Pita Bakery: Discover Authentic Mediterranean Cuisine Through One Of The Vegan Community’s Favourite Restaurants At Bali Lane

Pita Bakery is an unassuming hole in the wall, serving up bread freshly baked from scratch. Started by Mr Yuri, this humble bakery tucked along Bali Lane has served customers for six years with dedication, is one of the vegan community’s quiet and best-kept secrets.

Mr Yuri tells us his promise to only deliver the best quality of food, going to great lengths to preserve the integrity of his homeland’s national food. He emphasises again that his restaurant is halal, kosher and vegan.

Hailing from Israel, he explains the fierce commitment to producing authentic Mediterranean food that tastes just like home. The recipes for these loaves of bread are a family trade secret, spanning decades.

Mr Yuri greeted us warmly as we entered and recommended the Taste It All Platter (S$22). We had a choice of two out of the many varieties of pitas and promptly decided on the za’atar and garlic pitas, while opting for an extra serving of the premium-white pita as a neutral blanket.

The platter also boasts a generous bowl of hummus, and babaganoush each for dipping. Eight pieces of falafel balls are also included in the mix, accompanied by three in-house sauces to go along with: tahini, harissa and amba. Finally, the turshi pickle and salad mini-bowls act as palate cleansers for the diverse smorgasbord.

The soft, pillowy pita came hot as each batch is baked fresh at intervals of three hours each. Tearing effortlessly into the premium-white pita revealed a fluffy, absorbent interior that looked perfect for carrying masses of hummus.

Our favourite pita had to be the za’atar. The owner explained that ingredients come imported from Jordan, specifically for its production. Sprinkled with herbs and sumac during the baking process, it perfumed aromatically and added light seasoning to the bread product.

The hummus, when paired, delicately enhanced the pita for a balanced palate. The creamy, soft-serve-like consistency of the hummus, in combination with the soft pita, allowed for a close-disintegration in the mouth. The hummus accented a contrasting tanginess, while the adequate dashes of paprika did well to add range and a kick of heat.

Our favourite dip was the babaganoush. While the hummus was ground, the babaganoush had a grainier feel and suited our preferences for a heartier bite.

The babaganoush is made up of ground-up roasted eggplant which gave it that satisfying savouriness. A welcome surprise, given that the whole shop only serves vegan items.

Then we had a taste of the falafel balls. Shaped into perfect spheres, all nine pieces were laid into a custom cut bamboo-shaped container that undoubtedly looked like the most attractive entrée on the platter.

Made from the same kind of chickpeas as the hummus, it proved to be our favourite menu item from the shop. Crispy on the outside and slightly moist on the inside, the quality of the ingredients really shone through the product. The falafel balls were like little flavour bombs that carried familiar packets of cumin and coriander, among many other spices.

The falafel balls tasted even better when paired with any of the three in-house made sauces. The tahini comes imported from Egypt, and had a clean, pure flavour profile. The harissa resonated well, delightfully stinging our tongues with a fiery jolt that had us pining for more.

The bright amba sauce was one that featured a muted mango-infused flavour, bringing tartness into the profile. We personally felt that the amba was too much of an unfamiliar smack to our tastebuds.

Mr Yuri cordially came to our table to ask how we liked the food, just as he had with other customers before us. He and his staff provided an impeccable level of service all throughout the sitting, bringing comfort to the dining experience. He explained a future launch of a new item to come from 1 July, debuting ‘the best baklava‘ in Singapore.

The vegan community has taken it upon themselves to adopt and embrace the Pita Bakery, spreading the good word to other vegans and non-vegans alike. We walked away feeling like we’d just left a Mediterranean home, and we’d love to visit our friends again soon.

Expected Damage: S$8 – S$12 per pax