Tarts Anon

Overview

After farewelling its Cremorne HQ with just four weeks' notice, Tarts Anon has landed on its feet — specifically, with a sleek new flagship store in Richmond. The cult-favourite brand's signature blend of fine-dining finesse and neighbourhood charm is alive and well at its airy, light-filled Church Street space, which features an open kitchen, indoor and outdoor seating that encourages lingering and a smartly pared-back fitout designed in collaboration with hospitality heavyweight Nathan Toleman. (It also makes for a nice one-two punch at the address, which is also home to Top Paddock.)

Started by chef Gareth Whitton (ex-Dinner by Heston) and Catherine Way as a home-based side hustle during the 2020 Melbourne lockdown, Tarts Anon quickly became a citywide obsession thanks to its golden crusts and restaurant-quality fillings. The Richmond site showcases the brand's greatest hits — smoked pecan and butterscotch, chocolate caramel, lemon and tiramisu can all be found here — as well as four monthly rotating specials. Joining the lineup for the launch period is a limited-time pistachio Saint Honoré tart, a playful take on the classic French cake featuring crisp choux pastry, pistachio mousseline and layers of caramelised pastry.

Tim Harris

If you're sitting in — and in a space as welcoming as this, why wouldn't you — you'll find specialty teas and coffee by a rotating roster of roasters to pair with your pastry. Whitton and the team are also experimenting with a wider but complementary offer, so the minimalist display cabinet might soon include croissant-tart hybrids, or soft serve in the warmer months.

Open daily, Tarts Anon Richmond joins the brand's growing network of locations across Melbourne, including Collingwood, Collins Street and a Prahran Market pop-up. It's a new chapter for a homegrown favourite — and when it comes to great things getting even better, well, the proof is in the tart.

Tim Harris

Images: Tim Harris.