Where to get the best Galette des Rois in Melbourne
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Written by: Johanna B., our Frenchie in Melbourne and Galette des Rois specialist
Published: 7th of January 2023
Happy New Year Melbourne! And with the new year, it is time for the delicious… Galette des Rois!
Read on to find out more about the king cake and see where you can get the best one right here in Melbourne.
Contents
What is the Galette des Rois?
The Galette des Rois is a traditional cake most famous in France.
It is an iconic and historic dessert made in January of each year.
The galette is otherwise known as the king cake or three king cake in English and koningentaart in Flemish and Dreikönigskuchen in German.
In the majority of France, it is a puff pastry filled with frangipane (a tasty cream made from sweet almonds, eggs, butter and sugar). Regional variations exist including the South of France version flavoured with orange blossom and topped with candied fruits like citrus and cherries. Portuguese, German, Dutch and Spanish variants of the galette can also be found.
The king cake is historically associated in many countries with the Epiphany (or the twelfth day of Christmas when the three Kings arrived in Betlehem to meet newborn Jesus).
With the celebration and the cake comes the tradition of drawing the king or queen: a “fève“ is hidden in the galette before baking, and the guest that finds it in their slice is symbolically declared to be king or queen and gets to wear a paper crown for the day. The feve is made of a range materials, most commonly a porcelain figurine (note: choking hazard).
While it no longer a particularly religious holiday in France, they luckily still enjoy the cake that comes with it!
Fun facts:
- Nearly 70% of French people admit to cheating and rigging the process so kids find the feve.
- The tradition dates back to the 13th or 14th century!
- The king cake is usually enjoyed warm from the oven but it can also be enjoyed at room temperature or cold.
Can I get the Galette des Rois in Melbourne?
You can definitely indulge in this famous galette right here in Melbourne. And a good one too!
But unlike crepes in Melbourne which you can enjoy throughout the year, you have to be organised as you can generally only get the Galette des Rois early in January each year.
Johanna, our local Galette expert
To help you out, we asked Johanna, our galette loving Frenchie in Melbourne to let us know where we can get the best Galette des Rois in Melbourne.
And she obviously accepted this challenge!
You could call Johanna the Queen of the King Cake…
If you know of other places to get the Galette des Rois and would like Johanna to try it out so we can list it here or would like to get in touch with Johanna or Melbourne Buddy, please shoot us an email at:
melbourne.buddy(@)yahoo.com
We hope you find the following guide useful.
When can I get the Galette des Rois in Melbourne?
The king cake is traditionally enjoyed on the 6th of January to celebrate the Epiphany.
As such, it is only available to buy in January and often, quite early in January. Be careful not to miss out as it can be a long wait until next year.
Where can I buy the Galette des Rois in Melbourne?
Luckily, you can get your hands on some very good quality Galettes right here in Melbourne.
Let’s get into some more details about each one. Always confirm any information with the individual bakeries.
Noisette
Address: 84 Bay Street, Port Melbourne VIC 3207. May also be available at the Kew and Bentleigh locations- please check.
Opening Hours: 6:30am – 5:00pm
Available: early January
Website for more galette info: noisette.com.au
Price: about $45 at last time of checking for standard size galette
One of Johanna’s favourites, this one comes with a cute feve and paper crown. Limited availability, please check and preorder or by phone to ensure you don’t miss out.
Laurent
Address: multiple locations across Melbourne (not all may stock the galette)
Opening Hours: check website
Available: 28th December 2022 until the 6th January 2023 (please confirm)
Website for more galette info: Laurent
Price: about $40 at last time of checking for standard size galette
The famous French bakery in Melbourne offers another great option. Their website mentions the availability of the Galette Provençale (South French variant, made from brioche filled with sweet almond cream and topped with candied fruits) in addition to the Galette des Rois.
The Laurent Bakery Johanna got her galette this year only had the traditional version so make sure to check and reserve your choice early.
The galette comes with a crown and a feve.
Agathe Patisserie
Address and Hours: Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 4pm at the South Melbourne Market ONLY
Available: From 4th of January 2023 (?how long)
Website for more galette info: Agathe
Comes in two sizes, small (4 slices) and large (6-8 slices). Note only available at South Melbourne market (we don’t think the CBD outlet will be stocking it in 2023).
Reverie
Address: 31 Izett St, Prahran and Level 1 Westfield Doncaster, Doncaster
Available: Limited time, pre order, check website
Website for more galette info: Reverie
In 2023, Reverie is offering a special Pear Almond Chocolate Galette Des Rois.
Choukette French Bakery
Address: 318 Sydney Road, Brunswick VIC 3056
Available: Early January
Website for more galette info: Choukette
Coming in multiple sizes with a crown and feve, we advise to preorder by email or phone.
Frenchilicious
Address: 318 Sydney Road, Brunswick VIC 3056
Available: January – check website for details
Website for more galette info: Frenchilicious
Price: $38 to $48 depending on size
Custom made so you must preorder. Check website for more details. Contains feve and crown.
References
- Individual bakery business websites and social media, accessed early 2023
- Wikipedia King Cake page, accessed December 2022 and January 2023
We have updated this article most recently in January 2023. Please keep in mind that any information below can change at any time and we do not guarantee the accuracy of any of the information provided. Always refer to the individual business galette info and check availability and opening hours to avoid disappointment. We hope you found the “Galette des Rois in Melbourne” article useful.
