Bougatsa is a Greek pastry (sweet or salty) consisting of either semolina, custard, cheese or minced meat filling between layers of phyllo. The sweet bougatsa is served with powder sugar and cinnamon on top. The origins of bougatsa could be traced back to Constantinople and Byzantium. The citizens of the city named the pastry ‘bougatsa’, likely intending to convey the idea of ‘a pie filled with either salty or sweet ingredients, wrapped securely and tightly in dough’.
Bougatsa spread all over Greece after the Asia Minor Catastrophe (in 1922), from Northern Greece to Epirus and from the Peloponnese to Crete. However, it was established as a popular snack in Serres and Thessaloniki due to the fact that a large number of refugees from Asia Minor were relocated to Northern Greece.
During our trip (in June 2020) in the region of Thraki, we came across numerous places which make bougatsa. Thraki has its own tradition in bougatsa, and the city of Komotini claims its place in the origin of the pie in northern Greece along with Serres and Thessaloniki. Cappadokians and Sarakatsani, relocated in the region of Thraki, brought with them their own recipe for bougatsa. This recipe was different from the traditional local Thracian pies. In some cases it is referred to as ‘Sarakatsianiki bougatsa’. The difference from other versions of bougatsa could be the way they prepare the phyllo, which makes it thinner and fluffier.
Our five top picks for bougatsa, if you happen to travel in Thraki are the following:
Nea Anixi – Xanthi
Just next to the central square of the city, this place has been serving perfect bougatsa for decades, and it is always crowded with locals. The phyllo is crunchy, and the pies are always freshly baked. The cheese filling is creamy and not very salty, while the custard filling is soft and sweet. This is the perfect snack after a long walk around the streets of the wonderful Old City of Xanthi. (Thermopylon 1, Xanthi)
Ieronymos – Komotini
In the centre of the city, this is one of the places that justifies the claim that in Komotini you could taste one of the best bougatsas in Greece. With a family history that started in 1988, this place stands out among the numerous places that produce bougatsa in the city. Apart from the classic cheese and cream pies, here you could also find excellent bougatsa with kasseri. Very good is also the one with minced meat. (Androutsou 40, Komotini)
Zafra – Alexandroupoli
For the citizens of Alexandroupoli, one of the things that make you a true native is to have eaten bougatsa at Zafra. The extra-thin and not at all oily phyllo is perfect. The pies are always fresh, and the store stays open late at night. We ate here a tasty and not very spicy bougatsa with minced meat. If you are visiting Alexandroupoli, this is one that should be on your bucket list. (Kountouriotou 11, Alexandroupoli)
Neon – Didymoteicho
The city of Didymoteicho is not a very popular touristic destination. It is basically known for the military camps of the area. After a short visit to the very interesting castle of the city, we stumbled upon this small unpretentious place, and we decided to please our appetites with a traditional bougatsa. The bougatsa with cheese was a total delight. The local cheese was so tasty, while the phyllo was crunchy and baked perfectly. The sweet bougatsa with cream and a tonne of powder sugar and cinnamon on top was also excellent. (Vasileos Alexandrou 15, Didymoteicho)
Boglas – Feres
We discovered this place after a visit to the world-famous monastery of Panagia Kosmosoteira in the city of Feres (see here our related article about the monastery). And what a discovery that was. The smell of fresh-baked bougatsa was all over the neighbourhood, and the phyllo had a perfect yellow colour. All the different variations of bougatsa looked tempting. However, we finally go for the traditional sweet cream filling. It was probably the tastiest of all the others we ate in Thraki. (Orfeos, Feres)
No need to argue if the best bougatsa is in Serres, Thessaloniki or Komotini. You would taste perfect fresh bougatsa with various fillings all over northern Greece.
*[Photo at the top by avlxyz from Flickr]
Visit our website category “Greece” for more suggestions about traveling in Greece
