Brunswick’s legendary A1 Bakery has opened a new store, bringing hot cheese pastries and fragrant Lebanese pizzas to Fitzroy.

“A lot of our customers come from this area, so it makes sense to bring our pides to the people who love them,” says Haikal Raji, who owns the bakery with his brothers Daniel and Anthony.

Like the flagship Sydney Road store, the oven will be firing all day with fresh-baked goods always available. This shop will focus more on takeaway though; sit-down platters will not be on the menu.

“There are a few benches for those who want to eat in,” says Haikal. “We’ve tried to keep the same look as Brunswick with concrete floors, white walls and a few nice artworks from Lebanon.”

“I feel like we’ve been welcomed to the neighbourhood before we even launched.”

Haikal Raji

A small selection of groceries means pomegranate molasses, tahini, rosewater and other Middle Eastern ingredients are always on hand, as well as fresh-baked pita breads for home.

Haikal’s top picks for A1 newbies are the zaatar pizza scattered with thyme, oregano, sumac and sesame seeds, the meat pizza topped with minced lamb and tomato, and the half-moon shaped halloumi pie.

The premises – right by the tram stop and the 7-11 on the corner of Johnston Street – used to be Tora Dumplings, which has moved a few doors south. “We’ve been looking for a while but we never found the right spot – then we came here,” says Raji.

“It’s all about the feeling when you walk in. While we were working on the space, people walking by recognised us, and they were so excited about us opening. I feel like we’ve been welcomed to the neighbourhood before we even launched.”

A1 was founded in 1992 by the brothers’ parents, Elias and Nadia Raji Farah, and their aunt and uncle, Nouha and Chafic Choueri. There’s a franchised A1 Bakery in Fairfield but this one will stay in the family. “My brothers and I will be in and out of the store keeping an eye on quality,” says Raji.

Don’t look for them next weekend, though. “Daniel is getting married, so we are closing both stores on the 20th and 21st for the wedding,” he says. “We don’t close often – but we do for the important things.”

Open Tue-Sun 9am-5pm

295 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, a1bakery.com.au