Pastry lovers will agree that when it comes to bakery bests, there are croissants and then there are croissants. The former are perfectly fine – an ideal on-the-go snack that pairs perfectly with a morning pick-me-up. The latter, however, are something else entirely. You know it when you taste it – rich and buttery, flaky yet silky, and an experience you really need to sit down for. There are several spots around Brisbane (which has been going through a baked-goods renaissance lately) that offer this sort of elevated croissant experience, but those that travel often to Melbourne typically return with tales centred solely around their visit to Lune Croissanterie. The popular pastry emporium, founded in 2012 by former Formula 1 aerodynamicist Kate Reid, has been dubbed as one of the world’s best – so when Kate and the Lune team revealed in December 2020 that plans were in the works for a full-scale production facility and shopfront expansion here in Brisbane, croissant connoisseurs across town promptly lost all composure. Last year, Lune co-director Nathan Toleman (of The Mulberry Group – the crew behind Hazel, Dessous and Common Ground Project) engaged in talks with Aria Property Group to potentially open a Brisbane-based concept within one of Aria’s developments. When Lune’s Sydney forthcoming expansion encountered some pandemic-induced delays, Nathan, Kate and her brother, fellow co-director Cameron Reid, elected to expand to Brisbane earlier than originally anticipated. Eight months on and Lune Croissanterie’s new Brisbane flagship – located at the base of Aria’s The Standard on Manning Street – has arrived.

When conceiving what their Brisbane-based Lune outlet would look like, Kate, Cameron and Nathan were eager to create a hub that boasted some continuity from Lune’s established locations, but was imbued with a personality that reflected its Queensland surrounds. The group’s first challenge was making the best use of the space, which is divided into two parts. Brisbane-based architecture firm Hogg & Lamb has spearheaded the design, which differs aesthetically from Lune’s moody warehouse headquarters in the backstreets of Fitzroy and aligns more closely with its retail site in Melbourne’s CBD. Facing Manning Street is the shopfront and proofing area, where the public can not only purchase Lune pastries but also see them in their final stages of preparation. The retail space boasts a vaulted double-story ceiling and plenty of light streaming through its windows, as well as a raw industrial-style materiality across concrete counters, black-mirrored surfaces and grey brick walls. Lune’s engine room The Cube – that is, its purpose-built and temperature-controlled pastry production space – can be found just beyond The Standard’s lobby entrance deeper within the building’s ground floor. Although prying eyes will be able to catch glimpses of Lune’s crack team of pastry chefs at work, this area is designed to be a little bit more exclusive. A 6-x-6-metre LED-lit bulkhead (the same kind that hangs in Fitzroy) sits above the kitchen, which itself boasts white-marble bench tops and white-tiled walls (not to mention all the high-tech gear needed to make the perfect pastry). Windows on the far side of the kitchen look out onto a tropical garden, a purposeful picturesque addition that serves to soften the gleaming space-age feel of The Cube’s interior. Here you’ll also find the Lune Lab, a space dedicated to unique dining experiences for small groups, who can sample innovative Lune treats while overlooking ‘The Cube’ from a sturdy concrete bench. Residents of The Standard are allowed to pop in here for express access to a limited range of classic items.

Anyone that has made the pilgrimage to Lune’s Melbourne locations will be familiar with Lune’s signature zonts – from the traditional kind to almond croissants and a ham-and-gruyere-filled variety. Fleshing out the classic range are pain au chocolat, caramelised kouign amanns, fruit-and-cream-loaded danishes, coconut rough (twice-baked pain au chocolat), cheese-and-Vegemite escargot, and lemon-curd cruffins. Lune Brisbane’s team – led by head chef Mitchell Suchowacki – will also be utilising the best seasonal Queensland produce available to craft monthly specials (some crossover favourites from Melbourne may also feature). Lune is continuing its long-held partnership with Coffee Supreme for its Brisbane caffeine supply, sourcing beans from the company’s local roaster to ensure the freshest espresso-based brews, which are available alongside hot chocolate from Mork.

Lune Croissanterie will officially open its South Brisbane location at 7:30 am today, Thursday August 5, slinging treats from its retail shop windows. The team will be following all lockdown requirements, so please ensure you are masked up before swinging by!