Whether you are eating cake to celebrate a birthday or simply to indulge, chances are you’ll find a sweet treat in Lae to satisfy your taste-buds. Lae artisans are producing some of the best cakes in the nation. Here are three places to go if you want your cake and to eat it too.

A tray of the delicious doughnuts at Lae. Credit: Penny Burns

Chigi’s Coffee Shop

Open since 2006, Chigi’s has established a leading presence within Lae’s cafe and cake scene. Its tapioca cake is widely thought to be the best in town. The treacle topping provides an indulgent sweetness that has locals and tourists returning for more. Combine that with a neat fit-out and a relaxed environment, and you have the perfect location for morning tea or an after-work snack.

Where: Brian Bell Home Centre, Mangola Street, Lae
Tel: 7217 1966

Lae City Hotel

Regardless of your dessert preferences, Lae City Hotel is likely to impress. Its range of cakes provides a big choice of flavours and alternatives. Even the pickiest of eaters will find something delicious here. The cake options include black forest and chocolate mud cakes, which have quickly become the most popular among visitors. If these richer options don’t appeal, then you may be inclined to try something more unconventional, such as the hotel’s light Japanese cheesecake. Buy by the slice or get an entire cake to share for a special occasion.

Where: 3rd Street, Lae
Tel: 472 0138

Café 411

Named after Morobe’s official postcode, this centrally located cafe provides a fusion of great atmosphere and western-style cuisine. With its picturesque views of Lae, Café 411 allows
you to feast your senses on both delicious desserts and gorgeous scenery. You can devour a slice of the café’s cake alongside a cup of quality coffee, or as dessert after a burger and chips. If you are looking for the sweetness of cake, but with a bit of a twist, then perhaps a doughnut would better suit you. They are very highly recommended, especially when eaten on the day they were made.

Where: Sect. 177, Lot 1&2 Coronation Drive, Lae
Tel:  479 0100

The article ‘A cake walk’ was first published in the June 2021 issue of PNG Now, PNG’s leading lifestyle magazine.