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A leisurely walk from the CBD to Sydney Road, Brunswick is certainly deserved of a spinach and cheese pie at A1 Bakery, one of my all time favourite snack stops. Alas when EG and I arrived there (it was Easter Monday), we found it was closed. Arghh. I had been looking forward to a pie for every step of our just completed 6km journey.
Luckily not too far away we spotted a rather busy little shop, Tabet’s Bakery. I had never been there before, but yeah…I think this would probably satisfy my craving 
This is the spinach and cheese pie – a lovely little triangle of yeasty bread, filled with cooked spinach and salty curd cheese. It was very moist, but having just come out of the gas pizza/bread oven, was still firm (they can tend towards sogginess once the juice starts to flow and they cool down). Mmm….it was goood.
EG and I also shared the oregano pizza with salad, a doughy base generously slathered with an oregano overdosed olive oil, stuffed with fresh tomato, green peppers, onions and large salty black olives. This too was also very good – fresh and tasty, and cheap at only a few dollars.
Speaking of which, I was amused to see the most expensive item on the menu (which runs with traditional Lebanese meat/sausage pizzas, oregano pizzas, cheese pies, untraditional hamburgers, chips etc.) was the fruit juice cocktail. Uh huh, it was $6.50.
Oohh, another one for me to try when I next venture to Brunswick! Your pics always set my tummy to growling (or should I say “rumbling”?!), even when I’m tucking into my home-made and delicious (if I do say so myself) carbonara
Yes, put this one on your list. But I really must recommend A1 as well – if not just for the wonderful plethora of ethnic groceries and kitcheny stuff on show too!
Mmm…carbonara. I haven’t had that dish for ages!
ooo thats looks really good! Theres this Lebanese bakery in St. Albans that make THE BEST Lebanese pizza’s and pies. They also do a really good falafel with pickled radish (i think) that is hot pink in colour
Tabet’s is pretty good but it’s A1 for us every time! Do yu live in the CBD as well?
Anwar is pretty good to. Just over Moreland Road heading to Coburg. I like thier Sudjuk pastry. A1 is excellent though.
Hi there …marina – so come on, spill the beans. What’s the name of the one in St.Albans? I LOVE falafel, and the more fluoro pink those pickles are, the better
Hey cin – yeah, I do happen to agree with you. A1 for me every time (except when it’s closed). EG lives in the city, but I am not so fortunate at the moment. But I pretty much work and socialise (and hang out with EG) CBD side, so I am somewhat of a cityslicker already.
Hi noodleoodle – thanks for the tip. What is sudjuk pastry? I haven’t heard of that one yet?
.. and just when you think – don’t merely ‘think’, it’s a fact not a thought – you’re up to dolly’s wax you (well, we do and we’ve done it often enough to know better … a lot better!) turn in the *wrong* direction and spot Balha’s and figure there’s room for a bird’s nest, some turkish delight and that lovely chewy gooey stuff they make out of punk’n. There is room but have the Gaviscon at the ready. No reflection on Balha’s fare, just the ole granny sayin’ about eyes being bigger than y’belly. (After A1 and Balha’s it’s only a short half head size margin between those two body parts.)
Sudjuks a kind of sausage, by pastry i just meant pizza. It’s nice. I think it’s done a A1 too.
Balhas is terrific as well.
Oohh lord sedgwick – it sounds mighty temptin’! Mention chewy gooey and I’m there
Thanks for the translation noodleoodle – uh huh, they do have a marvellous sausage pizza/sudjuk at A1
Ah the old tabet’s versus A1 debate. It’s what divides Brunswickians and it’s good to see you tackling the hard questions.
Personally I’m a Tabet’s devotee… been going there since I first came to the Brunx in 1997 and I like the smaller atmosphere and the hilarious staff. Also I prefer the haloumi they use in their cheee & spinach triangles – better than the soft cheese at A1.
But that doesn’t mean I won’t dabble at A1 occassionally, especially for groceries and for the Shanklish pizza – that’s the hard cheese you buy in balls.
ps – for more excellent Lebanese pizza there’s a little place in Spotswood that does honey and haloumi pies – absolutely irresistible.
Hey esther – you MUST give me the address of the place that does honey/haloumi pies. Oooh…that soudns delish!
The Brunx…classic
oh my gosh, i love manoush….
Hahah its so funny:)
TABET is my family name!!!
i love Lebanon and lebanese food:)
God bless u lebanon!!
yalla lets go eat manoush!!!!!
Hey Mellie – love your patriotism! You must go and eat some of your namesakes!
TABETS! Not even spectacular is the word, most amazing food i have ever had! and soooooo cheap, i must admit of all lebanese bakeries i have been to on sydney road Tabet’s has to be the nicest i have had! The first to open and cannot be beaten!
the food is amazing, there is a close one by to them i think A1 bakery. slowest service and food aint the best. GO TABETS KEEP UP THE GOOD TASTE! FIRST TO OPEN AND AS RAYRAY SAID CAN NEVER BE BEATEN!!!!!
Too everyone comparing Tabet’s to A1, are all your taste buds dead? Tabet’s pizza not only taste better but look better and the staff there are, in my experience a lot nicer!