Settle in for börek, baklava and brews at , a modern Turkish bakery with daily baked goods and an all-day brunch menu in the southeastern Sydney suburb of Botany. This is the next venture of the team behind the CBD's Middle Eastern restaurant, , and a sister venue to the latest ocakbasi-style eatery in Potts Point, .
Named after the Arabic word for "queen", Malika Bakehouse delivers a royal taste of Turkey and showcases the culture that owners Efe Topuzlu and Ozgur Sefkatli grew up with.
Topuzlu, who was born and raised in Istanbul, tells SBS Food, "When it comes to Turkish food, you can name only a few successful businesses that really represent the food in its true form."
Efe Topuzlu (left) and Ozgur Sefkatli. Source: Malika Bakehouse
From the flaky to the cheesy kunefe, everything is baked in-house, using recipes Topuzlu learned from his mother and grandmother.
"Our recipes date back hundreds of years but we're using fresh, Australian ingredients and presenting them in a modern way," he says.
The pair's best-selling poğaça (savoury bread) is one example of this approach. It comes filled with cheese, olive and feta, spiced potato or .
"As a kid, I always liked making poğaça," Topuzlu says. "Playing with the dough felt like a game then. Now it is business - most importantly, love."
The chef recently started making Vegemite and cheese poğaça, which he describes as "two cultures harmonised in one little pastry". These take up prime real estate in the baked-goods cabinet, alongside Malika's more traditional börek.
Vegemite poğaça. Source: Malika Bakehouse
Two cultures harmonised in one little pastry.
"Spinach and feta, also called 'rose börek', thanks to its shape, is pretty much everyone's favourite," Topuzlu says. This is followed by the sucuk version, which is layered with kasar cheese and harissa, and the 'water börek', which is made by poaching the yufka (pastry) before baking it in the oven.
Malika Bakehouse's offerings don't stop at its savoury pastries. Topuzlu's favourite all-day brunch offering is a – a reminder of Sunday family mealtimes at home in Istanbul. The breakfast comes with scrambled eggs pan, sucuk, condiments, toast and simit (soft, sesame bagels, which are also made to order as sandwiches).
Menemen is a nostalgic breakfast that Topuzlu describes as a Turkish take on the Middle Eastern shakshuka. "It's normally baked…whereas, in Turkey, it's made on the pan, like a scrambled egg with herbs, tomatoes and peppers."
To complete the meal, you must have a Turkish coffee, presented the traditional way with a square of Turkish delight (to add sweetness) and water (to wash it down).
"A classic scenario at Malika is you walk in, order a coffee or Turkish tea with some authentic dishes to dine in, and on the way out pick up some pastry and baklava to take home," Topuzlu says.
Malika Bakehouse shares its cultural heritage, knowledge, and hard work in every dish and invites everyone to try the flavours of Turkey.
Monday–Friday 5:30am–2:00pm
Saturday: 7:00am–2:00pm
Sunday: 8:00am–2:00pm
