Overview
Having conquered the hearts of southsiders with her South Melbourne croissant haven, Agathé Pâtisserie, Agathe Kerr has been busy working on yet another treat, opening a pint-sized patisserie in the city's Royal Arcade.
Launched on January 18, Agathé Pâtisserie Petite is a miniature version of the 'Croissant Queen's' South Melbourne Market outpost – a shop window brimming with a daily haul of Kerr's best-selling creations, fresh from the oven each morning. "I always wanted to have a small shop in the CBD; a hole in the wall is really something very specific to Melbourne that I haven't really seen in Paris," Kerr explains. "We haven't been open very long, but so far it is definitely a good fit."
Now, city workers can infuse their days with a blissful taste of France. Think buttery croissants to make those mornings more bearable, a cherry or apricot Danish with that mid-morning latte, and maybe a classic escargot for that train ride home. Filled croissants will be the stars of the show, with flavours changing regularly so that customers can always get their hands on something new and exciting.
Paris-born Kerr, who trained with the best at the Ecole de Boulangerie et Patisserie de Paris, launched her first store shortly after arriving in Melbourne in 2013. Quickly, her baked goodies achieved cult status, ranging from traditional French-style pastries and dessert cakes to more innovative treats, like matcha-filled croissants and peanut caramel-infused cruffins.
Three years on and the pastry chef has just welcomed her second and third ventures: the city store, and a bakery neighbouring the original South Melbourne patisserie.
Agathé Pâtisserie Petite is now open at 49A Royal Arcade from 8am to 3pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and will extend these hours in the coming months. For more information, visit Agathe's Facebook page.