TL;DR: Old Hollywood glamour, good fare, and an all-round pleasant atmosphere makes this one destination that is worth noting down and trying out. That is only just the beginning, with a number of surprises in store and a shop area that appears to keep on going and going. Mixing old and new here has rarely complimented rather than clashed as such, and it is merely awaiting an excursion for many ardent Instagram members - they are ready for their close up.
Turning out an old cinema into a time capsule, Tart is a hidden gem for gourmands within Camp Hill and its surrounds. Mixing all sorts of style into its own unique character, it is one that will enchant even those with absolutely no interest in antiques for the sheer earnestness in the love for how to design such a callback without seeming too stuck in the past. That, and the offerings for food and drink which await clientele of all walks of life, are the draw-cards to what should be a reliable local for a long time to come.
When deciding to arrive here, it was something that merely happened organically. An initial plan was in mind to go somewhere - and from memory either it was not open (...yet) - or it was a case of biding some time, so me and my dining buddy were merely driving along the side roads when this was spotted out the corner of his eye. With only about two seconds to make a decision, he turned down the side road next to the corner and in it was to explore the place. From the outside, this looks like it could be any one of the countless places that would serve coffee, and maybe a couple of other things here and there to go with it. While that could have been the case, curiosity won over in the end.
And the fact that it managed to be the victor was the real victory among all of it. When it was mentioned that it looks like it could be any one of the many small places on the main road as such, that alluded to it being small inside. That was anything but, and walking right in it was like seeing something completely different from the norm; it is one of these places in which sites like Instagram were made for with all of the imagery, aesthetics and photo opportunities galore. That, and it was the sheer size of the place. It had turned into a big antique store, and one that so happened to have a cafe right at the front entrance which was also quirky and had a timeless aesthetic to it.
Getting into what has become apparent recently, bringing a callback to times past with retro-influence this is similar in many ways to that, almost as a time capsule to the mid-20th century - especially with the Hollywood starlets and the paean to the golden era of cinema (in particular, the mural on the far wall). All sorts of hidden gems are adorning the walls, which makes it worth traveling around while having a look. The colour scheme is bright and cheerful, and the seating out the front area was akin to the red they use at diners. It is also really comfortable outside, where they have not abandoned the need to be characteristic and having a relaxing feeling. Credit is certainly earned here in spades,
And we get to the service, which all-round is pretty good, relaxed and pretty well friendly. The ladies here are quite chirpy, friendly and constantly on the move. While maybe in the green stages, they have already done some effort to learn the ropes with customer service and it will certainly be one aspect that will be attracting many people back. Though in saying that, with their pleasant persona and everything in tact, the mode of ordering is a little at odds with the goal they have in mind - that is going up to the counter to order, paying and taking a number. But also in saying that, it was not without some touches here and there that made it more relaxed and inviting - my dining buddy and I had already picked out a table with the waitress guessing it was claimed, and during the time upon ordering she had set it up with water, glasses, and cutlery. That is something, and the speed is also noted in particular with clearing the table once the clients are done with their meal. So it is around the B+/A- sort of area.
When it comes to what to eat, it deviates somewhat off what would normally follow here - the usual kind of cafe fare. That is it ... to an extent. Breakfasts are a mix of the general favourites, along with some inventive twists on sweeter dishes. At lunch time, you can expect burgers, salads, other kinds of standards including fish and chips, plus all sorts of meatier dishes for those with a bigger appetite. What is better yet is the cabinet full of sweets, or the drinks menu that follows suit - tea, coffee, spiders, shakes and smoothies are all there with most to delight kids, in conjunction with wines and beers. It is kept simple, but it is not kept stock standard.
So the first order of business was getting the drinks, and with it being the morning that meant it had to be coffee. As per the norm, I went with a doppio. Well it starts off on the right food with the coffee after seeing the blend which they have on offer, none other than that sweet classic Campos. This used to be the high bar for me when it came for coffee, and I would go to a place just because it had that label outside. With it all being said, Campos is still among the better lot and with a good reason - I like it strong, and that it delivers. Yet at the same time while being strong, it has more of the sweetness and a bit of cocoa notes in it therefore there is not the bitterness or astringent taste to go with it. That was much the case here, with the coffee being lovely, well extracted and having a good bit of strength to it. This is the kind of place you could go for the coffee plus something else, due to how good the coffee is on its own merits - that, and the range of sweets will tempt most people with some semblance of a sweet tooth.
Going onto the meal part of the breakfast, after a scan of the selection what I went for was simply a breakfast burger. This had a combination of all sorts of things I like - bacon, sausage, some grueyere cheese, tomato, mushrooms, egg, and tomato. When this is offered as a choice, it is usually one of the more reliable ones. Better yet, like with getting any kind of burger order it seems incomplete without some fries, something which came on with this burger by default. This did not look very big from the first glance of it, however it managed to be really filling. It was good pork sausage that they were using, and the egg did not drip too much onto the plate. In addition to that, it nice of them to cook the bacon quite crisp as per the request, along with the creaminess and strong flavour of the cheese melting well, all of it on a pretty solid bun. The fries a bit thickly cut, though this time around they managed to have a bit of crispiness to them, along with a decent amount of seasoning. All up, it was perfectly adequate.
In many ways, it could well be getting a higher score - but the objectives with quantity still lock this into being the high bar, with the necessity of giving credit where it is due for either being characteristic somehow - which Tart totally is - when the quality of the food certainly brings commendation, and an atmosphere that is friendly along with good service are also worthy of gold stars. Those alone are all met, plus it also has the added benefit of being close by lots of residences and could do well with having small kids in tow, as well as the pets. To put it another way, while that aspect is not anything on me it definitely can be observed to how good a place can possibly be given the objective point of view - and here it is going to be a real winner for the ages, combining class with comfort.
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