Good food can always help you momentarily forget where you are for a second. I seem to be manifesting myself in different countries a lot these days as we edge closer to winter here in the UK.
A visit to Bristol's only Greek baker, Sotiris, on Park Row is an excellent endorphin hit to cure the winter blues. TripAdvisor reviewers even consider it to be the second-best bakery in the entire city, often praised for its huge offerings at reasonable prices, all made fresh daily.
Sotiris is named after its owner who was raised in a family with a rich pastry-making history and has brought all of his family's own recipes to a small shop on Bristol's Park Row. "Everything is freshly baked in the cafe that will make you feel like you’re in his own grandma's shop on the side of a cobbled road in Greece," the website reads.
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The shelves were lined with dozens of freshly baked pastries both savoury and sweet, making it an ideal spot for breakfast, lunch or an afternoon tea break. There were great big slabs of savoury pies on the window displays while inside was occupied with the more delicate sweet treats, including biscuits, cakes and pies all made from scratch.
I sat inside on an unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon for a late lunch. When I first arrived, there were already lots of customers soaking up the sun and occupying the table seating on the edge of Park Row.
They serve one of my favourite Greek dishes, Spanikopita, which consists of thin layers of filo pastry stuffed with spinach, feta and leeks. The salty filling is a match made in heaven with the buttery pastry, almost melting in your mouth. The savoury pie portions are incredibly generous making for a large lunch or enough to take home for leftovers.
I ordered a Greek coffee for my mid-afternoon caffeine hit. I've had this style of coffee before (most recently at Cafe Atlas), which is served black and is typically much stronger than your usual americano, presented beautifully in a brass boiling pot with a wine and raisin cookie for £3.50. Personally, I do prefer how an Italian-style coffee is brewed and its depth of flavour as my single Greek coffee was a little weaker tasting than I had hoped. The spectacle of it was hugely appreciated nonetheless.
The Greeks' most famous dessert is baklava, suited for those with an uber sweet tooth. Sotiris' small baklava is traditional with salty chopped nuts sandwiched between layers of filo pastry, drenched in a sticky, finger-licking syrup for £2.60 each.
I was also recommended a galaktoboureko - also £2.60 - by the lady behind the counter, who was very patient with me as I perused the sweet section. It's similar to baklava but filled with a sweet, vanilla custard. The pastry wasn't stodgy despite the wet filling and it held together well.
Sotiris should be a contender to satisfy your weekend coffee-and-cake needs with a point of difference from you're usual Victoria Sponge. There are plenty of options for meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans, too, along with a whole host of deli cupboard items for you to take home.
There is clearly a lot of love and passion that goes into making the pastries. This food will certainly make you forget the turn of the season here in the UK and transport you to a sunny island in Greece - at least for a moment or two.
Sotiris is located on 16 Park Row, Bristol, BS1 5LJ and is open seven days as week
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