Decadence is part of everyday life in France, everything is rich from the boulangeries, the café and of course the wine and cheese. I stand by what I wrote before that I never knew how to live until I came to Paris. The story of Tartine is that of curiosité. Unlike most patisseries, it wasn’t put up by a baker but instead, a group of passionate French expats who simply miss the food they grew up having but wanted to make it cruelty-free. All their recipes were developed by hand and from scratch, a true artisanal process as Constance Von Freyman, one of the owners, puts it. She is especially pleased with their croissant, which along with their other delicacies, were sold-out by the time I arrived. Their whole grain sourdough, which undergoes a 48 hour fermentation process is also a take-away favourite.

What I look forward to the most in Tartine is their after-work specials.

A spread of the richest dairy-free cheeses; Brie, Camembert, Mozzarella, Blue cheese to name a few of the 15 available by the season in the restaurant. Served with their signature Tapas and house wine, is an experience that is made of nostalgia and promises that gets me by through the cold weeks.