Nine of Sydney's Best Takeaway Desserts for 2024

The newest kid on the block, Gram Cafe & Pancakes opened its first Australian store in February of 2020, after its sky-high soufflé pancakes earned a cult following across Asia and the US. To make sure each pancake is as light and fluffy as its Osaka counterparts (where the OG store is located), the Sydney chefs have been trained by the big boss from Japan. They’re whipping up a batter heavy with egg whites, steaming it under metal domes and then cooking it until its golden on the outside and white and fluffy on the inside.

If you’re looking to try all the flavours Gram has on offer, the Sydney dessert store is offering a premium Mori to-go box, which allows you to take five of these glorious goodies to enjoy at home.

In 2020, renowned pastry chef Yves Scherrer, who coached the Australian World Pastry Cup team and is the man behind Sake’s much Instagrammed dragon egg dessert, opened up his own patisserie and bakery in Clovelly. This tiny shop is filled with cakes, tarts and pastries aplenty, all with Scherrer’s creative touch — think croissants filled with hazelnut and dipped in chocolate and handmade gelato in flavours like vanilla bourbon and lemongrass. The sweet and delicate eclairs, available in chocolate, coffee and salted caramel flavours, are not to be missed, too.

There has to be something magical about Sweet Belem’s Portuguese tarts that keeps people coming back. Maybe it’s because Sweet Belem serve them warm and a little bit singed, with gooey, slightly caramelised custard that melts on your tongue. Or maybe it’s the satisfying crisp of layered, golden pastry. These pastel de natas may be some of the best in Sydney. And they’re going for just $4 a pop at the shop in Petersham — known as ‘Little Portugal’ to some — and are available for delivery.

In Sydney, Andy Bowdy’s cakes are legendary. Saga presented the first opportunity for the average punter to just walk in a grab one of the baker’s lauded sweet creations without having to drop a couple of hundred clams on a big boy cake to feed 50 people. What sets his famed meringue-heaped, caramel-dripping tiered cakes — served at Saga as mini versions that are perfect for one person — apart is that they’re all about reversing the ratio of cake to cream; instead of thick layers of dense sponge, each delicacy is carefully dressed with fat deposits of melt-in-your-mouth cream. The mini cakes on offer change regularly but Izzy — vanilla butter cake with strawberry mousse, pandan custard, coconut chew and strawberry compote — holds a special place in our hearts. it is one of our most favourite desserts in Sydney, and you can pick one up for $15 at the Enmore store.

With over 70 stores worldwide, Uncle Tetsu finally opened its first Australian store back in 2017. While the menu has since grown to include variations on the titular dish and a few other Japanese sweets, all you’re really need to know about the OG — a snow-white cake with a golden burnished top, branded with the signature Uncle Tetsu stamp. The cake in question is incredibly light and fluffy. There is no biscuit base, as the style dictates, and, having been baked in a water bath, the sides are moist like pudding. As for the taste, it’s eggy and pancake-y, with little sweetness. Resist the temptation to eat it all at once. When you cool it in the fridge, it grows denser and crumbly, with a soft, sweet cheese flavour.

Sweet toothed folks with dietary requirements haven’t been left behind either, thanks to good folks at Nutie. The crew is currently keeping both the Balmain and Surry Hills spots open for takeaway so Sydneysiders can continue to get their sugar fix. If you’ve never had the opportunity to try one of Nutie’s extravagant doughnuts, here’s the lowdown: they’re all 100-percent gluten-free, resulting in a slightly denser, cake-like treat (and this is not a bad thing). There are also gluten-free cookies, muffins slices and cakes on offer with plenty of dairy-free and vegan options, too. The crew has also started up a delivery service, so you can get doughnuts, cookies, muffins and cakes delivered straight to your doorstep, alongside some savoury gluten-free meals — think soups, salads, curries and more.

After developing a gluten and dairy allergy back in 2017, Yu Ozone refused to give up on her love of food. Instead, she created Comeco, which is serving up gluten (and dairy) free sourdough doughnuts and vegan sushi to the Newtown masses. The signature sourdoughnuts are made using an organic brown rice sourdough starter, which gives the doughnuts a crisp exterior and a wonderfully chewy inside. You can find these vegan treats in traditional cinnamon or glazed form, filled with stewed apple cinnamon or Ozone’s favourite, with sweet-and-sour passionfruit custard, drizzled with fresh passionfruit pulp. If you are a gluten free or dairy free kid then check out some of these delicious Sydney desserts.

Lukumades (the food) are round doughnuts made by hole-in-the-wall patisseries in Greece, usually served slathered in honey and walnuts, and beloved by Greek people. A few years back, a Melbourne food truck started selling these doughy balls of deliciousness, and Lukamades (the business) bloomed from there. It opened its first Sydney store in Chippendale in 2019, which serves up classic lukumades, as well as modern takes that feature Nutella, salted caramel or white chocolate with crushed Oreo. These deep-fried doughnut holes are as sweet as a treat could possibly come, and are the perfect sugary pick-me-up to get you through these tough times.