for sweet tooths and Easter treat hunters alike—get in quick before it disappears!

$12.50 per pretzel

Knox, Eastland, and Doncaster locations

Piccolina x Baker Bleu Hot Cross Bun Sundae

If you’ve never tried a scoop of ice cream sandwiched in between the soft pillow of a hot cross bun, what are you doing? Piccolina and Baker Bleu are taking it one step further, introducing a to-die-for hot cross bun sundae that’s sending us wild. Piccolina has churned Baker Bleu’s famous sour cherry and dark chocolate hot cross buns, traditional hot buns and strawberry cheesecake tart into velvety gelato in the lead up to Easter. And the icing on the cake (or the cross on the HCB) is the limited-edition sundae, featuring a scoop of gelato of your choice hugged by a toasted Baker Bleu bun and topped with hot sauce and whipped cream. Catch it while you can!

Starts tomorrow 5th April, for two weeks only

Multiple locations

KOI Dessert Bar’s Scotch Cross Bun

This Easter, KOI Dessert Bar in Melbourne is giving the humble hot cross bun a lavish, whisky-infused makeover with the Scotch Cross Bun. Available from April 1st to 17th, this decadent creation blends vanilla mousse, warming spices, and currants soaked in Benriach’s The Original Ten single malt Scotch whisky. The result? A hot cross bun like no other—rich, indulgent, and full of unexpected twists.

For $22, experience this bold, contemporary spin on a classic, available exclusive to KOI. Hop to it—this limited-edition treat won’t last long!

100 Queen Street, Melbourne

Hot Cross Bun Milk Punch

Love hot cross buns so much, you wish you could drink them? Curious and Lollo at W Melbourne are shaking up a limited-edition Easter cocktail giving an innovative twist on the beloved Easter treat. Experience an explosion of flavours and spices including cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice from the moment it meets your lips, crafted with so much expertise, you’ll think it’s the real thing!

Available from 15th April

408 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Chocolate Eggs and Bunnies at Morning Market

Swing by either of Morning Market’s shops and fill your Easter basket with the good stuff — think garden hunt-ready eggs, giant bunnies with serious wow-factor, and even a tray of cheeky chocolate sardines for the unexpected gift win. Whatever your Easter vibe, there’s something sweet (and a little fun) waiting on the shelves.

Fitzroy and Prahran

Best Hot Cross Buns in Melbourne

Small Batch Roast

Small Batch’s legendary hot cross buns are back on the menu. Made with juicy Murray View Organics vine fruits and figs, fragrant spices, and candied orange, then finished with a sticky Autonomy Distillers amaro glaze. Each one is wrapped in a golden croissant pastry cross.

Pre-orders are open now and running until Easter Saturday—get in early.

3-9 Little Howard Street, North Melbourne

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Bloomwood

Easter just got a serious upgrade at Bloomwood. Introducing the Hot Cross Bomb — a golden, cross-laminated pastry filled with spiced cinnamon apple, plump raisins, and silky vanilla bean custard. Flaky, rich and ridiculously good, it’s everything you didn’t know you needed. Only available this Easter weekend, and trust us — they won’t last long.

Shop G01/121 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

Cheri

It’s that time of year again, and Cheri is hopping into Easter with their Traditional Hot X Buns—soft, spiced, and utterly divine. But the real treat? Their Not X Buns, a playful twist packed with Biscoff goodness. Available from Wednesday, daily until sold out, these buns are the stuff of Easter dreams. Whether you’re a purist or a rule-breaker, don’t miss out on these limited-edition hot cross buns in Melbourne.

285-287 Coventry Street, South Melbourne 

Raya and Dua Bakehouse

Raya, Dua Bakehouse, and Preston’s Oji House Baking Studios are taking Easter up a notch with their Asian-inspired hot cross buns. Think Black Sesame & Raisins or Ube & Milk Chocolate—soft, pillowy, and packed with flavour. These limited-edition delights are available for pre-order, with pick-up at Raya or Dua. Don’t sleep on these—order now before they’re gone!

Shop 2/61 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 

Collingwood Yards, Shop 1/35 Johnston Street, Collingwood

Rustica

These buns are so good, they’ll have you questioning your belief system. Choose your own hot cross adventure at Rustica: traditional spiced buns ($25 for six), rich dark chocolate versions ($27), or the wildcard — a hot cross doughnut ($22) filled with silky vanilla, cardamom, and brandy crème, dusted in sugar and laced with white chocolate. It’s indulgent, a little cheeky, and begging for a spot in your Easter haul. Order a four-pack online.

Multiple locations across the city

To Be Frank

No bells, no gimmicks — just the kind of hot cross bun that reminds you why the classic became a classic. Packed with plump fruit and heady spice, To Be Frank’s buns are soft, fragrant, and downright nostalgic ($4.60 each or $26 for six). The only warning? They vanish quickly. Get in early or prepare for deep, delicious regret.

