I came here for the strawberry-watermelon cake. It was very cute, but also kind of expensive ($9 for a slice which is about $6 USD). I personally don't think the strawberry and watermelon flavors go well together. The watermelon slice in it is certainly refreshing, but it kind of brings the taste down to me. I'd rather just have overall sweetness. The sweetness of the strawberry doesn't match the flavor of the watermelon. Truly Instagram-worthy, though. Service was kind of bad. Two or three people kept walking in and out of the front and back so there would be a different server every two minutes. It was a bit strange and hard to get a hold of someone. I noticed there was a fly trapped in the case with the chocolate chiffon cake. read more

Black Star Pastry - Display. - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

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Went here because of the watermelon cake hype that I was told about. It cost about $9 AUD. Personally was not as big of a fan of this place. I don't think the flavors go well together. You get one bite of the watermelon, and then you get the cream, and then you get the cake. Personally I think all the flavors of this cake overwhelm each other and that the texture of the watermelon doesn't mesh as well with the texture of the actual cake. The cake looks beautiful but I would not have ordered something like this again. read more

Black Star Pastry - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

You have to try their world famous watermelon cake. This cake is surely known by all as it's the most instagrams cake in the world. And after you taste it you will know why. Absolutely fresh and perfect for an Aussie summer day. Highly recommend this cake. It will blow you away!!! read more

Black Star Pastry - The famous watermelon cake - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

Came by to try the famed strawberry watermelon cake, and was not disappointed. The flavors are unique but go together so well. It is difficult to cut through the layer of watermelon, and there may be a bit too much of the custard for my taste but overall it was still delicious and is worth the visitz read more

Black Star Pastry - Strawberry Watermelon Cake - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

One of the places I bookmarked before visiting the country, it's a small establishment here. The line was out the door. There are other locations, but this was the one we went to. STRAWBERRY WATERMELON CAKE- consists of two layers of almond dacquoise, rose-scented cream, watermelon, strawberries and garnished with pistachios and dried rose petals I really liked this slice of cake. It was very light and not overwhelmingly sweet. The fruits really worked well with the nuts and the rose cream. I love the different textures too. There was the watery, crunchy watermelon, with the nutty pistachios, and the smooth cream. Everything worked in unison with the other. It was very fragrant and I love the perfect balance of sweetness and the nuttiness. RASPBERRY LYCHEE CAKE- consists of a rich chocolate biscuit foundation, layers of raspberry marshmallow and rose cream, with toppings of lychees and raspberries This slice of cake was not as grand as the other. It was more on the drier side and the flavors were nothing spectacular. The biscuit had a nice crunch, but the cream did not add that creaminess needed to balance out the dryness of the biscuit. The fruits were fresh and sweet, but the flavors of everything together just didn't complement one another. I would come again to try other cakes and I definitely would like more of that strawberry watermelon cake. If you do come here, there are very limited seating so it's best to get it to-go and find a place to eat elsewhere if the line is long. read more

Black Star Pastry - strawberry watermelon cake and raspberry lychee cake - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

Watermelon strawberry cake!!! So yummy! I had other cakes there too and they were delicious but the watermelon strawberry cake was pretty unique. It's a very pretty cake and it lives up to the hype! If you're in the area it's a must try! In addition to the watermelon strawberry cake, we also purchased a slice of rasberry lychee cake and a brownie Each cost about $9 AUD. Cheers! read more

Black Star Pastry - Must try! Strawberry watermelon cake. - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

