Bougatsaki, Brunswick

MELBOURNE | When plumber Kosta Kostidis suffered an back injury which prevented him from working, he had to think about what was next. He tried his hand at making bougatsa with his pappou (grandfather), Efthimios, a baker who immigrated to Australia from Serres in northern Greece in 1968. Kosta decided, with his mum, Martha, to try selling their family’s bougatsa to a wider audience, and Bougatsaki was born.

The first pop-up at Northcote Festival last year was a success, and since then, Kosta and the family have been popping up across Melbourne. A few weeks ago, Bougatsaki took the next step and opened a bricks and mortar location as a take-out window at the front of Italiano’s Fresh Produce (Kosta’s cousin, Lynda, who you’ll find helping out at Bougatsaki, is married to Patrick LaManna, who helped make Kosta’s idea into a reality). A family business in the true sense.

Bougatsa, for the uninitiated, is version of flaky filled phyllo pie that’s most popular in the north of Greece. If you’ve been following me, you’ll be well aware of my attempts to recreate my grandmother’s version, as well as my obsession with eating as much of the stuff as I can, from as many different spots, whenever I’m in Thessaloniki.

The version at Bougatsaki, baked fresh throughout the day, is as good as you’ll find anywhere in Northern Greece. Multiple layers of crispy, buttery, super-thin phyllo, filled with traditional flavours, less traditional options, and a rotating monthly special. For my first visit, I couldn’t go past the classic sweet vanilla custard dusted with icing sugar (and cinnamon if you like), and the savoury spanakopita (spinach and feta). The custard of the former is smooth and luxurious, while the latter is bursting with freshness. Also, despite the crispy, buttery goodness, both are relatively light.

Other flavours include things like tiropita (cheese and egg), honey and walnut, Nutella, and Biscoff. You can call in advance if you want to pick up a big batch, or put in a catering order.

There’s a variety of hot and iced espresso-based coffee options, including my go-to when I’m Greece, freddo espresso. It’s a double shot of espresso, rapidly blended with ice to create an airy, frothy foam that settles on top.