Shop 1/4 Bedford Street, Collingwood

Pecks Road

Pecks Road, famous for its triple-ube doughnuts and modern Filipino sweets, is giving the humble HCB a vibrant makeover. This year, they’re stuffed with creamy ube halaya (that’s purple yam jam, for the uninitiated) for a pop of colour and flavour in every bite. A joyful, sticky-sweet twist on tradition — now also available at their new CBD outpost.

Shop A6/1-7 Caroline Springs Boulevard, Caroline Springs 

3/234 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 

Morning Market

Morning Market is flipping the script on hot cross buns this year with a daring, boozy twist. These aren’t your average Easter treats — they’re infused with Pastis and Brandy, spiced with cardamom and allspice, and studded with dried prunes and apricots. A rich, grown-up take on the classic, they’re $4.50 each or $26 for a half dozen.

59 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy

579 High Street, Prahran

Wild Life Bakery

Wild Life is doubling down this Easter with two stellar buns. The classic is anything but basic, made with a hearty blend of wheat and rye flours ($24 for six). Meanwhile, the cult-fave chocolate version is back — now supercharged with a boozy kick from Inner North Brewing’s Irish stout ($28 for six). Earthy, rich, and just the right amount of rogue, this is one hot cross bun in Melbourne for the books.

90 Albert Street, Brunswick East 

Callé Bakery

Callé Bakery’s hot cross buns are the Easter indulgence you didn’t know you needed. Baked fresh daily, these pillowy delights—featuring classic spice and a dreamy chocolate variety—fly off the shelves. No pre-orders, just first come, first served. Get in early, grab a coffee, and savour the magic while they last.

649 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North

Bromley’s Bread

Bromley’s Bread is shaking up Easter with their cranberry-infused hot cross buns—a tantalisingly tart twist on the classic. Less sweet but bursting with flavour, these golden, spiced buns are best served warm with lashings of salted butter. The perfect balance of zingy and comforting, they’re a must-try for those who love a little extra bite with their Easter indulgence.

Carnegie, Cheltenham, and Mentone

Antara

Antara’s hot cross buns are anything but ordinary. Of course, there’s the classic hot cross bun that’s always available in the lead up to Easter, however, you’ll want to come in to try the fortnightly rotating specials. New limited-edition flavours will be dropping every two weeks, enticing you with sweet and savoury combinations that will blow your socks off. Cheddar cheese, chilli & rosemary hot honey is the hot cross bun kicking things off—and if that’s anything to go by, you can expect some seriously bold and inventive flavours to follow.

128 Exhibition Street, Melbourne

Penny for Pound

Melburnians love and adore Penny for Pound’s hot cross buns, so it’s a delight to hear that they’re back for another Easter—and they’re better than ever! This year’s lineup consists of two different flavours, both as delicious as each other. The traditional hot cross bun is packed with Earl Grey-soaked fruit, orange zest and spicy cinnamon, and the triple choc how cross bun is any chocolate-lover’s dream, oozing with rich dark chocolate chunks.

If you want to try something out of the ordinary, Penny for Pound is also offering two limited-edition Easter pastries. The Hot Cross-Ant is the ultimate mashup of a hot cross bun and flaky croissant, filled with cinnamon and orange-spiced almond frangipane and topped with the signature Easter cross. The Hot Cross Cinnamon Scroll is a must-try, infused with spiced brown sugar, cinnamon, and plump sultanas, glazed with vanilla sour cream and topped with a cinnamon cross. Yum!

418 Bridge Road, Richmond

387 Camberwell Road, Camberwell

7 Cochranes Road, Moorabbin

Ferguson Plarre

Ferguson Plarre has something for everyone this Easter. Sink your teeth into fluffy, chewy traditional and choc chip hot cross buns, finishes off with a perfect glaze cross. These guys are the experts when it comes to these cinnamon-y, spicey and chocolate-y creations, baking these buns since 1901. With over 120 years to perfect their recipe, you know you’re in safe hands!

All bunned-out? Not to worry. Ferguson Plarre has a sweet treat for everyone. Cut yourself a slice of their limited-edition chocolate panettone, made especially for the Easter holidays. The sweet bread is dipped in chocolate, then sprinkled with chocolate chips. Pop this baby in the microwave and you’ have yourself an oozy delight.

Various locations throughout Melbourne

Ritzy

While Ritzy is known for their delicious bagels, they also bake up a mean hot cross bun. This bakery is keeping things traditional, offering the classic fruit hot cross bun and chocolate hot cross bun. Grab your morning coffee and add a hot cross bun to your order to be a part of the Easter festivities.

25 Pratt Street, Moonee Ponds

605 Hawthorn Road, East Brighton

AM Bakehouse

Keeping it sweet and simple (because who can ever pass up a good ol’ classic), AM Bakehouse has added both traditional and chocolate hot cross buns to their menu for Easter…except the chocolate hot cross bun has a unique twist. Bite into this hot cross bun and you’ll find a pleasant Nutella surprise to go along with the choc chip-filled chocolate bun; it’s any chocolate-lover’s heaven. Not so much of a sweet tooth? Their traditional fruit hot cross bun has the potential to sway even the stubbornest of fruit nay-sayers if warmed and paired with butter, it’s simply that good.

