We’re going to let you in on a little secret, and it’s called Crescent Croissanterie. While this lower North Shore bakery is a newcomer to Sydney’s pastry scene, owner Elly Kim is no stranger to the art of croissants. She spent almost 14 years perfecting her craft at some of our city’s top bakeries including Organic Bread Bar and Berkelo, before teaming up with her brother, Youngjun Kim to open Crescent Croissainterie in July 2022.
Locals might stumble upon this gem if they follow the buttery aromas down Willoughby Road in Crows Nest. Crescent is fittingly named after the shape of a croissant and you’ll see this motif throughout the shop, from grey tiles that evoke the night sky to yellow accents on the walls that recall the glow of the moon and the golden-brown colour of a well-baked croissant. This sleek and modern aesthetic matches the simplicity of Crescent’s croissant creations, which are displayed in a luxurious cabinet like precious gems in a jewellery store.
Win the morning with their flaky and buttery selection of core croissants, plus Single O coffee on tap. Each croissant is a 48-hour labour of love with classics including plain, almond, pretzel, and ham and cheese. You’ll have every excuse to visit regularly because Crescent changes its menu seasonally, drawing inspiration from Kim’s favourite childhood dishes and memorable meals across the world. Take the corn cheese with sweet corn, mozzarella cheese and gourmet butter; the yuzu butterfly with yuzu honey, fresh lemon glaze and candied yuzu peel; or the eggplant parmigiana with housemade tomato sauce and mozzarella.
For the sweet tooth, there’s a decadent dirty chocolate croissant decorated with melted Belgium dark chocolate; a crowd-pleasing tiramisu creation with a generous filling of cream; and an unconventional Earl Grey custard number with seasonal fruit. And while croissants may have helped put Crescent on the map, their cinnamon buns and palmiers also walk themselves out the door.
Don’t worry about making a flaky mess as you can enjoy your croissants on the sidewalk benches – you won’t be the only one. Just make sure to get in early – the croissant cabinet empties out by midday.