Lune Croissanterie has attained near-cult status in Australia since opening its first store in Melbourne in 2012, known for its meticulously crafted pastries and famously long queues.
2025
When they opened in Sydney, we had to see for ourselves whether the hype would have justified an interstate journey.
Their Sydney CBD space is sleek and modern, featuring high ceilings, polished concrete, and their signature ceiling lights. Pastries are displayed along the counter, allowing customers to make their selection before ordering. While there was a queue, service was efficient, with at least three staff members taking orders.
Traditional Croissant ($7.10). A traditional French croissant, prepared over three days.
The exterior was crisp, but the interior was disappointingly dense rather than light and airy. While the layers were tender with a mild sweet-savoury quality, the butter lacked depth of flavour, and the overall texture was not as smooth as other Sydney croissants. With so many superior options available, this one fell short.
Kouign Amann ($9.50). A classic French pastry from Brittany, laminated with sugar and baked in a butter, sugar, and salt-lined mould until caramelised.
Rich with sugar and butter, the pastry had a hint of salt and a moist interior. However, while the edges had some crunch, the overall texture was oily rather than caramelised. A lacklustre rendition.
Morning Bun ($9.20). Croissant pastry baked with brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest, then rolled in spiced sugar.
The interior was delightfully tender, with crisp, flaky layers. The brown sugar filling provided a balanced sweetness that complemented the buttery pastry, while the cinnamon was mellow and the orange zest subtly lifted the flavours without overpowering. This was well-executed and enjoyable, but the version from Lode Pies & Pastries is superior.
Ham & Gruyère ($10.80). A croissant baked with shaved ham, Swiss Gruyère, and seeded mustard.
Expectations were high given the glowing reviews, but this pastry failed to impress. While the croissant had a good flaky exterior and a tender interior, it lacked depth of flavour. The ham and Gruyère filling was meagre, and the overall flavour paled in comparison to Moon Phase’s version, which features béchamel for added richness and an exceptionally crisp, golden pain Suisse exterior.
Cherry Coco ($15.50) — February Special. A twice-baked pain au chocolat with cherry frangipane, chocolate ganache, maraschino cherry halves, and chocolate batons, finished with toasted coconut flakes, powdered chocolate, and freeze-dried cherry.
This was the most intriguing of all the pastries, reminiscent of a Black Forest croissant with coconut. The interplay of textures—from the melty chocolate batons and juicy, slightly tart maraschino cherries to the crunch and chew of the coconut flakes—was well-balanced. The cocoa powder added a gentle bitterness, while the savoury notes of the croissant itself prevented the sweetness from becoming overwhelming. However, without the toppings, the pastry itself was unremarkable.
For a bakery with such an established reputation, Lune Croissanterie was surprisingly underwhelming. Perhaps when they first entered the scene in 2012, they set a benchmark, but Sydney’s pastry landscape has since evolved dramatically. Today, there is an extensive list of bakeries that surpass Lune in execution, flavour, and presentation—such as those from Black Cockatoo Bakery, Tenacious Bakery, Moon Phase, Home Croissanterie, and Lode Pies & Pastries.
2026
Black Forest ($16.70) — cocoa frangipane, maraschino syrup, cherry jam, maraschino cherries, chantilly cream, chocolate mousse, topped with chocolate cookie crumble, cocoa powder, additional chantilly cream, maraschino cherries, and chocolate flakes.
This pastry featured visible layering of cream, fruit, and chocolate elements designed to echo a Black Forest profile in structured form rather than a simple flavour infusion. The interior delivered a dense distribution of sour cherry elements, with syrup and jam contributing both moisture and a pronounced fruit lift. The cherry component carried a clear tart-sweet tension, preventing the chocolate elements from becoming overly heavy. Chocolate appeared in multiple forms, creating a layered cocoa continuum rather than a single-note base. The darker cocoa elements sat beneath the cream, while the cookie crumble introduced a firmer, more grounded bite, reading closer to a dense chocolate brownie crumb than a light pastry topping. This provided contrast against the softness of the cherries and the aerated chantilly cream. Chantilly cream functioned as a structural moderator, lifting the overall density and preventing the cherry–chocolate combination from becoming cloying. The croissant base itself remained consistent with their standard execution: structurally competent, laminated, but not the defining feature of the pastry. It acted primarily as a carrier rather than a standout element.
Lune Croissanterie is located at Shop N80.RT01 Metro Martin Place (entry via Castlereagh St), 1 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000.