This review will be based on travellers standpoint having visited twice! (Wishing I could've visited more). This was my first time in Sydney and my friend took me strolling around Newtown he brought me to Black Star Pastry! A place that was known for their strawberry watermelon cakes. I have never heard of this place ever and I was amazed at it's populatirty and being one of the most Instagrammed desserts in Australia. With having enjoyed all the vegan dishes that Sydney has to offer (I'm not vegan) I was stoked to try the Watermelon cake! PRO TIP: Pair any cake with either a FLAT WHITE or MOCHA, and limit phone time to one photo and just enjoy the cake, coffee and company with your mate! Strawberry Watermelon Cake: *A must try!* -The flavors and textures just go so well together, not overly sweet and wet (considering the watermelon layer). -The strawberry and pistachio/rose pedal garnish were nice touches (definitely Instagram travel worthy). -The cream was moist and actually my favorite part! NOTE: Sometimes you might get a batch or slice where the watermelon is not soft/moist (aka ripe enough) where you might have to push down on the fork a bit to get all the layers, the second time I went I had just that, where taking out the melon layer was the way to go rather than having the cake get all ruined and you just get mush. Raspberry Lychee Cake: *My favorite VS the watermelon* -I loved this cake! it was soo moist, right textures and flavors that compliment each other well! -The raspberry marshmallow and rose cream was moist and flavorful -It has a layer of chocolate biscuit as its base so that contrast makes it a very distinguishable dessert layer after layer with every bite To conclude, I wish I could've tried more of their specialty cakes, they have seasonal cakes as well, such as The dragon cake, and pistachio lemon zen cakes. I definitely will visit again when I am in Sydney! read more

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It's been said by others and I'll say it again, it is heavenly! I am referring to the watermelon-strawberry cake. And the fact that is gluten-free, is a plus as I am a celiac. And they do have other cakes (GF too!) as well. This is the original location and the pioneer of the whole Strawberry-Watermelon movement. I have it on good authority that the edible flowers are directly imported from Turkey. That is quite impressive. The portion is cut just right that you might want a second slice. I have never tried or given in and try the second slice in once sitting. Maybe it will ruin the experience. read more

I truly came here so I could instagram the strawberry watermelon cake. I got that cake and the raspberry lycee cake. I wouldn't say these were the best cakes I have ever had, however they were extremely aesthetically pleasing. And the watermelon strawberry cake smelled amazing!!! These cake were not very sweet at all. Which I loved. They were very much cream based so if you enjoy eating cream you would have loved these cakes. I personally like eating cake instead of cream more so I wished there was a little more cake. I would def come back to try the Japanese forest cake as it looked amazing. Also side note if you want to find a place to sit, go next door to the preorder area as you can sit there as there are tables there. read more

This place is well known for their strawberry watermelon cake, and their most recent addition, the raspberry lychee cake. As everybody else has mentioned, they are simply delicious. The strawberry watermelon cake is sweet, light, as well as refreshing thanks to a layer of the cake actually being watermelon. The raspberry lychee is a little more heavy, and a little more subtle in flavor. As you walk in, there's a glass case of their delectable cakes, They have a sign that tells you the prices for multiple slices, which I guess tells you how popular they are! They also have a drink menu, and the two times I got their flat white were delicious. Small cups, though. Indoors, they have benches by the bay window for a few people to sit, and small and short hipster logs to use as tables. Outside, they have a few similarly small tables and chairs for customers. **Warning, usually this place is so popular there's a line out the door and no seating room.** Probably because of the number of customers they serve, the employees are in a rush and aren't the most friendly. The first time I went it was jam packed, and the second time it wasn't as busy, but the employees still were not friendly. Definitely a mood of come in, buy, and get out. This is the reason why they're not getting 5 stars! Otherwise, quality of food and drinks would give this place a 5. read more

Hands Down to the best Strawberry Watermelon Cake in town! One of the best dessert in Sydney! CONCLUSION = RECOMMENDED!! MUST TRY!!! read more

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Quintessential Sydney. Walk down fairly ordinary looking side street off of the main road in Newtown and nestled amongst a few teeny tiny shops you see a line up of people out the front of some other teeny tiny shop (at all times of the day). The service is very Deus Machinas, and what I mean by that is that if you are not a tattooed, half shaved head, cool piercings looking chick then you receive the "you are damn privileged to be lining up in this line of hipsters" looks and attitude. But like those hipsters in the line I don't give a shit. All I'm here for is the food and the coffee. So Black Star Pastry you can have all the "you cannot sit and eat our food takeaway here" rules and 'tude that you like because I am like a puppy that just wants its masters affection, and a meal. Buck the trend and skip that watermelon strawberry cake stuff people are raving about and go straight for a vegan brownie with pop rocks and caramel popcorn or an orange semolina cake. Also go for a coffee and a savoury baguette (damn expensive but crispy Frenchy good). And if you can nab a seat and don't mind people glaring at you to move on once you've finished your food then do eat in and enjoy the people spotting! read more

