This New York Greek Bakery Still Makes Its Own Phyllo By Hand More Than 100 Years Later
Very few bakeries in America still bother doing this. Most buy their phyllo frozen in a box, and honestly, who could blame them?
The phyllo dough here, however, is still rolled out by hand on tables in the back. That’s the same recipe the shop has used since 1923.
This little blue-and-white shop in New York kept going the hard way for four generations. Some of its ovens are over 100 years old, too.
The counter holds baklava, custard pies, strudels, and warm spinach pies. I’d probably start with something wrapped in that famous dough. Are you ready to find out how a tiny family bakery survives a century in one of the busiest cities on Earth?
The Dough Most Bakers Gave Up On Is Still Made Here Every Day
Paper-thin sheets of dough get stretched by hand in the back of Poseidon Greek Bakery. It’s a tradition few, if any, other American bakeries still keep.
Phyllo is the flaky dough behind baklava and spanakopita. Making it from scratch takes patience, skill, and a lot of table space. Most shops skip it and buy frozen sheets instead.
Poseidon Greek Bakery never made that switch. The original phyllo recipe has been in use since the doors first opened. That’s more than a century of the same method, which is a wild thing to say about any recipe.
The bakery’s phyllo is so respected that it supplies restaurants across the city. Martha Stewart has even bought their phyllo dough. When pros come to you for the basics, you’re clearly doing something right.
I love that the star of the show is the part most people never think about. Everyone notices the honey and nuts on top. But the layers underneath are where this bakery quietly shows off.
So when you bite into anything flaky here, remember it started as a ball of dough. Someone stretched it by hand, sheet by sheet, the old-fashioned way.
A Baker From Epirus Started Something That Hasn’t Stopped Since 1923
Demetrius Anagnostou came from Epirus, a mountainous region in northwestern Greece. In 1923, he opened a bakery in New York, and his family is still running it today.
The business passed to his son, Michael Anagnostou. Michael’s wife, Menina, came next and added her own Austrian strudel recipes to the lineup. Talk about a delicious family merger.
Later, Michael’s stepson Anthony Fable took over with his wife, Lili. Now their son, Paul Fable, co-owns and runs the shop with his mother. That makes four generations behind the same counter.
Paul’s children even help out in the store. So the next chapter seems to be learning the ropes already. Not many family businesses can say that after a hundred years.
Every handoff could have ended the story. Rent goes up, kids pick other careers, and old shops quietly close. Somehow this one kept rolling, quite literally, through every change the city threw at it.
The family history is shared right on the walls inside. It’s worth a few extra minutes of your visit. You’ll leave knowing exactly whose hard work went into that pastry box.
Blue And White Outside, Pure Old New York Inside
Painted in blue and white, the storefront looks like it borrowed its colors straight from a Greek island. It’s an easy one to spot on a busy Manhattan avenue.
Inside, the vibe shifts to classic old New York. Framed photos and paintings cover the shelves and walls. Some show the family, while others feature famous faces who stopped by.
The shop is small, with just a few stools. Most folks grab their treats to go. Think of it as a pastry pit stop rather than a long sit-down hangout.
One of my favorite details is the traditional cash register. In a world of tap-to-pay screens, that old machine feels almost rebellious. It fits the place perfectly.
Handwritten signs add to the homey feel too. Nothing here looks designed for a trendy photo shoot. It simply looks like a bakery that has been busy baking for decades.
And then there’s the smell of fresh pastries hanging in the air. Good luck walking out with just one item. The space is tiny, but its personality fills every inch of it.
You’ll Want To Point At Half The Baklava Case
Honey, walnuts, almonds, and plenty of cinnamon get layered between that famous handmade phyllo. Baklava is one of the most talked-about treats at Poseidon Greek Bakery.
You can choose the traditional version or a rolled style. Both lean on the same lineup of nuts and honey. Picking one is the hard part, so maybe don’t pick.
The nut-lover options keep going from there. Afali is a roll of chopped pistachios wrapped in phyllo and topped with honey. Kataifi uses shredded phyllo around walnuts, cashews, and almonds.
Trigona brings almonds and almond paste into the mix. If you’ve never tried these, ask the staff for a quick rundown. Some names can be tricky to pronounce, and that’s totally fine.
I’d grab a few different ones and share them around. A mixed box lets everyone find a favorite. It’s also a sneaky way to try more without looking greedy.
Every piece shows off the handmade dough in a slightly different way. Some are crisp and layered, others are shredded and nest-like. Your sweet tooth gets a full tour of the case.
Custard Wrapped In Phyllo Is A Very Good Idea
Galaktoboureko might be the most fun word to say on the whole menu. It’s a semolina custard dessert wrapped in tissue-thin layers of phyllo.
