If you’ve yet to make your way down to The Sugar Man on Hutt Street—the home of artisan hand-made pastries and chocolate—then put it at the top of your weekend to-do list.
This delightful takeaway Adelaide patisserie has recently garnered the praise of Adelaide locals and sweet lovers all over, with customers lining up out the door, waiting for hours for their signature croissant—and it deserves all the attention it gets!
When it comes to popular items, The Sugar Man’s almond croissant steals the show, with devoted fans lining up for this cult favourite. Another crowd-pleaser is the Basque Cheesecake Croissant Tart, a mouthwatering creation made in collaboration with Steven ter Horst, a long-term collaborator and friend.
With flavour pairings like pistachio praline, hazelnut praline, and tiramisu, this tart has become a beloved staple on the patisserie’s rotating weekend menu.
Owner and chef Alex Crawford’s love affair with pastry began at a young age, and he’s proud to share his passion with the people of South Australia. ‘I initially fell in love with the world of pastry when I was 14, working in Chloe’s Restaurant with a team of highly experienced mentors who took me under their wing,’ says Alex.
‘I would come in on my days off to gain more experience in techniques and methods, including making puff pastry, ice cream bases, tempering chocolate etc., and from this, my interest in chocolate soon grew.’
After a few years of providing specialty macarons to local cafes in the Adelaide CBD, Alex took a leap of faith and started a wholesale kitchen in 2017, where he hand-rolled and created an array of delectable pastries, including Normandy butter croissants, doughnuts, entremets and sfogliatelle.
The demand for his creations grew, and in early 2022, he finally opened The Sugar Man’s first retail and kitchen space on Hutt Street, just across the road from his original wholesale kitchen. His motivation for starting The Sugar Man was simple: a deep-rooted love for the craft.
‘I like to create pastries and chocolate bars with flavour pairings and textures that you might not come across every day,’ says Alex. ‘Classic flavourings that pay homage to traditional patisserie roots and playful twists with a hint of nostalgia can be found in all of our creations at The Sugar Man.’ The result is a range of pastries and chocolates that are as unique as they are delicious.
The Sugar Man takes pride in supporting locals and showcasing the incredible produce that Australia, particularly South Australia, has to offer. ‘Aside from French butter and French chocolate, the rest of our ingredients, no matter how small, are sourced as locally as possible, ensuring the final product is fresh and of the highest quality.’
With almonds sourced from Taronga Almonds in Willunga, which Alex describes as ‘creamy, dreamy and full of flavour’, to the superior dairy products from Tweedvale in the Adelaide Hills, each ingredient is thoughtfully chosen to create an exceptional experience.
‘All of our eggs are fresh and come from The Splendid Egg in Mt Gambier—these guys ethically pasture-raise their girls with less than seven birds per hectare, and the result is premium quality eggs that are rich in flavour and a dream to bake with.’ ‘For high-quality milled flour that delivers reliable results, we turn to Laucke from Strathalbyn,’ says Alex.
One of the standout features of The Sugar Man is its rotating pastry weekend menu. Not only does this keep things exciting for customers, but it also allows Alex to experiment with different flavour combinations and make use of seasonal produce.
Whether it’s a warm and comforting pastry on a chilly day or a refreshing treat featuring fresh local fruit (often made with oranges sourced from Alex’s grandfather’s tree), The Sugar Man always has something unique to offer. ‘Sometimes you can only get your hands on a seasonal ingredient for one or two weeks—elephant garlic, for example—before it is gone again until next year!’
‘One of our recent popular specials has been a savoury item, where we collaborated with Africola to create a Peri Peri Sausage Roll, using Africola’s Boom Shaka Laka (vegetable pickle) and their iconic Peri Peri sauce,’ says Alex. ‘Due to its popularity, we repeated the flavour the following week.’
Finally, as a small artisan business, The Sugar Man holds a heartfelt appreciation for the support it receives. ‘We understand that times are tough, but it’s tougher for a small business,’ says Alex. ‘Supermarkets offer convenience, but an artisan offers an unmatched craft and level of quality and passion that can’t be matched.’
Every bite you savour from The Sugar Man is the result of their unwavering dedication and the desire to create exceptional pastries and chocolates that bring joy to your day. And remember, as Alex would say, ‘Don’t compare—just enjoy! Everyone brings their own value in different ways, and at The Sugar Man, we’re just proud to contribute to the world of pastries and chocolates.’
Where: The Sugar Man, 197 Hutt St, Adelaide, SA, 5000
When: Open Saturday and Sunday, 10 am – 2 pm
More info: Click here
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