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Even when I was in the Newtown area all the time I sadly never made my way to Black Star as often as I should have (which, upon hindsight is not entirely a bad thing since I probably would have packed on the kilos really quickly...) and I confess I hadn't been in years so I might have forgotten what all the fuss was about. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Because oh, how fond my heart has become of Black Star! Especially their gorgeous, ridiculously delectable raspberry creme brulee tart. Despite all of the other wonderfully presented cakes (the Strawberry and Watermelon cake, and also the Frangipani cake are like beautiful gardens in cake form) it caught my eye and all of a sudden I just knew it. I knew it had to be mine. The pastry - perfect, crunchy, so so satisfying. The filling - The slight tartness of raspberries goes beautifully with the smoother than smooth creme brulee... Let's just say that sweet dreams are made of these (and since I'm writing this review at 3am, it's probably time that I go off to have some sweet dreams!) Am I going back to Black Star? Of course, because now that I've had another taste, I can't resist anymore! read more

Black Star Pastry - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

After a light brunch a friend took me here for some sweets. Very lucky we didn't wait in those long lines I had been hearing about. Of course I had to try their watermelon and strawberry special :) what a beautiful dessert! I wasn't expecting what I think was a layer of pavlova in it. The creme had a light floral aroma and the watermelon was a fresh respite from the heavier desserts I've had. Thank you for this delicious cake Blackstar- because of you I can keep trucking myself that this is healthy for me! Oh! For all those that don't want to travel to Newtown they've just opened a cafe inside a bookshop in the CBD. Above Muji read more

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I've now tried the strawberry watermelon cake and the bread and butter pudding. OMG they are both out of this world. Check out my photos to drool over! I also tried the coffee again and although it was better than last time, not the best coffee I've had. I will still be ordering it though because you can't have a beautiful cake without coffee! read more

Black Star Pastry - Bread& Butter Pudding with Vanilla Custard - at home! - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

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If someone didn't tell you about this place, or you didn't happen to read a review, you would never stumble across it. Hidden away in Australia street, ironically it's what I would call the best small bakery specialising in pastries in Australia. Well, Sydney at least. Imagine walking through the gates of heaven, food porn all the way, it's an experience that requires indulgence to the extreme. It's not about size here, the cafe is small, the treats are small, and the price is relatively small too, Black star blows me away as the taste is HUGE. Their bread and butter pudding is the best I have ever tasted, it's excruciatingly exceptional, that you want it all time time. It's warm and sweet and softly textured, melt-in-your-mouth awesomeness. Orange and cinnamon complex tastes resonate it's entirety. Smother the creamy custard all over too add a layer of wholesome goodness read more

Black Star Pastry - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

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If you have never been to BSP, you might walk pass it and never realised (which is what happened to me lol). Famous for its strawberry and watermelon cake, this place also offers different types of cakes. Though i have yet to get me hands on the other sweets, the strawberry watermelon cake does not disappoint. Personally, I find it difficult to eat this cake because of the watermelon in the centre, but other than that, the rose scented cream is really nice. Will I go back? YES! Just to try the other sweets. read more

Black Star Pastry - Strawberry watermelon cake with rose scented cream - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

Fancy watermelon-strawberry cake. Absolutely delicious cakes and pastries. It is full of flavor, rich a perfect balance of sweetness and delicious goodness. read more