Poseidon Greek Bakery often makes it eggroll-style. That means a creamy center tucked inside crispy rolled layers. It’s a handheld custard pie, and that’s a beautiful thing.
Then there are the strudels, which carry a story of their own. Menina brought Austrian strudel recipes into this Greek family bakery. That mix of traditions is part of what makes the shop so interesting.
Cherry strudel is one of the options. Strudels pop up often when people talk about this bakery, right next to baklava. They clearly earned their spot in the case.
I can’t imagine leaving without at least one custard or strudel piece. They offer a nice break from the nut-heavy treats. Sometimes your taste buds want something creamy instead of crunchy.
If you’re bringing pastries home to a mixed crowd, these are safe bets. Kids and grown-ups both understand custard. Even picky eaters tend to come around once they see that golden flaky wrapper.
Lunch Shows Up In Hand-Sized Pies
Not everything here is sweet, and your lunch break will thank you. The bakery makes several hand-sized savory pies that can be served warm.
Spanakopita is the classic, filled with spinach and feta. Tiropita blends feta, ricotta, and cream cheese with a hint of mint. Both come wrapped in that handmade phyllo, naturally.
Kreatopita is the meat option. It’s packed with ground beef, leek, dill, onion, and scallion. That’s a hearty little pie that could easily carry you through an afternoon.
Then there’s Menina’s Mash, named after the family’s strudel-loving matriarch. It’s a vegetable pie with spinach, carrot, potato, leek, onion, and dill.
Vegetarians have several solid choices here. Between the spinach, cheese, and veggie pies, nobody gets stuck with nothing to order. That’s a nice touch for a group with different needs.
My move would be one savory pie and one sweet treat. Call it a balanced meal, if you squint. Lunch first, baklava second, and no one has to know the order.
Save Room For The Cookie Tray, Seriously
Cookies at a Greek bakery are their own little adventure. The selection here goes way beyond a basic chocolate chip.
Kourabiedes are rich butter almond cookies that aren’t overly sweet. Finikia are dense and bready, made with almonds, honey, orange juice, and cinnamon. Koulourakia are crispy, and some come sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Pasteli is a Greek brittle, and it’s pretty different from the rest. It’s made with almonds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds. Think of it as a crunchy, nutty snack bar with old-world roots.
Finikia gets a lot of love from fans of the shop. It’s one of the names that keeps popping up. If you’re new to Greek sweets, it’s an easy first pick.
Cookies also travel better than syrupy pastries. That makes them handy if you’re walking around Manhattan all day. They hold up nicely in a bag while you explore.
They make a great gift for friends or family back home too. A box of Greek cookies feels thoughtful. Plus, you can honestly say they came from a bakery that’s over a century old.
Bobby Flay And Martha Stewart Found Their Way Here Too
Some fans of this bakery have very recognizable faces. Bobby Flay has publicly praised Poseidon Greek Bakery, while Martha Stewart has purchased its handmade phyllo dough.
Martha Stewart has even bought their phyllo dough. That’s high praise from someone who knows her way around a kitchen. The New York Times and Zagat have given the shop their nods as well.
Alec Baldwin, Ernie Anastos, and Olympia Dukakis have also visited. You can spot photos of famous guests on the walls. It’s a fun game to see how many faces you recognize.
Still, the celebrity part never seems to change the mood. The shop stays a down-to-earth family business. The owners are known for chatting with customers in a warm, personal way.
The family also helped shape the neighborhood’s food scene. Co-owner Lili Fable was one of the founders of the 9th Avenue International Food Festival. That event began back in 1973.
So this place doesn’t just sit on the avenue. It helped put the avenue on the food map. Famous visitors are nice, but deep neighborhood roots are even more impressive.
Plan Your Pastry Run Around These Hours
Good news for anyone exploring Manhattan’s west side. The bakery sits at 629 9th Ave, New York, NY 10036, right in Hell’s Kitchen.
It has been at this exact address since 1952. That’s a long time to hold a spot in a New York neighborhood that keeps changing. The bakery is just a short walk from the Theater District.
Hours run Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM. The shop closes on Sundays and Mondays. Don’t show up on a Monday craving baklava, because you’ll only get a closed door.
Since it’s mostly takeout, plan to grab and go. There are just a few stools inside. A nearby bench or your hotel room works great for a pastry picnic.
Card payments come with a small minimum, so bringing some cash can help. Mixing a few items easily clears the minimum anyway. That’s my favorite kind of math problem.
A trip to Poseidon Greek Bakery feels like a mini history lesson with dessert. New York has endless food options, but few with this kind of story. Just a heads up: one box might not be enough.