Loafer's Bakery is a neighbourhood bakery at 3 Manuka Rd in Bayview, on Auckland's North Shore, holding a strong 4.7 rating on Google. Bakeries live and die by timing: the loaves and pastries that come out of the oven first thing are usually gone by mid-morning, so arriving early — especially on weekends — gives you the full range to choose from. A good bakery's simplest offerings tell you the most; if the plain bread is done properly, the rest tends to follow. Regulars also learn the rhythm of the bake, from which items land on which days to what sells out fastest, and are rarely shy about steering newcomers towards whatever is freshest that morning. For anyone in Bayview after proper fresh bread or a pastry worth getting up for, this highly rated local spot on Manuka Road rewards the early start.