Located at 5 Quince Street near 44 Stanley, The Test Bakery is a weekend-only pop-up serving some of Joburg’s most sought-after pastries – from flaky croissants and wild sourdoughs to burnt-butter cakes and savoury sourdough pizzas. Open Saturdays and Sundays only, it operates as a public-facing bakery just two days a week. Behind the scenes, however, the space hums with experimentation  – a deliberate setup by founders Muhammad and Sadika Lavangee, who describe it as “a working studio where we figure out what works for us and our customers.”

Together, they offer a diverse range of delectable treats. While you can find banoffee, tiramisu croissants, bounty cake slices, and maritozzi buns, the most popular items (arguably) are the twice-baked pistachio and kataifi croissants, banana bread, and Russian honey cake. If you visit, be prepared to walk away with more than one type of bread, as the selection is amazing – try triple chocolate sourdough bread? It's sensational. 

Here, every product must be tried, tested, and perfected before it hits the shelves. Their future vision – of a full-time café called Pablo and Pistachio, named after their cats, is set to be The Test Bakery's descendant. 

The space is modest, warm, and open — more studio than café — with a seating area, open views into the bakery, and a coffee station meant to complement their offerings, not overshadow them. Nearby, stunning 44 Stanley is the perfect post- or pre-bakery visit.