ABOUT US & OUR HISTORY

Westees Bakery

Westees has moved towns and generations but the recipes and friendly staff have remained the same.

Westees represents good fresh home style baking with every recipe tried and tested through the years.

We are very proud of what we produce. Every day, every item is baked fresh and we don’t use preservatives.

Started in 1966 in Port Alfred by Ann and Laurie Fleischer. Today it’s run by one of their four children, Maryann Swanepoel.

In the Beginning

Originally started on a flower farm in Matopas, now Woodridge Girls Hostel. Ann and Laurie Fleischer packed everything they owned and their four children and moved to Port Alfred where Ann’s bakery started as a corner in her husband’s Lagoon café in the caravan park.

As Port Alfred marina was being developed, Ann and Laurie were moved to West Beach cafe at West Pier in Port Alfred. And so the name was born Westees, the tea room on West Pier.

Not too long after that, Ann moved the bakery into Port Alfred town so that it was run as a stand alone bakery and now longer a section in her husband’s cafe.

Moving To Port Elizabeth

The children started to move on as they grew up and started finishing school in Grahamstown and Maryann finishing Grade 7, the couple decided a move to Port Elizabeth was next on the cards especially as Port Alfred had become very seasonal with most people visiting during Easter and Christmas.

Again, this power couple packed up everything into a little blue Cortina and moved their family to PE. Hotly followed by staff who only wanted to work for them as part of an extended family.

So in 1979, Westees found it’s new home in Hancock Street, Port Elizabeth and has been there ever since. Ann was the baker (and the boss), and Laurie was the driver.

To Present Day

In 1997, Maryann and her husband Deon bought Westees from Ann.

Maryann continues to run the bakery the same way her Mom did and still uses her mom’s recipes to this day.

Sadly in 2021, Ann Fleischer passed but her legacy still lives on. Except for one secret recipe that is still unkown – the famous mutton pie recipe which old customers still ask about.

Our Staff and Service

Westees employs 14 staff members with some having worked for Westees for over 40 years.

We’ve always tried to hire from within our staff’s family circle making us a multi generational team. Children of our staff have joined over time starting as dishwashers and are now some of our best bakers.

We support the Capsicum Culinary School and their students who need work experience. They place students with us every year so they can gain hands-on experience from our existing staff passing on their experience to the younger generation.

What better experience can you gain from working with a baker who has been making pie pastry for the last 30 years!

Our Customers

We’ve got clients who have been coming to us for years and we are so grateful to them. Lawyers from the local law courts pop in regularly for breakfast or between their cases. We love seeing every customer come back and are proud of our client base.

We take pride in our wonderful staff and training them to be good to our customers. We always focus on providing good food and friendly service.

We appreciate all the feedback from our customers on social media or when they contact us to order again. This feedback is always passed on to the staff member who made the item as everyone loves fantastic feedback.

Reviews & Testimonials

It’s so rewarding to hear from our customers

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Moist cake that stays fresh for longer. Highly recommended.

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5
Kemi Owonibi
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Their wide range of freshly baked pastries have me driving across the city

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5
Kgabisang
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Friendly welcoming staff with a great attitude, the best fresh cream donuts in Port Elizabeth

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5
Conrad
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My kids are over forty years old and i have been supporting Westees since they were toddlers. They now reside in Cape Town but when in PE first stop Westees. There kids are now Westees fans

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5
Rashid Julies
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I remember Westees back in the day. It’s still living up to its name. Lovely tarts, pies and little cakes. Big cakes made for every occasion. We enjoyed the steaming hot cuppuchino and creamy, caramel tart.

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5
Lorna Meyer
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Caramel cream cake is delicious! Tons of fresh cream. Massive Chelsea buns.

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5
Simon Agar
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One of the better bakeries in PE/GQ for lunch and pastries/treats and the best in the north end/town region by far. Highly recommend the pies ( the best flaky/puff pastry pies in town by far) and the brownies.

Pricing is also very friendly.

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5
Emmanuel Verge
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Wow wow wow ☺️ that’s all i can say. Late booking but perfect results on the day u want.. Ohh i cant express the quality and taste

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5
Nomawethu Busakwe
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Home made pies were filled with chicken, really good food

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5
Carla Engelbrecht
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Best pies and sweet treats I’ve ever eaten. Money’s worth

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5
Odette Gallant

Bakery Opening Times:

Monday to Friday

07:30 - 16:30

Saturdays

07:30 - 12:30

Sundays & Public Holidays

Closed

041 484 5630

orders@westees.co.za

078 499 7003

Address:

Hancock St, North End, Port Elizabeth