At Arta Atelier, a Harley-riding chef serves up boutique French pastries
The burek, which Begovic makes within 10 minutes of ordering, is outstanding – its rolled and coiled spinach and cheese-filled pastry is buttery and pull-apart soft. He says it's inspired by his grandmother's recipe.
Camden has plenty of pastry shops and bakeries (the best bakery is B85 Artisan Bakery over the road) but Arta Atelier's cakes, tarts and desserts are pure art. Ponder their beauty and restrained sweetness, then wolf them.
Three other French-style patisseries to try
Dear Florence
Originally helmed by Irish chef Aoife Noonan, Dear Florence's range of brooch- and cloud-like cakes and tarts – including coffee, pecan and Japanese whisky, and citrus, yoghurt and orange-blossom honey varieties – are treasures in a hushed haute couture-like space.
Prefecture 48, 230 Sussex Street, Sydney, p48.com.au/venues-dear-florence
La Renaissance
Known as La Ren, this bastion of French baking (established in 1974 and in its location in The Rocks for 33 years) traverses pastry's big guns, from millefeuille to croquembouche, eclairs, Saint Honore and opera cake. Beaut sausage rolls and quiche Lorraine too.
47 Argyle Street, The Rocks, larenaissance.com.au
Madame & Yves
Pastry chef Yves Scherrer loves eclairs – most recently a salted caramel custard-filled, chocolate-covered number daubed with vanilla mascarpone cream, chocolate ganache and Belgian chocolate-chunk biscuit – but his passion extends to cut-above French cakes, tarts and croissants, too.
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