Postcard from Sydney: Lamingtons, loaves & legends

Key takeaways:

• Sydney’s bakeries are blending tradition and innovation to create globally recognized signature items.
• A strong visual identity – from lamingtons to lemon meringues – drives social buzz and foot traffic.
• Craft, culture and clever storytelling are turning local bakeries into global bakery tourism hotspots.

Sydney doesn’t do subtle when it comes to baked goods. Whether it’s a blood orange and yuzu cruffin that looks like modern art, a finger lime éclair or a lamington shaped like a cube and dusted in freeze-dried berries, you get the feeling these bakers are out to make a point.

And they are. Over the past 18 months, Sydney’s bakery scene has gone from cult local favorite to global influencer status. Food tourists are flying in for queues outside hole-in-the-wall viennoiseries. Croissants are trending on TikTok. Pastry chefs are becoming household names. It’s theatrical, confident and incredibly precise.

Unlike cities with centuries-old baking traditions, Sydney’s biggest strength might be its freedom to experiment. French technique is everywhere – but so are Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern influences, often layered within the same bake. It’s a city that doesn’t feel the need to choose between tradition and innovation. It wants both. And it’s getting really, really good at having it all.

Pastries with personality and precision

What makes Sydney’s bakeries stand out isn’t just the flavor or the finish – it’s the thought behind them. These aren’t just beautiful for Instagram. They’re concept-driven, culturally informed and built for a market that knows its puff from its polish.

And that means global bakers are paying attention. Because Sydney isn’t just setting trends. It’s proving there’s room to break the mold.

Here are five Sydney bakeries worth planning your morning around – and what they’re teaching the rest of the baking world.

Lode Pies & Pastries (487 Crown St, Surry Hills)

If a croissant and a sculpture had a baby, it’d look like something from Lode. Laminated spirals, clean square pies and glossy tarts stacked like Jenga towers – everything here looks engineered. And that’s by design: Head chef and co-founder Vincent Gadan brings a fine dining sensibility to every fold.

But it’s not style over substance. Lode’s savory pies – think wagyu beef with bone marrow and smoked garlic – have won serious fans. And their precision has inspired countless copycats across Australia and beyond.

Lessons for bakery entrepreneurs:

• Treat pastry design like architecture – structure matters as much as ingredients
• Invest in savory innovation; it’s often less saturated than sweet pastry categories
• A signature shape can become your brand’s calling card

AP Bakery (Various pop-up locations; often Paramount House, Surry Hills)

Started as a pop-up during lockdown and now a cult bakery with a waitlist-worthy weekend presence, AP is as much about ethos as execution. Their focus? Sustainable grains, traceable flour and natural fermentation – without sacrificing pleasure.

AP’s loaves are dense, chewy, full of flavor, but they also make a standout pork and pickle croissant and seasonal danishes that vanish before noon. The vibe is low-key, but the thinking is years ahead.

Lessons for bakery entrepreneurs:

• Storytelling around sourcing adds tangible value to high-end products
• Aligning with local mills and growers can build loyalty and authenticity
• Sustainability should show up in flavor, not just marketing copy

Kurumac (107 Addison Rd, Marrickville)

Not a traditional bakery, but its matcha chiffon cakes, Japanese milk bread and yuzu-glazed canelés have made them a sweet spot in Sydney’s inner west. Kurumac blends Japanese breakfast culture with Australian café expectations, and the result is something both surprising and completely at home.

They’re known for mochi toast, curry pan and playful seasonal specials that rotate fast. It’s not flashy, but it’s deeply considered. And it sells out regularly.

Lessons for bakery entrepreneurs:

• Fusion only works when rooted in respect – go deep on both cultures
• Weekly limited-run specials keep regulars engaged and build buzz
• A tight, high-quality menu can outperform bigger bakeries with bloat

Flour and Stone (53 Riley St, Woolloomooloo)

You don’t visit Flour and Stone for a quick bite. You go because someone told you the panna cotta lamington changed their life – and they weren’t exaggerating. Owner Nadine Ingram has built the place on comfort, craft and small batch everything.

From lemon drizzle cake to raspberry brulee tarts, everything tastes like it’s made with care. But it’s also smartly merchandised and beautifully boxed. A masterclass in making the familiar feel special.

Lessons for bakery entrepreneurs:

• Reinventing classics can be more powerful than chasing trends
• Packaging should match the quality of the product – people gift what looks good
• Loyalty starts with comfort, not complexity

Black Star Pastry (Shop 3, 640 George St, Haymarket; plus others)

Arguably Australia’s most famous cake – the strawberry watermelon cake – was born here. But Black Star hasn’t rested on viral fame. It’s expanded, diversified and kept the visuals strong. Now with multiple locations and a global following, its pastry range includes Persian love cake, yuzu-infused croissants and ube everything.

Their presentation is meticulous. Their innovation is calculated. And their audience? Hungry for both.

Lessons for bakery entrepreneurs:

• Viral products are only the beginning – brand-building comes after
• Color drives engagement – test bold palettes and photogenic garnishes
• Scaling doesn’t mean compromising if you embed quality in the systems