5 Things You Need To Know About Lune Croissanterie Sydney

The Melbourne stalwart is coming to Sydney later this year.

If you’re a lover of good pastries and freshly baked goods, chances are you’ve heard of Lune Croissanterie. Established in Melbourne in 2012 by founder/owner Kate Reid and her brother Cameron, alongside restaurateur Nathan Toleman, the bakery has become an icon of the city. Lune has since opened four more Lune’s: Fitzroy (2015) and Armadale (2022) in Melbourne, and South Brisbane (2021) and Brisbane CBD (2022) in Brisbane.

And it’s not hard to see why… think fresh, flaky croissants, indulgent pain au chocolat, decadent danishes and the inventive cruffin (croissant + muffin) – all baked to perfection. Drooling yet? Yeah, me too.

But don’t go booking your flights to Melbourne or Brisbane just yet. Lune is coming to Sydney.

Slated to open in October this year, Lune Criossanterie is bringing its beautiful baked goods to the rumbling tummies of Sydneysiders. But before you rush to join the inevitably long queue, here’s what you need to know.

Lune Croissanterie is coming to Sydney.

1. Lune will be located in Sydney’s latest precinct

In Rosebery, something exciting has been brewing for a while. And now, it’s ready for visitors. The heritage-listed Rosebery Engine Yards has been opened after an epic redevelopment under the watchful eye of global industrial property group Goodman. Now, the precinct is finally complete and sprawls across 1.9 hectares of the south Sydney suburb.

Rosebery Engine Yards in Rosebery, Sydney, NSW

Rosebery Engine Yards is owned and developed by global brand, Goodman.

The creative hub has been opening in stages since, with premium retailers and exclusive brands across fashion, lifestyle and food welcoming guests into a range of stunning, revitalised warehouses. And yes – that includes Lune.

You’ll also be able to find brands like Oroton, Zimmerman, Bassike, Lofft House and Gelato Messina – among many others – at Rosebery Engine Yards. Come for the croissants, stay for the shopping spree.

The new precinct is made up of revitalised heritage-listed warehouses.

2. It will be Lune’s flagship store

Not only is Lune coming to Sydney, but it is also crowning the new venue as its flagship store. This means that the bakery at Rosebery Engine Yards will be the brand’s primary location.

So, what does this mean? Well, according to global job matching and hiring platform Indeed, retailers often reserve this title for the store that is most notable. It is also typically the largest store in a retailer’s chain.

This is furthered by the news that this won’t just be a hole-in-the-wall joint. Visitors to the bakery will have the option to dine-in. Either sit inside and bask in the smell of freshly baked goods or enjoy the sun outside while you sip on a coffee and indulge in your favourite pastry. Either way, it’s one of life’s simple pleasures.

Sit outside in the new precinct and enjoy your delicious baked goods.

3. Waiting in line won’t be a bore

Let’s be honest, the line out the door of Lune is going to be long come opening. And, with pastries this good, it’ll probably stay that way during peak times. But don’t let that deter you – the queue will be anything but boring.

Although not much has been revealed about this exciting element, there’s been talk of an interactive experience that will keep visitors entertained while they wait. To the disappointment of all parents, you may be able to play with your food before you eat it. Watch this space!

Queuing for a croissant has never been more worth it.

4. It won’t be the only Sydney location

If Rosebery is a little too far from home, fear not. Lune is not arriving in Sydney alone. In addition to the highly anticipated south Sydney location, there will be a second Lune bakery in the CBD.

Although an opening date is yet to be announced, you’ll soon be able to nab a croissant (or two… or three) at Metro Martin Place. Plans for the sister venue remain on track to be opened concurrently, hopefully before Christmas.

Plans to open a second Lune in Sydney are on track. (Image: Luke Burnett)

5. It may just be the best croissant in the world

I get it. By now, some of you may be wondering what all the fuss is about, or even if the news is a little overhyped. I’m here to assure you it’s not.

Don’t believe me? Just ask the world-renowned New York Times. In 2016, the American media company published a piece on Lune, aptly titled Is the world’s best croissant made in Australia?

The article sings the praises of Lune’s signature beurre croissant, calling it possibly “the finest you will find anywhere in the world."

If that doesn’t sell you, I don’t know what will.

