Rumaisa Pastry

Rumaisa Pastry is a Lebanese-style bakery in Epping, Victoria, and the zaatar is what gets people talking. Locals rate it among the best they've found in Melbourne, and the soft, freshly baked breads and buns get a mention too. One zaatar devotee reckons you can't beat it.

Pies are a drawcard here, and so are the cheese-and-olive and cheese varieties, along with the vegetable zaatar pizza. Manakeesh comes out fresh and full of flavour, and there are hotdogs for anyone after something simpler. Variety is part of the appeal, and people tell us the baked goods taste just-from-the-oven. Coffee is on the menu as well, and some customers make it their weekend stop for a coffee and something warm. Takeaway is the way most people do it.

Value gets a lot of praise. One family has made it their weekend breakfast for years and says the food is always fresh and the prices fair for what you get. Staff friendliness comes up often too, and one local was delighted when a team member remembered the orders of a family of six.

Not everyone is happy. One long-time customer feels service has slipped, another found the coffee weak and the staff exchange unpleasant, and one person had a problem getting a voucher honoured. The food itself still draws praise even from the people who were disappointed, so the pastries seem to be the safer bet if you're deciding what to order.

The entrance, car park and seating are all wheelchair accessible, which makes things easier for many visitors. It's worth checking the hours before you head in, though the shop looks to be open early and across the whole week.

If you're in Epping and after zaatar, fresh pies or a quick bite to take away, this is a bakery to try.