Bello Food Box

Hearthfire Bakery - Bellingen NSW

Ask anyone on the Mid North Coast where to find the best bread and the answer's always Hearthfire. Having a bakery this good right on our doorstep is one of the quiet privileges of running a food box out of Bello.
Hearthfire started here in Bellingen in 2000, with a second home in Sawtell since 2016. Owners Sally & Dave built the place around proper bread, sustainability, local ingredients, and the community they're part of. As Dave puts it: "If we don't build our communities, there won't be a community."

Locally Sourced, Sustainable, Organic

Their organically grown grains come from the fertile Liverpool Plains, between Tamworth and Gunnedah, milled by Wholegrain Milling Co (Demeter certified organic). Wherever they can, Sally and Dave source from local markets and growers — keeping the food miles down, the flavours honest, and the money in the region. As they put it: "We frequently source ingredients from local markets and growers. This preserves the authentic flavours of our cuisine and bolsters the local economy."

The 5 Principles of Good Bread

Farmers
It all starts in the paddock, with organic wheat grown around Tamworth and local organic growers for everything else.
Millers
The wheat is ground into flour using traditional methods and real craft.
Bakers
True enthusiasts who pour themselves into every loaf. Baking is a fine skill, learned slowly, working with the moods of temperature and humidity.
Time
Patience is everything — their process runs over nine hours. No shortcuts.
Sol
Their wood-fired stone oven, and the secret to a taste you won't find anywhere else on the Mid North Coast.