Bread and Salt is a contemporary bakery firing up Middle Eastern staples mixed with European classics. 

A subtle side entrance off Central Parkway West leads into this sprawling 12,000-square-foot store.

Run by Kira Desmond and Firas Dekar, two longtime pastry professionals, Bread and Salt first started as a pita line, wholesaling to markets around the city like Iqbal Halal and Ghadir Meats. 

It's since expanded to become its own mini market — there's a wall of Judi-branded halva, cherry jams, and premium dates — and part pitstop for breakfast, lunch, and a coffee. You'll be swimming in the scent of freshly baked bread coming from the open kitchen in the back, where dough is worked all day long. 

On any given day you'll find a slew of bread available for sale, from sourdough loaves to 12-grain bread. 

A mix of soft and savoury pastries showcases the Middle Eastern influence.French-style croissants made chocolate ($2.99) are sold alongside cheese croissants made with za'atar, the quintessential spice mix made with oregano, roasted sesame seeds, and sumac. 

A pistachio croissant ($3.75) with mulberry inside is subtly sweet and goes perfectly with coffee. 

There's a wood-fired oven going on all day at the corner of the shop, which is where you can heat up a slice of unbelievably soft and fluffy focaccia ($3.50).

The Farmer's Market vegetable option comes with black garlic, spanish onions, mushrooms, zucchini, mozzarella an provolone. 

The popular street food manousheh is made fresh to order here as well. Choose from an entire menu of flatbread ingredients that range from akawi cheese to housemade olive tapenade. 

You can get them in three different styles: pizza-style, in a wrap, or in a samboussek, a triangular pocket. 

The sumac chicken sambousek ($6.99) is definitely a standout, with roasted pineapple and black garlic bechamel. 

However you get your flatbread, it won't cost much more than $7.99 for a hulking portion of this stretchy and light dough.

Whatever you do, don't leave this place without trying the bouza: a viscous Middle Eastern ice cream that's meticulously made with sahlab, an orchid root flour, which allows it to be displayed, cake roll-style. 

There are six different types, and $4.99 per serving, with the option of adding fun toppings. 

The ashta with crushed pistachios is my favourite, while the lotus ice cream comes covered in speculoos, a kind of Belgian wheat flour.

Whichever flavour you pick, these incredibly dense sweets are not to be missed.