The pastries tasted authentic and just like they do in Greece, the only thing missing was the beach
The site celebrated it’s first month anniversary on Saturday (September 5)(Image: Leicester Mercury)
A new Greek bakery has opened in Leicestershire and after hearing many great reviews, I decided to see what all the hype was about.
In case you hadn’t realised, I am Greek, born and raised in Oropos, a little donkey village about an hour’s drive from Athens.
Just like England has a Greggs store around every corner, Greece has independent bakeries on almost every street and it is a food industry which is well embedded within the country’s culture.
Grabbing a tiropita (cheese filled pastry) and a freddo espresso (iced coffee) is a go-to breakfast for many Greeks, so we take our bakeries very seriously.
In August, Leicestershire saw its most recent addition to its Greek cuisine scene, with the opening of YiaYia Bakes, in Castle Street, Hinckley.
The name of the bakery translates to Grandma Bakes and after trying their products, it is safe to say that their food is just as good as your local Greek grandmother’s baking, which tends to be of the highest quality.
The first thing I ordered when visiting YiaYia Bakes, was a freddo espresso (£3.40) and an Amita motion juice, the perfect combination to kick start the day. A tip I’d give to those visiting, don’t add milk to your freddo if you want the authentic flavour and sip it slowly throughout the morning.
Personally, my favourite Greek pastry is the ham & kaseri cheese patiti (or zabonotiropita) and YiaYia Bakes’ sauce and light filo pastry truly made me feel like I was back home. Costing £4, you cannot go wrong with this choice.
One of the most iconic Greek pastries has to be the spinach & feta pie (or spanakopita). This one holds a close place to my heart as my own grandmother bakes a huge tub of this for the whole family when we visit and YiaYia Bakes’ spanakopita comes a very close second for me.
The spinach was not overcooked and there was plenty of feta cheese in there to make it tangy and sweet at the same time. This pastry costs £3.89 and for the size of the slice you get, it’s definitely worth the money.
Moving further up north in Greece, Thessaloniki is renowned for its Bougatsa, a filo pastry filled with sweet cream and topped with icing sugar.
YiaYia Bakes’ Bougatsa had to be the highlight of my visit, as it was actually tastier and creamier than some pastries that I’ve tried in Greece. This is the store’s most expensive pastry, at £4.19, but it is definitely worth it when you consider that it includes double the cream when compared to the ones back home.
Overall, YiaYia Bakes is the first Greek cuisine site that I have visited in the UK which actually holds up to the standards of food back home and to top it all off, the owners actually speak Greek.
I cannot recommend this bakery enough for anyone looking to experience great Greek dishes, without having to pay the hefty plane ticket to get them.
Our rating: 5/5
Official food hygiene rating: Very good, 5
YiaYia Bakes did not know we would be doing a review and we paid for our food.
