Bazyani Market and Bakery isn’t particularly easy to find online, there’s no prominent website or social media page, but it’s super-easy to find the place on Bethel Road. It’s at the west end of a strip mall on the corner of Godown, a strip mall that boasts a bustling international scene, mixing Asian and Mediterranean businesses with a Texas Roadhouse.
Inside Bazyani’s doors, one wall is lined with a tall cooler and shelves of cans and boxes. At the back is a big bakery case loaded with fresh-made options. There are no labels identifying the baked goods, there are no prices on the products. There are significant language barriers, but pointing, smiling, and nodding goes a long way. And even though the first trip ended up with the purchase of some things not originally intended, that sort of thing falls under the category of happy accident.
First and foremost, there is the house flat bread. It’s sold in big bags of four, and the sturdy plastic bags can’t begin to contain the bread’s signature fresh-from-the-oven smell. In fact, the aroma fills the entire car on the ride home, which can make for some distracted driving. Unleashed from the bag, the ginormous rounds are thick and super-soft, finished with an occasional roasted char and topped with sesame seeds that also get an ample toasting for extra bursts of flavor in each bite.
The bakery case also holds cookies in a million variations. One rolled treat looked a little like a mini cinnamon roll. It turned out to be more like a super-sturdy rugelach, mildly sweet, filled with something more like chocolate inside. Also tried were some cute little nests: rolled phyllo that held a ground mixture that tasted like pistachios.
Behind the bakery, little paper signs are posted listing sandwiches that are available (with very reasonable prices, well below $10), and the market offers a few chairs and tables for those who’d like to linger for lunch.
You can find it at 5220 Bethel Center Mall.