We went behind the scenes at Lode’s flagship Rozelle bakery to see how its pastries are made, chat with co-founder Federico Zanellato and discover what all the fuss is about.
Before most of Sydney has even woken up, the ovens are on at Lode Rozelle’s production house. From 2am, the bakery floor is busy with activity as the team prepares that day’s fresh bakes for all five Lode locations.
It’s a routine that’s helped turn Lode into one of Sydney’s most popular bakeries. Since opening its first store in Surry Hills in November 2021, the bakery has drawn long queues, daily sell-outs and a devoted following.
Despite its now stacked menu of baked goods, co-founder Federico Zanellato says the story of Lode can be traced back to one product: “It began with a single pie.”
That pie was the Lode Pithivier, which remains exclusive to the Surry Hills store because of the painstaking process behind it. Filled with caramelised pork and shiitake mushrooms and served with a pour of rich chicken gravy, each Pithivier is made entirely by hand and takes three to four days to complete.
Lode has since expanded beyond its original Surry Hills store to five locations across Sydney, including Circular Quay, North Sydney, Chatswood and Rozelle. The bakery recently added another string to its bow with the launch of its own signature coffee blend, developed with caramel notes to complement its pastries.
The name “Lode” is a nod to its founders, Lorenzo Librino and Federico (“Fede“) Zanellato. The pair first worked together at Federico’s two-hatted fine dining restaurant, LuMi, before joining forces to launch the bakery. Since then, Federico has taken the reins at Lode, following the departure of his co-founder.
The production process
It’s no secret that Sydney has a lot of great bakeries. The mind automatically goes to A.P Bakery, Bourke Street Bakery, Lune, Sonoma and more. This city knows how to do a pastry.
Federico is aware of this, but states that Lode’s difference is their commitment to fresh, baked-on-the-day products.
Most products are baked from 2am on the very day they’re sold, ensuring customers receive them at their freshest. While many larger bakeries bake the day before to simplify logistics, Lode has stuck to a same-day approach. Even its baguettes, a relatively new addition to the menu, are baked fresh from 4am each morning.
According to Federico, every croissant takes three days to make. The painstaking process of laminating, proofing and baking is what creates the bakery’s signature light, buttery layers. To achieve that result, Lode uses French butter, going through around 1,400 kilograms every month.
The move to Rozelle has helped to streamline Lode’s production process, as they now have a lot more space on their bakery floor and more sophisticated machinery to experiment with more pastries, pies and bread.
He points out the “massive product oven”, which has “pushed the brand to evolve and introduce other items”.
That said, they’re still hand-piping their bombolone with custard cream, as the specialised machine comes with a hefty price tag.
What to order at Lode
Almond Croissant
The Lode almond croissant is the gooiest, most indulgent version I’ve ever tried. Filled with frangipane (a rich almond cream), it has an irresistibly soft, melt-in-the-middle centre, and it’s served warm for an extra dose of comfort. For anyone who’s ever been disappointed by a dry, stale almond croissant, this will be like heaven to you.
Sausage Roll
My main issue with sausage rolls is when the meat inside dries out, so I was delighted when I bit into the Lode sausage roll and the meat was tender and warm. They also serve it with a house-made tomatoey sauce, as all good sausage rolls deserve.
So ‘Mush’ Love
Dusted with bright yellow Red Leicester cheese, this pastry is filled with porcini mushrooms and is the perfect option for savoury lovers. It’s also beautiful to look at: the layers on top of this one are so precise and thin, you know that it’s going to be unbelievably flaky.
Pain au Chocolat
When I asked Federico his favourite Lode pastry, he said he couldn’t answer, but then followed up by saying he does adore the pain au chocolat. Using the Lode signature croissant dough and cacao berry dark chocolate, this is an elevated take on the French classic. My favourite part of it was the sea salt flakes drizzled on top, complementing the rich chocolate interior perfectly.
Caprese Baguette
The Lode caprese baguettes are served on freshly baked bread, filled with rich tomatoes and thinly shaved cheese. These are also a great option for lunch on a budget, because they’re huge, filling and will only set you back $12.
