Sweet Lu is a ‘boutique patisserie cafe’ that opened in Sydney’s Chinatown in mid-2020, serving sponge cakes, crepe cakes and mooncakes with a focus on Asian flavours.
2022
Strawberry Cake ($9.80), a chiffon cake with fresh strawberries.
A recent fondness for Japanese-style strawberry shortcake led us to try this version. This one here was disappointing, alas. There was far too much fresh cream in every bite, while the sponge was dense and lacked the light fluffiness of chiffon cake. The strawberry — which should’ve been the highlight of the cake — was a letdown, with the slices being haphazard in thickness, which made it impossible to cut through with a fork.
Lychee Rose Cake ($9.80), a chiffon cake with lychee.
This cake had the same issue with the fresh cream as the previous — there was far too much of it and to our dismay, did not carry any rose flavour, which was left entirely to the sparse dusting of rose petals sitting atop. The lychees were an enjoyable and bright pop of fruity sweetness that quite carried the cake despite being canned. However, for a satisfying lychee rose cake, one would find the version from Tea Journal infinitely more elegant and refined.
Chestnut Cake ($10.80), a caramel chiffon cake with chestnut.
This is the most successful of the cakes we tried from Sweet Lu. The generous chunks of chestnut mixed through the cream, as well as chestnut cream piped on top with the candied chestnut delivered a bold chestnut flavour from numerous textures, that was well balanced by the sweet caramel sweetness in the sponge. The addition of the chestnut is various formats went a long way to balancing the generosity of the cream.
Chestnut Tart ($4.50), an egg tart with chestnut cream and chestnut.
This tart carried a good chestnut flavour from both the cream and candied chestnut, but the egg tart aspect of the tart lacked the smoothness of good egg custard.
While the mascot at Sweet Lu is adorable, the pastries and cakes from Sweet Lu are average at best, and there are many better options available around that price point.
2024
In 2024, Sweet Lu introduced a range of osmanthus-flavoured items, capitalising on the apricot-like floral notes of osmanthus, which had become a popular floral flavour in Sydney.
Osmanthus Fermented Rice Milk ($7.80, +$2.00 for upsize, less ice). This drink featured a dairy milk base, flavoured with osmanthus and jiu niang, along with mochi balls.
The beverage had an opaque white hue, with the toppings settled at the base and a light sprinkle of osmanthus on top. Upon tasting, the osmanthus flavour was present but lacked intensity. The portion of fermented rice was also insufficient, failing to provide the expected texture or topping quantity typical of a boba-style drink. Additionally, the use of dairy milk rather than rice milk felt misleading, as it initially tasted bland—essentially like regular skim milk—without enough sweetness or floral notes from the osmanthus. While the drink had potential, its execution left room for improvement.
Osmanthus Fermented Rice Mochi Tart ($4.80). This tart featured a bruleed egg filling topped with cubes of osmanthus jelly, jiu niang, osmanthus syrup, and mochi balls.
The egg filling was slightly overcooked, lacking the smooth, eggy consistency of a traditional egg tart. The osmanthus jelly added a bouncy texture but was only mildly sweetened, while the osmanthus syrup contributed a stronger sweetness and some moisture to the otherwise dry filling. The rice mochi balls were chewy, adding texture but not much flavour. The pastry was acceptable—neither soggy nor particularly crisp, and lacked the desired buttery or fragrant qualities.
Osmanthus Mochi-Lato ($7.80): This dessert featured a soft mochi layer lining the cup, encasing a scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with osmanthus jelly, jiu niang and mochi balls.
Among previous desserts combining osmanthus and fermented rice, this was the most successful. The apricot-like floral notes of the osmanthus and the slightly tangy sweetness of the fermented rice were prominent and balanced well with the vanilla ice cream. While the ice cream wasn’t premium, it was smooth and creamy without being icy, complementing the other components nicely. The osmanthus jelly was firm, only mildly sweetened, and had a pleasing agar-like texture, offering a notable presence of osmanthus along with subtle texture from the blossoms. The soft, stretchy mochi was easy to scoop and cut with a spoon, making it a better pairing with the ice cream compared to the mochi sheets used at places like Ice Kirin Bar, which are difficult to cut with the provided wooden utensils. This dessert is one we would repurchase.
2025
The Jellycat-themed cakes at Sweet Lu proved irresistible during a birthday celebration, particularly given their pairing with chestnut.
Jelly Chestnut ($24.80 for 4 inch cake)
Adorably presented, this cake featured three layers of sponge interleaved with chestnut cream and crushed chestnut, while its “legs” and “hair” were crafted from biscoff-flavoured cream and topped with two whole chestnuts as a whimsical hat.
The biscoff cream carried a stronger, lightly caramelised flavour that complemented the beige chestnut cream beneath. Its warmth paired seamlessly with the earthy sweetness of the chestnut, both in the purée-infused cream and the generously scattered chestnut pieces between layers of feather-light sponge. The chestnuts on top reinforced the flavour theme, grounding the cake’s overall balance.
Charming in presentation and satisfying in flavour, this was both delightful and well-executed—would repurchase.
2026
Longan & Fermented Rice Jelly with Osmanthus ($29.80)
Featured layers of milk tea chiffon, fresh deseeded whole longan, cream, fermented rice, mochi balls, osmanthus petals and osmanthus jelly.
The cake came together as a layered composition, with each component contributing a distinct texture. The milk tea chiffon provided an airy, delicate softness, while the whole longans delivered a fresh, smoky sweetness with a crisp bite that suggested high-quality fruit rather than the softer character typically associated with canned longan. The mochi balls introduced a tender, elastic chew, contrasting well against the light sponge and cream.
Through the centre of the cake, the fermented rice contributed a subtle boozy character that tempered the richness of the cream without introducing noticeable bitterness. The osmanthus jelly carried a pronounced floral profile reminiscent of honeysuckle, while the suspended dried osmanthus petals added a gentle textural dimension and reinforced the aromatic finish.
Overall, the cake was defined by its well-judged layering of textures, with the interplay between airy chiffon, crisp fruit, tender mochi and delicate jelly creating a cohesive and engaging structure. The restrained fermented rice and fragrant osmanthus prevented the dessert from becoming overly rich, resulting in an exceptionally balanced composition.
Sweet Lu is located at various locations in Sydney.