Petit Loulou is a kiosk-style café specialising in French baking. It serves as the second outpost of the original Milsons Point location, launched in February 2025. Located just around the corner from the high-profile Lune Croissanterie, Petit Loulou offers a markedly different style of croissant: “In France, there are two types of croissant. Pâtisserie-style croissants, which use yeast. Petit Loulou is a boulangerie-style croissant made with a sourdough starter. It’s different — a bit more sour.”
Traditional Croissant ($6.00)
A crisp, flaky exterior gave way to a tender, butter-rich interior with a subtly fermented tang, characteristic of the sourdough method. A thoughtfully executed example of the boulangerie-style approach.
Ham & Cheese Croissant ($8.50)
The champagne ham offered a smoky contrast to the savoury umami of gruyère and the creamy béchamel sauce. Pumpkin seeds and aniseed on top added a nutty crunch and a subtle liquorice accent. The pastry itself was crisp on the outside, while rich and yielding inside, with a developed buttery depth. A strong contender for repurchase, though the painsuisse-style version from Moon Phase retains the edge.
Mini Fougasse ($4.00)
This mini fougasse featured an aromatic garlic and olive oil coating that gave the crust a crunchy-chewy texture, transitioning to a more tender crumb within. The inclusion of olives added pleasant bursts of savoury salinity and a firmer bite, but remained well balanced, complementing rather than dominating the bread.
Cinnamon Croissant ($7.00)
A pronounced cinnamon sugar note paired well with the crisp exterior, but the interior proved overly greasy, which obscured the layering structure. As such, the version from Lode Pies & Pastries remains preferable.
Chausson Aux Pommes ($6.50)
This apple-filled turnover featured a deeply flavoured, well-laminated pastry with an exterior flake and soft, buttery interior. The apple filling, while slightly too soft, retained a welcome tartness that helped to offset the sweetness of the compote and richness of the pastry. A balanced and enjoyable rendition of a classic.
Bergamot & Meringue Tart ($8.50)
A crisp, lightly browned shortcrust base supported a cool, silky lemon–bergamot curd that balanced sweetness with gentle acidity. The meringue was exceptionally light, its warmth contrasting nicely against the chilled curd. Three concentrated bergamot gel dots on top added a sharp citrus punch and aromatic lift. While lemon served as the dominant flavour, the bergamot notes were distinct and lent elegance. A refined and well-executed tart.
Sesame & Dark Chocolate Cookie ($6.00)
A uniformly crisp cookie with a flavour profile led by dark chocolate and sea salt. While labelled as a sesame cookie, the sesame was not discernible in aroma or flavour, nor did it contribute a notable nuttiness. Texturally, scattered pockets of chew lent contrast to the otherwise firm biscuit. The dark chocolate used was smooth, rich, and free of harsh bitterness, with the sea salt providing a welcome lift to the sweetness. Still, for a more layered texture and pronounced chew, the versions from Kuki remain preferable.
Petit Loulou delivers a compelling counterpoint to Sydney’s increasingly competitive French pastry scene, with a distinct focus on sourdough-based viennoiserie and thoughtfully layered flavour profiles across both savoury and sweet items.
Petit Loulou is located at Shop N80.RT02, 1 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000.