A1 Bakery Brunswick

This Sydney Road fixture was originally established in 1992 by Elias Farah, his brother-in-law, Chafic Choueiry, and their wives, Nadia and Noha. A1 Bakery has been successful ever since.

Here cash-strapped students sit opposite groups of old Lebanese locals and their grandchildren. The bustling environment, with its small wooden tables and Arabic posters, delivers Lebanese pizzas; spinach and cheese pies bursting with soft haloumi; and sweets. Everything is great value and never costs more than a few dollars.

The bakery doubles (or triples) as a cafe and Middle Eastern grocery, where you can pick up sumac, pomegranate molasses, rose water and all the other specialities you need to create authentic Middle Eastern meals at home.