Nicholas Nathan greets his customers with a mixture of “G’day” and “Servus”. Originally from Melbourne, he is one half of the couple behind Munich’s only Australian-inspired bakery.
From the way he cheerfully chats with everyone, it would be easy to assume he’s been doing this for years. However, it’s actually only been a few months – and with a background in finance, his new “office” is not only on the other side of the world, but also world’s apart.
So how exactly did he go from banking to baking? It all began in 2014. Upon returning to Munich from Melbourne, his wife Sabine decided to pursue an idea she had had for a while. She started with a stall at Schöner Markt in Sendling, baking and selling Australian cakes, scones and sandwiches. The idea was an instant hit – with the limited market opening hours soon leaving customers wanting more.
Deciding to find a second more permanent location, it was an old pizza delivery shop in Maxvorstadt that eventually became Lamingtons Bakery. Opening its doors in 2017, the business grew and Nicholas joined the team.
Lamingtons is in fact more than a bakery. It’s a modern and stylish café with several small tables and a large coffee machine.
Their sweet options include vanilla slices, pear and walnut cake, chocolate brownies, lemon tart, pecan pie and blueberry cheesecake – with the selection varying according to the season’s fruits. Savoury options include grilled sandwiches and their trademark avocado and chicken baguettes.
“We’re not here to reinvent anything,” Nicholas explains, “we’re simply bringing together some of our favourite recipes that we’ve collected over the years.” The lemon tart for example is based on a recipe Sabine discovered whilst working for a French Michelin chef. And then of course there are the Lamingtons – small sponge cakes, coated in chocolate and rolled in desiccated coconut. An Australian classic. 
Open six days a week, Lamingtons has already become a neighborhood favourite with a steady flow of customers and a large turnover of butter and flour. “There’s a real community feel to the place,” explains Nicholas. People who live in the building tend to stop by in the morning, whilst all the leftovers are regularly taken to an old peoples’ home down the road. “We know all the local gossip!” he laughs.
Address
Schleißheimer Str. 96, 80797 München
Opening times
Tues – Sat | 07.00 – 17:00
Sun – Mon | closed