Sydneysiders don’t have to wait long for Lune. (Image: Luke Burnett)

Welcome to the first instalment of Hotel Addict, a monthly column where I check into Australia’s best hotels, exploring not just the rooms, but the stories, service and settings that make each stay unforgettable and worth adding to your wishlist.

Hotel stays have quietly become my thing. Long before I became a travel journalist, I was booking staycations just for a change of scenery. Some had charm, some had character, some had neither. Once, I even stayed in a hotel directly opposite my own apartment – partly for the novelty, partly because I wanted to see my life from a different angle.

For me, hotels represent a kind of mystery – I find myself wanting to know what these buildings contain. Many of them are designed with intention: lighting, materials, scent and sounds that often reflect the city they sit in. Time seems to gently pause in these spaces, which have increasingly become the destination itself for modern travellers.

It only felt fitting for the first hotel in this series to be in my home city and at the hotel that’s been at the top of my list: Capella Sydney.

A sandstone heritage building and palm trees

Capella sits within an Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building.

An email with a hotel program from the “Culturist Team” lets me know this will be a luxurious stay. There’s a guided walk around the Botanic Gardens, a weaving workshop and a Sydney contemporary art tour – the kind of addition that signals a hotel that’s tuned into the finer details, and one that’s not surprising given that Capella’s ethos centres on delivering personalised, immersive experiences.

Capella opened in 2023 within a transformed Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building in Sydney’s CBD that was originally designed by renowned Scottish-Australian architect George McRae. I often walk past this building and once attended an event inside – I distinctly remember being surprised by how beautiful it was. Bar Studio, Make Architects, and stylist Simone Haag were engaged to sensitively adapt the building for contemporary luxury while honouring its past, in collaboration with Heritage NSW and the City of Sydney.

When I arrive, I’m greeted by three different staff members along the way to reception. There’s a lovely subtle scent, which I later learn combines notes of bergamot, green tea leaves, peony, freesia, vetiver and cedarwood. This hotel strikes such a beautiful balance between grandness and intimacy, with large floral bouquets, contemporary artworks, impressively high ceilings that give it an international feel and quieter nooks to unwind in. Each space is unique, but they’re all unified by a warm, textural and layered design.

Sydney has been deserving of a hotel of this calibre for quite some time, with many of the accommodations in the city looking and feeling dated.

A modern hotel reception with high ceilings

The design strikes the perfect balance between grandness and intimacy.

I have a treatment booked at the hotel’s Auriga Spa prior to check-in. The space is ultra-luxe, moodily lit and intimate, featuring timber joinery, green walls and a sleek design that’s so perfect it almost transports me to Japan. I opt for the Replenish Beauty and LED Facial – a strategic choice with a TV segment on the horizon, and a hopeful bid to look extra fresh for the camera.

The treatment begins with me sitting in the softest robe of my life, wearing slippers and sipping chamomile tea. I’m then whisked away to my private treatment room, which has its own bathroom, a large skylight and a small Japanese-style garden. The treatment is extremely relaxing and moves through cleansing, exfoliating, massaging (arm, head, neck and face) and LED Light Therapy. There’s so much attention to detail – even at the end, the facialist puts my slippers back on me, while I’m still lying down.

Spa treatment room with a massage bed, featuring timber walls and a serene Japanese-style garden visible through a window.

A treatment at Auriga Spa might be the best way I’ve ever started a hotel stay. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

While this treatment certainly hasn’t had a Benjamin Button effect, my sister seems to think I’m glowing, so I walk away happy, or at the very least, zen.

Auriga Spa has a sauna, steam room, ice fountain and a beautiful indoor heated swimming pool. There’s also “experiential showers” – new to me, but essentially it combines water flowing from different places, changing temperatures, mood lighting, gentle sounds, and a subtle lemongrass scent.

You could easily spend the better part of a day at the spa and pool, even if you’re not a guest.

The indoor heated swimming pool with glass ceiling at Capella Sydney.

Guests outside the hotel can use the spa and swimming pool. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

I’m escorted to my room, drunk on relaxation, but I make sure to take note of how noisy the hallways are – answer: dead quiet. My room is 50 square metres, which is huge by hotel standards, but particularly for one in the CBD. It feels like a high-end apartment with floorboards, a freestanding bath and a seating/dining area. My eyes are immediately drawn to the line-up of macarons waiting for me on the dining table.