Black Star Pastry - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

I had no idea this even existed until I discovered it on my vacation to Brisbane Australia at a Noodle Night market when I saw a long line. I didn't line up but asked a customer what she was eating and she showed me their watermelon strawberry cake and I had to snap a photo of that cake as it stopped me in my tracks! I have never seen such a beautiful cake! This customer was nice enough to let me photo her cake and shared they have bakery locations in Sydney. I made it a mission to hunt down this bakery for this cake! We had to hunt down two bakeries since the first location in the Kinokuniya Galeries opened late at 10am and closed early at 7:30pm. My sweet husband took a taxi ride half a hour outside of city center to their Newtown location they open at 7am just in time to be able to catch our flight. Now onto the cake the moment I've been waiting for...the cake is a work of art so beautifully decorated with sliced fresh strawberries, topped with slices of pistachio and rose petals. The fragrance is intoxicating perfumed by the rose petals. The taste is sublime not too cloyingly sweet it's a layered cake in the middle is a big slice of watermelon. We also tried the lychee cake that was also really good! Alas my taste buds have been satisfied but I'm wondering why I've never seen such a cake here in USA? They seriously need to start making and selling this here. read more

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It must be hard to live up to the high expectations that you've set. And yet, Black Star continues to do so without so much as a tremor. The benchmark for pastries in Sydney, the relatively new Black Star cafe in Newtown is a quaint little shop, warmed by the wafting aromas of melted butter and sugar. Black Star pairs its famous pastries with delectable coffee and a somewhat dingy but delightful atmosphere, made up of posters papering the walls, upholstered milk crates, and other similar recycled furniture. If you have long legs then Black Star might be a bit cramped for an extended sit down, but the tiny cushioned stools should still buy you enough time to enjoy one of their delicious treats. And don't pass up an opportunity in the hopes that you can easily find their products elsewhere - Black Star only supply their pastries to three other cafes at a time (prestigious past and present beneficiaries include Sappho's and The Little Marionette). Also, it's worth while taking a seat here so you can grab a sneak peek of proceedings in the kitchen/bakery out the back. With heaps of gluten free cakes and an exciting choice panacotta flavours (love the lavender), Black Star continually rises to our expectations and exceedingly raises them even further. A trip to Black Star for post-breakfast dessert and coffee is the icing to the cake that is any Newtown breakfast. read more

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I had heard tales of a pastry heaven where all that is buttery, flakey and amazing is at one's fingertips. The promising unknown lured me to Black Star for the first time and I can honestly say, it did not disappoint. I started with a ham sandwich on house made olive bread. The flavors were simple, but with a hint of shaved parmesan, there was no lack of flavor. The bread was a little harder than I would have liked but hell, we have teeth for a reason. The star of the show, far and away, was the bread and butter pudding. Disguised in muffin form, this chocolate and sultana infused delicacy was all the right amounts of rich, sweet and light. Definitely pay Black Star a visit if you're in Newtown and absolutely, definitely DON NOT miss the bread and butter pudding. read more

Black Star Pastry - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

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The watermelon cake was so unique. I love that creator was so generous to share his recipe online. I'm from Southern California, and I've seen some bakeries attempt it, but no one gets it just right. Dreaming of the day when I can return! read more

Watermelon cake is one of the famous cake in this shop. As a tourist, I thought I must have a try. I ordered a cup of cappuccino with skim milk a piece of watermelon cake and then enjoyed a great afternoon. It's a kind of Australian culture, which is totally different from Hong Kong. I really enjoyed it. This cake is a little bit expensive but it didn't let me down. I will go there again on weekdays if I have time. read more

Black Star Pastry - Watermelon cake White flat (only in Australia) - Bakeries Near Me - Newtown, NSW

Several friends and relatives had mentioned this place to me prior to my trip to Sydney, and since my Airbnb happened to be in Newtown, I figured I ought to stop by at least once during my stay. I got a slice of their watermelon & strawberry cake as well as a slice of their pistachio lemon zen cake. I liked both a lot. The watermelon & strawberry cake is a bit unique in terms of its composition and taste, so I would suggest visitors to get that as opposed to the pistachio lemon zen cake (which was still pretty good, but more akin to things you can find in other bakeries). They had a bunch of other baked goods as well, but I take it that they're best known for their unique cakes. read more

