Now Open: CBD Newcomer Petit Loulou Celebrates Its Arrival With a Week of Free Croissants

Loulou, in Milsons Point, is known as a fine French one-stop-shop. A bistro, boulangerie and traiteur that’s been servicing the north-side suburb since 2022. This week, it gains a younger sibling: Petit Loulou, a kiosk for its baked goods in Martin Place’s Metro station.

“We’re pretty excited to have another Loulou, especially in the spot it’s going,” group baker Brendon Woodward tells Broadsheet. “The Metro’s been a pretty big development for Sydney, and right in the heart of Sydney is a pretty good spot for it.”

Everything will be baked in North Sydney, then delivered to the store twice daily. Expect sweet fruit-topped tarts and sugary palmiers, plump eclairs and perfect pains au chocolat. There are lunchtime-ready rotisserie chicken baguettes, Nicoise salads and sausage rolls, plus a Martin Place exclusive: a cylindrical chocolate and macadamia croissant.

Chocolate croissant dough is cross-laminated for extra crispiness, then filled with chocolate and macadamia praline custard. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt balances it out.

But the signature croissants – powered by French butter – are top-sellers for a reason. And for opening week, from February 10 to 14, they’re on the house with every coffee purchase.

“For us, the key is we have a long fermentation. I know everyone bangs on about how they use a three-, four-, five-day process for it. But we ferment the dough overnight before we laminate it. Once it’s laminated and rolled, it’s got another night of fermentation. That’s pretty key to build the flavour in there, and we use a really premium butter. It’s a little bit higher in fat, and it’s just a really nice flavour.”

Petit Loulou marks a big city play for the Etymon team – also behind Poetica, Sol Bread & Wine, Soluna and Genzo in North Sydney, and The Charles in the CBD – but it’s only phase one. In March, Loulou Bistro will open over two levels in the space next door, completing the plan.

We saw a similar move last year when Lune opened its Martin Place satellite store after its Rosebery flagship. Now there are two excellent new pitstops for croissants in the city.

Petit Loulou
1 Elizabeth Street, CBD

Hours:
Mon to Fri 6.30am–4pm

loulou.sydney/petit-loulou-martin-place
@petitloulou.sydney