I’m thrilled to see the mini bar armoire includes a small wine fridge stocked with Minuty Prestige Côtes de Provence, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Handpicked Wines Pinot Noir, and Moët Grand Vintage. Not that I plan on using it (I simply could not justify the prices) – but it’s a nice extra that makes the room feel that much more luxurious. The drinks lineup reads like a who’s-who of local favourites – Young Henrys, Maybe Sammy cocktails, Four Pillars gin and Archie Rose gin. Snacks include Tyrell’s chips, Pringles, Natural Confectionery lollies, and a Carman’s oat bar.

Some small touches I appreciate that some hotels don’t offer: the option to choose your housekeeping time, an iron that actually works well, a Bluetooth speaker, the beloved wine fridge, aluminium water bottles and a bathroom without a glass door or screen that awkwardly exposes you. The one downside is that some of these rooms don’t offer much in the way of a view.

A modern hotel room with a monochrome paletter.

I stayed in a Premier Room which was elegant and relaxing. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

4:30pm is Swill Hour – a daily tradition that nods to the historical “six o’clock swill” in Australia. This one-hour event takes place in the Living Room and invites guests to gather and enjoy each other’s company with a signature cocktail in hand. This afternoon’s tipple is a Eucalyptus Gimlet, a clever, herbaceous little cocktail, by the multi-award-winning Maybe Sammy Team, served on coasters depicting drawings of the historic building. The canapé of the day is a tomato and stracciatella tart. I noticed several staff members chatting with guests like old friends, asking how their adventures earlier in the day went – clearly remembering previous conversations from earlier visits.

Dinner is booked for 6:30pm in Aperture – arguably the most beautiful area of the accommodation. It’s decorated with Australian flora and features a kinetic sculpture hanging from the roof that opens like flowers, with softly changing lights. Tyler, who is serving us, clearly admires the Capella brand, speaking enthusiastically about the other international properties he’s been to and sharing how he sometimes brings his five-year-old daughter here to use the pool.

Interior of Aperture at Capella Sydney, featuring lush greenery and a striking ceiling-mounted sculpture.

The scale of Aperture gives it an international feel.

I kick things off with a basil melon margarita – a winning recommendation – before tucking into the best prawn toast I’ve ever had. For mains it’s crispy Ōra King salmon and spaghetti with mud crab.

When I arrive back at my room, there’s a vegan leather journal on my bed with a note that says: “The ritual of journaling allows us to pause, reflect and focus.” This is part of the turndown service, and my slippers are neatly lined up next to my bed. Will I journal? No. Do I think it’s a nice touch? Yes.

Brasserie 1930 at Capella Sydney, where Art Deco elegance meets contemporary Australian cuisine.

Brasserie 1930 boasts Art Deco elegance.

The next morning, I make the predictable choice of smashed avo for breakfast at the on-site restaurant, Brasserie 1930. There’s also a buffet brimming with all the usual suspects.

Afterwards, I head to the pool to relax for a few hours before the 11am checkout. Despite my earlier resolve not to journal, I find myself reflecting nonetheless – an irony not lost on me – on my 21st hotel stay in Sydney. I write this with growing assurance that great hotels don’t just provide a place to stay; they create memorable moments, thanks in large part to fantastic staff. Kudos to the hiring manager.

Next stop: The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart!

5 things you need to know about Sydney’s new Lune Croissanterie

The Melbourne stalwart is coming to Sydney later this year.

1. Lune will be located in Sydney’s latest precinct

2. It will be Lune’s flagship store

3. Waiting in line won’t be a bore

4. It won’t be the only Sydney location

5. It may just be the best croissant in the world

Travellers get relief as Sydney Airport introduces flat-rate taxi fares

This iconic Bondi venue is about to land at Sydney Airport

Soft Forest: A free, immersive show is on in this historic Sydney garden

Be transported to an Italian summer at this new Sydney restaurant

I’ve stayed in 21 hotels in Sydney and this is my favourite

Welcome to the first instalment of Hotel Addict, a monthly column where I check into Australia’s best hotels, exploring not just the rooms, but the stories, service and settings that make each stay unforgettable and worth adding to your wishlist.