Black Star Pastry offers world-class pastry with an atmosphere (and prices) to make you feel right at home. This tiny shop, hidden away behind Newtown Town Hall, announces itself with only a few wooden tables and kitsch gnome stools scattered outside. Walk in over the tiled entrance-way and pinch a seat in the window if you can. Then sidle up to the counter, brimming with sugary delights, and make up your mind quickly - there's likely to be a queue out the door behind you.

That's not to say it will be an easy decision. There's sweet teeth options a plenty, though I'd suggest a personal sized Plum, Fig and Orange Cake ($4), filled with candied orange, or the extravagant Chocolate Eclair ($4.50). If it's a cold winter morning and a little too early for sweets, try the toast ($4), prepared by yourself at the DIY toast station, with Rose Petal Jelly or Seville Orange Marmalade. In summer, look out for the home made iced tea. Lunch time baguettes ($7.50-$9) or pies ($7) are on offer if you're there in time to snap one up. Whatever option you go for, one of the Ginger Ninjas ($4) to take away is an absolute must.

The intimacy of this space belies its pedigree. Christopher Thé, of Claude's fame, is at the helm of this project, which takes classic delights and experiments a little bit. The results are extraordinary. Like all good things, the only fault of Black Star is its popularity. Outside seats and take-aways are always an option though - it's not worth missing out on, no matter how busy this little shopfront happens to be.