A Sydney bakery highly rated by both foodies and critics has suddenly shuttered its doors permanently amid baffling circumstances.

Moon Phase, a popular St Leonards shop that was recently named in the 2025 Good Food’s Essential Sydney Cafes & Bakeries guide, has suddenly closed.

Loyal customers recently spotted a mysterious sign posted in the store window, explaining that the bakery would be ‘temporarily closing our doors from 3.30pm Sunday 21 September 2025, until further notice’.

However, Daily Mail has learned that Moon Phase is now permanently closed and will not be re-opening.

This contradicts the notice displayed in the Moon Phase window, which describes the closure as temporary.

‘This is not goodbye, only a pause,’ read part of the message.

‘We look forward to the day we can welcome you back again.’

Moon Phase is a cult Sydney bakery renowned for its immaculate pastries and Korean-inspired flavours. It was opened in 2023 and run by married couple Frances and Jiyoon Song, who are, respectively, a pastry chef and barista and coffee roaster.

A Moon Phase spokesperson did not reply to Daily Mail’s request for an on-the-record statement about the bakery’s closure.

The notice posted outside the bakery’s window thanked their loyal customers for their ‘support, encouragement and kindness’.

North shore residents had previously raised suspicions that the popular bakery’s closure might be than just a temporary shutdown.

After sharing a picture of the store window notice to a local Facebook group, one croissant fan asked whether anyone had intel about ‘why Moon Phase is “on pause”?’ They added: ‘I’m craving their croissants’.

The Facebook post quickly caught the attention of saddened locals.

‘This is so sad. Their pastries were unmatched! I really hope they come back,’ read one reply.

‘NOOOOOO WHYYY,’ read another sad response.

But one reply suspected that something was amiss, sharing a screenshot of Moon Phase’s Instagram page with a note saying that it ‘looks like they’ve nuked their social presence’.

‘Something’s not quite right…’ they added

Indeed, Moon Phase’s Instagram account currently shows no posts and is following 0 profiles. Their account is however still followed by 10.1K Instagram users.

Moon Phase’s shock closure has come as a surprise given that it was just a few months ago named in the prestigious Good Food Essential Sydney Cafes & Bakeries guide for 2025.

The annual guide named Moon Phase among the top 10 locations in the ‘Sweets and Treats’ category.

The guide’s listing for Moon Phase described it as an ‘all-white laneway cafe, a short walk from the Metro [that] has the classics covered with excellent croissants and kouign-amanns.’

‘But it’s the visually striking specials, drawing on traditional Korean flavours, which make a visit worthwhile,’ the Good Food guide listing continued.

‘Case in point, the Busan swirl: a viennoiserie version of street-food snack hotteok filled with gooey brown sugar.’

Moon Phase is renowned for its impeccable pastries, including their signature Char Siu King, Kimcheese Scroll, Earl Grey and Lychee Diamond, Black Sesame Bun and Signature Chocolate Bar.

Moon Phase appeared in the Good Food Essential Sydney Cafes & Bakeries guide ‘Sweets and Treats’ category alongside other top 10 entrants.

Other Sydney bakeries included in the category were Dear Florence in Sydney, Khanom House in Chippendale, Kuki in Haymarket, Pantry Story in Stanmore, Shadow Baking in Darlinghurst, Shortstop Coffee and Donuts in Barangaroo, Smeed in Belmore, Sweet Beirut in Bexley and Yin’s Viennoiserie in Glebe.

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