I was recommended to buy a cake from Black star , I liked the cake but I was terribly disappointed by the lack of care and service. I asked them to write a small birthday message on the cake, they couldn't do it, I asked if they sell candles for the cake, they couldn't do it. Not only were they rude to me upon collection, I asked for a carry bag. She offered to sell me $4.90 calico shopping bag but I didn't think it was fair for me to pay to advertise for them. The assistant suggested to me that I did not need a shopping bag for the birthday cake I bought. The young assistant saw that I was carrying a bottle of wine, a camera bag and my own messenger bag. I was very surprised that they did not offer to provide me with a basic bag to transport the cake safely. I am a business owner of ten years, I was appalled by my experience buying from Black Star Pastry. I would not recommend this to anyone. read more

It looked like to be a Black Star customer, you must be a pretentious person who loves to photograph your food continually before you eat it. I wonder if people are buying their products for gastronomic pleasure, status or because they love giving criticism. Be warned the place has limited dining space and seats, which means your stay is restricted to the black star morsels left to finish on your plate. I had the vegetable pastie, which was 1-2 star. Herbert Adams pastie would have been more enjoyable on this occasion. My pastry was burnt, dry and the filling was just uninspired and chunky and meh. The much talked about watermelon cake is a 4/5 star experience. I love the almond flavours mixed with the watermelon and rose. However, the portion size is too small. If you are going to be pricey, you need to be realistic and give us more cake to eat. Otherwise I will just look around somewhere else for cake. Overall, Black Star needs to seek renewal, stop being stingy with their portion sizes and offer gastronomic inspiration to continue to be a leader in the Oz pastry world. read more

Another visit here shows that these guys have some great food offerings from the amazing Orange cake with Persian fig or their lush moist watermelon and strawberry cake. Sadly their service overlooks you the person spending money, their ability to hear an order correctly, to the way in which they have numerous staff trying to cater for a busy time. Writing down drink orders in pen on the bench where they prepare coffee, works well for one or two but quickly gets lost in a dozen people. Coffee arrives and you are left scourging for your own sugar as zombie tired like waitresses don't notice there's nothing at the table. I've been twice now and had to wipe down my own table from previous patrons. When staff see this they don't even seem to acknowledge the lack of service as they look right through you. This leaves me asking why go back for a third time, well it's 3 strikes and you are out. Good thing there's plenty of other options in Rosebery. read more

The bread pudding here is the best bread pudding I've ever had. As Black Star Chris says, "It tastes like Christmas." And it does!

I've never seen so many people photographing pastry at 9am in the morning before. If you're one of those rare people who actually consume their desserts, rather than instaspam them, you'll find this place is actually delightful. Be cautious of the queues. The coffee is expensive. read more

My relationship with Black Star is complex ... En route to Camperdown Park, I've passed Black Star more times than I can count. Its packed. Always. And the reviews I've read made this place out to be an absolute dream. Somehow I managed to execute the highest degree of will power and only enter this pastry pleasure house recently.... First time I went in, I had a look around, and although the pastries were cute in their fancy presentation, I wasn't convinced ... The strawberry cake that everyone was snacking on looked lovely, but for nearly $8 a slice, I just couldn't justify it. The second through fifth times I went in, my partner and I looked around, looked at each other, and again, left, unconvinced that the price was right for $8. The last time, it happened. We gave in and went for the bread pudding and two cappuccinos. The caps were nice ($4), but not to die for and the bread pudding (around $5 or $6) was served hot with a side of cream, which made the entire cake! .. I mean pudding! Bread pudding is difficult to do well but I more than support bakers using their "scraps" to create more deliciousness ...This one was made from chocolate croissants, and it was a bit dry and tasteless. The side of cream really helped the taste pop! Maybe I should've just drank the cream? No, I haven't had the strawberry cake that everyone drools over, nor the quiches or tarts, so perhaps my legitimacy in reviewing Black Star is questionable... Compared to other bakeries on King Street, it's definitely in the top three, but that really isn't saying much, is it? Maybe I'll give it a go another day, but for now, that Star seems a bit too dull for my taste. read more

