Overview
Stanmore has welcomed a new neighbourhood bakery that may already be staking a claim to be up there with the city's best. After cutting their teeth at the Ryde Wharf Markets, co-owners Mutiara Sucipto (ex-Sonoma) and Hari Wibowo have taken over an unassuming Parramatta Road space and transformed it into a tiny cafe with flaky, buttery, inventive baked goods on offer.
Surrounded by stores specialising in water filters, flags and beads and plenty of empty shopfronts, this stretch of Parramatta Road isn't where you'd typically find one of Sydney's most exciting new openings. But Sucipto and Wibowo say they've received a warm welcome from neighbouring businesses and are excited to make the most of their Stanmore spot.
Originally looking for a space to bake out of for their market stalls, the pair found 336 Parramatta Road on Facebook Marketplace. "Let's just do it" said Wibowo to Sucipto, deciding to throw caution to the wind. After a soft beige paint job and a nostalgic DIY fitout, the space has now been transformed into a homely neighbourhood meeting spot.
Thanks to the cult following they'd built at the markets and a couple of viral TikToks, Pantry Story has already been a huge success, with patrons lining up out the door and along Parramatta Road to get their hands on a sweet or savoury treat.
All of the day's tasty options are laid out around a curved white table in the centre of the cafe, a decision that Wibowo says was inspired by memories of his family congregating around a big round table during Chinese New Year celebrations. There are a few different must-tries so you might have to come back a few times in order to make your way through the menu.
Wibowo's pick of the bunch is the signature pandan cookie, which has been on the menu since the first market stall. A take on the Indonesian favourite klepon or onde-onde, the cookie melds together coconut, hand-stretched mochi, a palm sugar filling and an icing sugar coating.
There's also a chocolate chip cookie that's perfectly firm and gooey with melty pockets of choc throughout and a sprinkling of sea salt on top.
Sucipto's pick of the bunch is the beef brisket hand pie — a one-handed puff pastry take on the servo classic that can be eaten on the run (or, more specifically, on a walk from Pastry Story to Stanmore Station).
Other highlights include focaccia baked with kimchi or miso mushrooms, pork sausage rolls with caramelised pear and onion, and weekly specials like the pandan and custard buns that the team created in collaboration with Marrickville Road cafe Algorithm.
Plus, if you're after your caffeine hit for the day, there are Stitch Coffee cappuccinos, mochas and iced long blacks, alongside matcha lattes and cold maple chai.
Pantry Story is located at 336 Parramatta Road, Stanmore. For more information and to stay on top of its regular specials, follow the bakery on Instagram.