286D Tooronga Road, Glen Iris

Tokyo Lamington

Tokyo Lamington’s beloved lamington hot cross buns are back for another year, and this time, they’ve brought a couple of friends along with them. This bakery has uno reversed their original lamington hot cross bun for a hot cross bun flavoured lamington, and has also created a Yuzu lemon and sultana hot cross bun for a spicy and citrussy treat.

258 Elgin Street, Carlton

Black Star Pastry

Black Star Pastry is serving up two delicious and classic hot cross bun variations this year: traditional and chocolate. Whether you’re in the mood for a spicy and sweet allspice traditional bun with a frankincense glaze, or a rich, indulgent chocolate bun made Koko Black’s 60% dark chocolate chips, Black Star Pastry has something to satisfy your cravings,

Various locations across Melbourne, See website for details.

Bread Club

The best club, Bread Club, truly know how to hot cross bun. Taking just enough liberties with tradition, Bread Club’s bun holds surprises like blueberries and cardamom, but nails the basics like a fluffy dough. Fermented for 24 hours, it’s got a good, generous mix of sultanas, currants and cranberries and a gentle peel taste throughout. Despite all that, the sweetness is in check. If you’re not a fruit fan, there’s the classic chocolate hot cross bun available, too. Or, you can ease into the fruit bun train and get a mixed one! Need we offer more information? Get in line today!

558 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne

65 Cardigan Place, Albert Park 

Dench Bakers

This cafe bakery has a well-earned reputation for its bready goodness and every year they pump out some of the best hot cross buns in Melbourne. Dench Bakers take on the delicious parcels includes a secret blend of spices, whole pureed oranges and vine fruit that’s added to the batter, which flavours the dense yet chewy buns. They’re seriously good, especially when paired with your brew of choice.

109 Scotchmer Street, Fitzroy North

Loafer Bread

Fitzroy North delivers in a big way on baked goods, and Loafer Bread is no exception. The hot cross buns are made of sourdough, so they’re dense with fruit, lemon and orange peel which is candied in-house. The buns are then topped with malt syrup glaze. Yum!

146 Scotchmer Street, Fitzroy North

Tivoli Road Bakery

A cafe bakery that foodies city-wide swear by, mainly because it’s a sourdough lover’s dream, but when Easter rolls around, it’s all about their hot cross buns. At Tivoli Road Bakery, the buns are on the softer side with a zesty spice mix and sultanas and currants. All buns are cut, weighed and rolled by hand—a big reason why these are considered some of the best hot cross buns in Melbourne.

3 Tivoli Road, South Yarra

Zeally Bay Sourdough

Vegans have been trying to keep this bakery under wraps, but word is out, because Zeally Bay Sourdough bake bread that is so mouth-watering delicious, and they roll out some of Melbourne’s best hot cross buns. Located in the beachside town of Torquay, the guys here bake their buns slowly and simply—the old pre-industrial way. They use dried fruits, fresh citrus peel and their in-house blend of spices, all of which is certified organic.

10 Sawmills Way, Torquay

Phillippa’s

One of Melbourne’s all-time faves (and rightfully so), baker Phillippa Grogan likes to make her hot cross buns the traditional way—a yeasted bun with spices, organic vine fruit and candied orange peel—just like they were from her childhood. Her secret to creating one of the best hot cross buns in Melbourne is using six different spices that are freshly ground each week. They are then glazed to perfection, ready to be picked up from either their Armadale, Richmond, or Brighton stores.

Don’t feel like a hot cross bun but still want to get into the Easter spirit? Phillippa has an entire Easter range, from hot cross buns to gingerbread bunnies or honey bunnies, Pain D’Epices to Simnel cakes.

Armadale, Richmond, Brighton

Falco Bakery

Falco is responsible for some of the best hot cross buns in Melbourne, according to . An all-rounder in their field, Falco’s HCBs are soft, chewy, fruity, spicy, and gloriously sticky all at once. Buns are priced at $4.60 each or $24 for half a dozen and sell out early, so get in fast.

288 Smith Street, Collingwood

156-158 Langridge Street, Collingwood

266 Johnston Street, Abbotsford

Baker Bleu

There’s no chance of feeling blue this Easter if you’re indulging in Baker Bleu’s signature buns, which are back and better than ever. You’ve got two choices: a sour cherry and dark chocolate dream team, or a more traditional raisin and pecan. In the wise words of Alexander Hamilton, order both… or you will never be satisfied. They’re delicious as is, or served warm with butter. 

119/121 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield North

42 Errol Street, Prahran

In a city that is mad about its food, there’s an abundance of bakeries pumping out mouth-wateringly delicious bread. But every Easter, it’s the hot cross buns that take centre stage. And although these are our pick of the bunch, there are plenty of bakeries around town that once a year, rise to the occasion of creating the yummiest Easter treats around. These are the best hot cross buns Melbourne has to offer.