The tiny shopfront is an organised chaos for the staff with a constant queue of customers at any time of day. For new customers, some might find it cosy, others a nightmare. Not all cakes are on display, so you can only get to see a small subset of cakes before being rushed to make a decision. Hopefully this post will give you a head start with just 6 of the cakes on offer. How it works? when you get in, stay to the right until you get served then, move left to pay. It is these sort of unwritten rules that might affect your customer experience negatively. The other major negative point is the attitude of the staff. For a small business, they can be perceived to be arrogant and not customer-oriented at all (just read the reviews on Urbanspoon - I experienced it first-hand and see where those negative comments are coming from). They are lucky that the people doing the baking show more love for their work. PEAR FRANGIPANI TART Lovers of pear will love this one. The pear slice still had a good bite to them, the base was crumbly. CHOCOLATE MACADEMIA BROWNIE Chewiness texture of a brownie without being too hard even one day after. Just a brownie but one done very well. CHOCOLATE TARTE Crisp pastry, technically well done. The surprise is popping candy within the chocolate mixture. RASPBERRY CREME BRULEE TART The perfect creme brulee from the outside. When you bite in it, the raspberry centre is revealed. The sourness and sweetness with the crunch of the pastry and crisp caramelised brulee is very good. CHOCOLATE ECLAIR Rich glossy chocolate finish, with chocolate flavours cream inside. The choux pastry was ok, pretty average with no crunch so it tasted like supermarket stock. To be fair, it was tasted at around 1pm so the pastry is pretty much dead I suspect. STRAWBERRY WATERMELON CAKE with Rose Scented Cream This cake is very photogenic and can be appreciated at any angle for different reasons. From the side, the care of assembly and thought process is amazing. The middle layer of fresh watermelon gave it the x factor, it also gave it a unique texture and also balanced with the richness of the cream whilst giving it the perfect dosage of sweetness. The sponge gave the cake body but is still light and melted when in the mouth also a carrier of that distinct rose flavour along with the cream. From the top, it is very pretty. Ultra glossy strawberries, flowers and pistachio that just make you want to dig in. This is the main attraction and arguably the only valid reason to queue up. The rest were very good technically with good flavours and twists. After the strawberry watermelon cake, my second favourite is the Pear Frangipani. The least good were the eclair and brownie. The average price is at around $8/cake. Conclusion Mixed experiences at Black Star Pastry. Which is the best cake? that's up to personal taste, just as all good pastry shops, technically Black Star is very good. The most famous is the strawberry watermelon cake, and is the only reason most customers would put up with the temperamental below average service and lack of seating. The rest of the cakes whilst good can be substituted but still worth a visit. Another small store victim of its own success, management really needs to address the issues and scale up. @thesydneynoob read more

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I've changed my mind. After dealing with the masterminds behind Blackstar pastry for catering for a special event. I found them to have amazing customer service, attention to detail and are always willing to help you out no matter what your request. They even arranged a cake tasting for us. The cafe is still packed to the rafters every day, but if you get there before 10am you might be in with a chance at a seat. Excellent reccomendation if you need a large special occasion cake like a wedding or birthday. Try the Lemon Zen cake. read more

Not many Sydney patisseries are as accommodating to everybody's dietary needs and given the experience I had, not many would even bother to reply. I was surprised (and delighted) when Chris and his team at Black Star pastry sent a promising reply for a special cake and it only got better from then on. The storefront is consistently stocked with the freshest and most vibrant array of pastries, breads and desserts backed by friendly staff. The bakers here are not only very knowledgeable but very passionate about the food they make and it radiates through their personalities, through their pastries and of course, on the award-lined wall. While the shop is small and the queues can be lengthy, a visit to Black Star Pastry is worth every last crumb. read more

