Christopher Thé took some time to contemplate his next move after leaving the award-winning Black Star Pastry – which he founded in 2008 – back in 2019. After massive success, including creating the world’s most Instagrammed cake, Thé retreated to his roots and found that he was at his happiest when cooking honest, joy-sparking food with a small team to a local community. That’s when his latest venture, a gorgeous café and cake shop called Hearthe – a play on the words ‘Heart’, ‘Earth’ ‘Art’ and ‘Thé’ – was born.
Found on Douglas Street in leafy, sleepy Stanmore, the sunny Art Deco-style space showcases local and native Aussie ingredients throughout Thé’s seasonal and spectacular menu. Take his signature cakes, for example. The geraldton wax cheesecake features dessert lime and strawberry gum biscuit, ermine cream, geraldton wax jelly bubbles and rose petals; and his paperbark cake is made with paperbark dacquoise, macadamia, smoked ganache, white Kunzea honey and eucalypt caramel.
Also on the menu are bakery classics, like fresh loaves of bread and textbook-perfect croissants, as well as Thé’s brilliant creations, like a cinnamon spice stick with caramelised croissant dough rolled in cinnamon myrtle sugar; and saltbush scones with white peach jam and wattleseed cream.
It’s not all sweet, of course. Keep an eye out for the daily meal of the day, which could be anything from paperbark lamb to roast pork with crackling, kangaroo wellington or a chicken tagine with couscous. Enjoy one for lunch and take home one for dinner.
And if you think this little eatery couldn’t get any better, it’s also licensed – meaning you can enjoy things like a Cascara Spritz, and a green ant gin and tonic, as well as beers, wines, and cold-pressed juices, with your snacks. Vegans and those with dietary requirements are also well looked after.
Forget about a black star, we’re giving Hearthe a golden one. Go check it out.
