Moon Phase bakery in Sydney closes permanently after 'pause' notice

Moon Phase, a celebrated bakery in St Leonards, Sydney, has closed its doors permanently, even as a window notice suggested the closure was only temporary. The sign posted outside the shop said the bakery would be “temporarily closing our doors from 3:30 p.m. Sunday Sept. 21, 2025, until further notice,” followed by the line, “This is not goodbye, only a pause.” Daily Mail reports that Moon Phase will not be reopening, indicating a permanent shutdown, a contradiction that has left customers puzzled.

Moon Phase opened in 2023 and was run by Frances and Jiyoon Song, a married couple—the former a pastry chef and the latter a barista and coffee roaster. The North Shore shop drew praise from locals and critics alike for its immaculate pastries and Korean-inspired flavors, all tucked into a minimalist, all-white interior set in a laneway off the Pacific Highway in St Leonards. In the weeks after the sign appeared, photos of the storefront circulated online, with patrons expressing disbelief and sadness at the potential loss of a venue many considered a cult favorite in Sydney’s pastry scene.

Moon Phase’s inclusion in the 2025 Good Food Essential Sydney Cafes & Bakeries guide further underscored its prominence. The guide named Moon Phase among the top 10 locations in the Sweets and Treats category, describing it as an “all-white laneway cafe, a short walk from the Metro [that] has the classics covered with excellent croissants and kouign-amanns.” It also highlighted the bakery’s Korean-inspired specials, such as the Busan swirl, a viennoiserie version of the street-food hotteok filled with gooey brown sugar. The guide noted Moon Phase’s visual appeal and its ability to fuse traditional pastry techniques with bold East Asian flavors, helping to cement its status as a destination for food lovers in Sydney.

The bakery’s signature lineup emphasized both classic and inventive offerings. Moon Phase was known for items like the Signature Chocolate Bar, a menu of croissants, and pastries such as the Char Siu King, Kimcheese Scroll, Earl Grey and Lychee Diamond, and Black Sesame Bun. The shop’s approach—precise technique, restrained décor, and a focus on high-quality ingredients—appealed to a broad audience, from local regulars to visiting critics. Its reputation for delivering pastry artistry paired with Korean-inspired flavors helped drive long lines and social media buzz during its peak.

The abrupt closure comes as a surprise to patrons and to those who followed Moon Phase’s ascent in Sydney’s competitive bakery scene. The Daily Mail, which cited the store’s window notice, reported that the closure is permanent, a finding that contrasts with the sign’s language of a temporary pause. Attempts to obtain an on-the-record statement from a Moon Phase spokesperson were not returned, leaving questions about the owners’ plans and the factors behind the shutdown.

Local chatter in the days after the notice touched on concerns about why Moon Phase appeared to be “on pause.” Some online discussions speculated about broader issues facing independent bakeries, including supply-chain pressures, staffing challenges, or the financial strain of running a high-profile sweets shop in a market with rising costs. Observers also drew attention to Moon Phase’s social-media activity. An eagle-eyed resident noted that Moon Phase’s Instagram account had undergone a significant change, showing no posts and following zero profiles, though the account still had about 10,100 followers. Critics and fans alike pointed to the account’s silence as part of the mystery surrounding the closure. A Moon Phase representative did not respond to a request for comment from Daily Mail.

The closure removes a high-profile player from Sydney’s bakery landscape, and it leaves fans hoping for a possible revival or reimagining of the Moon Phase concept in the future. For many customers, Moon Phase represented more than a place to buy croissants; it was a destination that blended meticulous pastry technique with a playful, Korean-inspired sensibility that stood out in a city known for its diverse culinary scene. The loss is felt not only by regulars but also by food journalists and critics who had lauded the bakery for pushing the boundaries of what a pastry menu could achieve.

As Moon Phase’s status remains unclear, observers will watch for any official communication from the owners about the business’s future. The discrepancy between the window notice and the Daily Mail’s reporting highlights the absence of a clear, public explanation from Moon Phase about why the shop is closed and whether it will reopen under new management or branding. In the meantime, current patrons are left to reflect on the bakery’s brief but influential run and to consider what the Sydney pastry scene may lose if other beloved venues follow a similar path.