About us
It’s art, it’s food, it’s pastry, it’s pie. LoDe Pies & Pastries is the treat that turns into an obsession.
When chefs Federico Zanellato and Lorenzo Librino worked alongside each other at LuMi, there was a small savoury pie on the tasting menu that always evoked swooning raves from diners. The mini pithivier - a French pie made with puff pastry, an elaborate etched top and a chimney steam hatch - didn’t just bring joy to customers, it was also an intricate pleasure to make.
During lockdown, Federico and Lorenzo offered a larger pithivier for their at-home menu, hoping to create the same sense of joy and escape for their community, even when the restaurant was closed. It went crazy. To keep up with demand, one staff member was completely dedicated to pithivier production.
As the pastry rolling continued, Lorenzo and Federico realised the potential for other pastry delights, both savoury and sweet. LoDe was born, first as an at-home concept, then as a Surry Hills store, and now as a weekly online menu.
Everything at LoDe is made with laminated dough, the term for pastry that is rolled with butter, turned then rolled again to create elaborate layers that puff as they bake. The process is intricate, tricky and incredibly demanding, especially as LoDe’s base dough includes a proportion of sourdough.The needs of the pastry change with the weather. Every detail must be observed and adjustments made to ensure perfection. The difficulty is part of the joy of creation.
Exquisite seasonal produce is key to LuMi and it’s no different at LoDe. We use stoneground Australian flour, ethically raised meat, and special French butter designed specifically for laminated pastry. We are embedded in tradition but creativity shines in our shaping and fillings: creams, ganache, nuts and seasonal fruit stay true to the original products while bringing a novel twist, especially in the elaborate swirling of our viennoiserie, pies and pastries. We also pay homage to Australian traditions: we’ve had people purchase our sausage roll, eat it, then line up again immediately.
One LoDe pastry or pie is never enough. We’re proud to offer a meal pack exclusively via our weekly Cookaborough menus. You can also order our products by the piece.
“We are so proud to bring LoDe to Sydney,” says Lorenzo Librino. “We often hear from our customers that these are the best pies in the city. That’s great. But what we also love is that we’re never satisfied. We want every single pie to be better than the last.”
How it works
Orders can be placed for pick-up Wednesday through to Sunday. Order must be placed two days before pick-up date. You will be able to access special value packs and also seasonal specials exclusively to the Cookaborough menu.