Now Open: Three Flash New Sydney Spots To Try (When You Need a Carby Treat)

Sydney’s in no short supply of excellent baked goods and outstanding coffee. But newbies join the fold on the reg, and many are similarly standout. Here are three to pop on your to-visit list right now.

Shadow Baking Pop-Up Van, Marrickville

When the executive pastry chef, sous chef and former head chef of Messina Eats joined forces to open permanent digs for their Shadow Baking market stall – right next door to Messina in Darlo – locals sat up and took notice. The Vegemite scrolls with fermented chilli egg jam! The jiggly croissant-custard-tart hybrid! All winners.

Now, after running a pop-up van for Vivid, they’ve moved it into the car park at Messina HQ. “We should’ve called it the drive-through,” Tom Mitchell, co-owner and exec pastry chef at Messina, tells Broadsheet. “People kind of drive in, load up and drive out.”

Sydneysiders can order all the Shadow Baking usuals – that custard danish that’s “always going off” – at the window, but the team’s slinging Marrickville-only savoury tarte flambees too. These are best downed fresh at one of the milk crate tables.

There’s a cheesy classic with speck and crème fraîche, plus two pizza pocket-like numbers. One is generously stuffed with Whole Beast pastrami, zingy sauerkraut, house-made pickles and Russian dressing, and the other is a loaded eggplant parmie. All of them are crisped-up pronto in a Gozney.

As for when it’ll leave? The team’s calling it a “permanent pop-up”. “We’ll be here until we get blown away,” laughs Mitchell.

1 Rich St, Marrickville
Weekends 10am–4pm

@shadow_baking

Arta Atelier, Camden

Run by husband-and-wife duo Armin and Tayla Begovic, Arta Atelier is a “fine patisserie” on a suburban street. Surrounded by heritage-listed houses and a tennis court, the charming single-standing house has the small town vibe the Begovics were hoping for. Armin is the chef, with over a decade of experience in kitchens like Rockpool, Aria and the Grounds of Alexandria; while Tayla’s a pro at venue management.

Take home Armin’s glossy gateaux or artful choux buns – but note, the flavours are here for a good time, not a long time. “We really wanted to be a seasonal shop that had a very limited range based around quality and the best products at that time,” Armin tells Broadsheet. “I didn’t want to sell it as us only having one product for the whole year.”

Blueberries are in, so that means blueberry cheesecake gateaux that are almost too pretty to eat. Slicing into the ombre blue dome reveals a blueberry financier (an almond-based cake) topped with a cloud of baked-cheesecake mousse that’s holding a gooey blueberry compote in the centre. The cake is then airbrushed with coloured cocoa butter and finished off with a chocolate ring.

You can order celebration cakes to pick up, and there are also pies and sausage rolls. Plus, Armin’s been perfecting something else: bureks. “I grew up on burek. But it took about four months to get it right. I called my grandma and asked, and the way she explained it to me didn’t make any sense.”

The eastern European pastry is rolled with fillings like spinach, beef and cheese, with Arta’s a rendition of Armin’s family recipe.

7/1-15 Murray St, Camden
Wed to Fri 7am–3.30pm
Sat 8am–3.30pm
Sun 8am–2pm

@arta.atelier.au
artaatelier.com.au

More, Roseberry

Strawberry matcha is having a moment, and this cafe in Roseberry is dedicated to it. Taking it one step further, the team’s introduced what’s thought to be Sydney’s first strawberry-matcha tap – cracking the code on the virality of the two-toned iced latte.

“It’s a bit nostalgic, it’s like an adult version of strawberry milk without looking sus that you’re just getting strawberry milk,” owner Jerome Manion, who’s also behind the Shire’s Our Father, tells Broadsheet.

Not mad for matcha? The team pour a mean Single O coffee too, alongside baked goods from Butterboy.

There’s also a strong toastie and bagel game. Opt for the three-cheese toastie with hot honey or a Brooklyn Boy bagel stuffed with Wagyu pastrami, pickles, Swiss cheese and special sauce.

The menu might be small, but you’ll leave wanting more.

2/77 Dunning Ave, Rosebery
Mon to Fri 6.30am–3pm

@more.rosebery
moredailyritual