The best bakery in Sydney
When it comes to sweet treats in Australia, a good bakery always delivers. Sydney has plenty of fantastic bakeries to boast about, but it can be hard to find which ones are best if you're not familiar with them all. There are some famous bakeries from Sydney, like Black Star Pastry or Bourke Street Bakery, but what about the less well-known bakehouses?
For anyone looking for more savoury baked goods along the south coast of NSW, check out our guide to the best South Coast Bakeries.
Lode Pies & Pastries
Lode Pies and Pastries sits in Surry Hills, Sydney and their bright pink façade is impossible to miss! Embodying the class and style of humble, European bakeries, Lode combines tradition and contemporary, with their new approach to the aesthetic of viennoiserie, pies, and pastries, as mastered by LuMi Chef Federico Zanellato and Chef Lorenzo Librino. Grab a bite and a coffee to go, or snag one of the in-demand seats and relax in this oasis in the heart of the city.
Saga
If you're looking for a place to enjoy a savoury meal before treating yourself to something sweet in Sydney, Saga in Enmore is for you. Well-crafted sandwiches will be enough to delight your tastebuds, and the pastries and cakes that come after will be a treat for all the senses. The sight of a perfectly torched meringue, the crunch of pastry baked to perfection, the melt-in-your-mouth sensation of a sugar crumb. Not to mention the tantalising scents that make it so hard to pick which to try!
Tokyo Lamington
Originally a concept designed to bring the Australian favourite to Tokyo, Tokyo Lamington has developed into a specialty bakery unlike anything else. Spearheaded by Min Chai (formerly of N2 Extreme Gelato) and Eddie Stewart (formerly of Black Star Pastry), Tokyo Lamington serves up totally unique lamingtons. Whether you love a Yuzu Meringue, Fairy Bread Popcorn, Australian Strawberry Gum, Ferrero Reveal, or the original OG Lamington, any sweet tooth will be spoilt for choice.
The Best Patisseries in Sydney
Aussie favourites are one thing, but some sweet fiends prefer a French patisserie, and Sydney doesn't disappoint.
La Renaissance embodies subtle, Parisian style, with its leafy courtyard tucked between the historical buildings of The Rocks. Grab yourself a seat and enjoy a coffee (and a babycino if you have a kiddo with you) and enjoy a slice or two of some of the best French-style cakes in Sydney. Their Monet (vanilla sponge and white chocolate bavaroise, raspberries and lychee jelly, coconut dacquoise base) is the epitome of sophisticated cake, and who can turn down a perfectly buttery, flaky croissant?
If you're craving more French flavours, Creperie Suzette has some of the best crepes in Sydney, served from 7am each day. Sweet Crepes like the classic BaSucre Citron and Crepes Suzette will delight the sweet-lovers, and if you're eating with someone who doesn't love sweets as much, their savoury galettes will please their taste buds too. Paired with the traditional Parisian-style interiors, Creperie Suzette is a must-visit for the Francophile with a sweet tooth. The fantastic flavours, the charm of Paris, and fresh coffee make Creperie Suzette one of the best dessert cafes in Sydney.
The best gluten-free and vegan desserts in Sydney
There are a lot of options for delicious vegetarian and vegan sweet treats, but one of the best is Nutie in Balmain and in Surry Hills. Nutie started in 2016 with small batches of artisan donuts that were gluten-free and baked, not fried, for a healthier sweet treat. Since then, the brand has expanded to include more than just donuts while staying true to its ideals. It has an entirely vegetarian menu, hand-decorated after being made fresh each morning.
Sometimes the best dessert places in Sydney are where you least expect them. If you prefer raw treats to baked goods, the Nut Shop (located in The Strand Arcade, Sydney) is an excellent choice for anyone with dietary restrictions. Nuts, dried fruit, and crystallised ginger are naturally sweet and tasty. Also, chocolate-coated options exist for anyone who can't say no to chocolate.
Sweet high tea in Sydney
Not every meal can be made up of sweets, but fortunately, high tea is the perfect balance of sweet and savoury—a cucumber sandwich in one hand, a macaron in the other.
The Wentworth High Tea at Sofitel Sydney is everything you could want from a traditional high tea. Signature Wentworth cheesecake, a chocolate hazelnut chou, green tea financiers, bergamot tarts, macarons, and (of course) scones with cream and homemade jam. And if you're having high tea with a little one, the Swissotel Sydney is serving up Endless High Tea at Crossroads Bar. That's savoury sandwiches but also cakes and scones with jam and cream, all served a-la-carte and replenished on request. The kids' high tea menu includes fairy bread and ham & cheese sandwiches as well as mini iced cupcakes that are just the right size for little hands and mouths.
Sweet breakfast for dinner in Sydney
When we think of sweet meals, breakfast or brunch usually comes to mind. But the Pumphouse is challenging that idea, serving up their signature waffles well into dinner time. Choose from options like Lamington, Banoffee Pie, and Pavlova themed waffles, plus junior waffles with fresh berries and vanilla ice cream for the little ones.
After breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner, there are still more opportunities to indulge in something sweet in Sydney. Some of the best desserts in Sydney come in a glass, like at the Hyde Hacienda, right on the Sydney Harbour. Mango No. 5, the Toothless Bear, and Blue Lagoon will appeal to anyone who loves fruit flavours, while the Biscoff Espresso Martini is a must for those of us who love a good biscuit or two.
Sydney has so many irresistible sweet treats that you might need to spend a few days in the city to discover them all! To start planning your Sydney stay, find your perfect Sydney accommodation and start enjoying some of those delicious, decadent desserts.
