Dawn Baked Goods, an outpost of the same owners behind Dawn Bakery in Hunters Hill and Goose Bakery in Forest Lodge, opened at the end of 2023 in a somewhat hidden location in Rozelle.

Impressively, by opening at 7 AM on a weekend, they had their full lineup of pastries available for purchase.

Mushroom ($8.50)

This pastry was flaky on the top, yet greasy on the base, and underbaked near the interior. The filling had a very savoury mushroom flavour but lacked something to brighten or add depth, such as thyme or a hint of lemon. As it was, it tasted bland and greasy, and lacked the rich buttery flavour and tender layers of a good pastry.

Pistachio ($10.00)

While the previous pastry was undercooked, this one was overcooked, resulting in a dry crust that lacked the tender and rich buttery layers characteristic of the best viennoiseries in Sydney. On the positive side, the cream’s thickness was pleasant, as it didn’t ooze or make the pastry soggy. However, the buttercream base had a weak pistachio flavour despite its vibrant colour. The green layers from food colouring were visually striking but didn’t enhance the taste or texture. Overall, despite its visual appeal, this pastry was unimpressive in terms of taste and texture.

Sour Cherry Almond Croissant ($9.00)

This pastry was touted in all the reviews as the ‘must try’ from this bakery, yet it was our least favourite of the three. The frangipane was overly sweet and excessively moist, soaking into the stale croissant. While the sour cherries did cut through some of the sweetness, they were poorly distributed and could have been even more tart to better balance the frangipane. The crisp almond flakes added much-needed crunch, but overall, the base croissant, though well-risen, lacked the tender buttery notes of a good croissant to withstand the almond croissant treatment.

Overall, we are unlikely to return to Dawn Baked Goods. While the pastries have the appearance of high-end products, their execution in terms of flavours and textures falls short. Given their inconvenient location, especially compared to superior bakeries in the area like Fabbrica Bread Shop and Home Croissanterie, it is not worth the trip. This also means we can take Dawn Bakery in Hunters Hill and Goose Bakery in Forest Lodge off our list of bakeries to visit.

Dawn Baked Goods is located at 4 Unit 14/26 Mansfield St, Rozelle NSW 2039.