So this is the pastry shop everyone raved about in Newtown. Judging by the crowd, this place must have been made popular by tourists and university students... The line moves reasonably fast and the kitchen staff is incredibly busy making cakes. If you are looking for personalized service from a small café, you will be disappointed because the servers are too busy for any kind of small talk. The cake is good. Very unusual flavor profile indeed. I don't mind stopping here for a quite in-and-out bite but if I am looking for something more relaxing, I probably will go somewhere else. read more

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It was one of the fairly recent Elite events...I got to try some Sydney paradise. No joke, a Godzilla sized Black Forest Cake came out of hiding. Something that is normally reserved for their weekend customers, I enjoyed it on a Thursday night. I know, no bragging rights here. Their savoury dishes also matched to expectations. Such a small pastry shop in Australia Street. Their shop is too small, yet great (and not surprisingly) to see a normal, busy trade on the weekends. I paid them a visit and opted for a custard tart - yummy pastry and oh so filling. The custard concoction (move over vanilla slices) was just superb. Worth swapping five bucks for. Beautifully decorated cakes. Things that make you go mmmmmmm..... read more

LOVE the strawberry & watermelon cake. Love love love the coolness of the watermelon ,sweet strawberry , delicious cream coupled with the biscuit bottom for texture. What a great combination ! ! ! I would travel to Newtown just for that sweet sweet cake. It's $7 - expensive for a small slice of cake but it's worth it. However, it falls apart easily (boo!). It did not survive a 2 min walk + 15 min bus ride. I do have steady hands, so I blame the bus driver. argh. Service is good as well. Note that it is a very small shop, so be ready to buy your goodies to go. read more

Recently, I finally went to Black Star Pastry for the first time. Naturally, I tried their famous watermelon and strawberry cake. (Luckily, we got there just before it ran out, but it was 4 o'clock on a Saturday afternoon.) Whilst eating it, another lady nearby asked me a question. She had also had the watermelon and strawberry cake for the first time and wanted to know what I thought of it. After all, she had also heard high praise for it, and she was left somewhat disappointed. I stopped to think. After all, the cake also hadn't been quite what I was expecting. Rather than being rich, like most other cakes (and my preference), it was rather light. Certainly quite creamy, but mainly fruity. But I still liked it... Then, it occurred to me... I told the lady it was like pavlova, that combination of fruit and creamy and sweetness, an excellent dessert to have on Christmas Day. And she agreed 100%! Not every cake needs to be rich and chocolately, other lighter cakes also have their place. Although, it would have been better suited to a summers day, and it was the middle of winter! P.S. If you order tea, it comes in a strange thermos-like contraption, that will puzzle you at first. I guess it works in case you don't have a seat! read more

My god the strawberry/watermelon cake is next level. I'm normally a chocolate cake kinda guy but this is the perfect cake. A lovely structured cake which was solid and light at the same time. No flavours overpowering each other but the taste of the strawberry, watermelon and rose scented creme in perfect harmony with the extra additions of pepitas intermittently giving it some extra texture. I've had this cake before but my god. Bravo read more

You can never go wrong here! From their breads to their fruit loaf to their pies and sweet pastries, oh and did I mention their vegan desserts!!! Oh my oh my! I have tried it all and never been disappointed. If you're visiting a friend, do everyone a favour and buy a fruit loaf with some jam, you'll be loved forever. This is definitely a hipster place that you should go out of your way to visit at least 100 times before you die :) read more

Was very lucky to get in just before a long line formed behind us on a Sunday afternoon. On our first visit we didn't find the cramped space very conducive to a well-considered purchasing decision, as we felt quite rushed. Would not exactly call the service attentive - the staff seemed much more concerned with mucking about with one another than actually serving customers. Having read beforehand it has won best pie in Australia, I went for the lamb shank pie and a much-needed coffee. The coffee was fine, I'm sure there's much better in Newtown. The pie was absolutely fantastic. Huge amounts of flaky and slightly salty pastry, and a flavoursome filling which managed to be delightfully moist without being wet and messy. I definitely hope to return to try some sweets, but I hope I manage to stumble across it at a quiet moment. read more