Bite Of The Day: Pastries At Gayana’s

With just enough sweetness to satisfy an early-morning (or any time of day, really) craving without being too cloying, these pastries at Gayana’s Bakery on Ditmas Avenue are a nice option. As the staff explained to us, they’re basically just phyllo dough wrapped around different fillings (they offer cheese, cherry, and apple), then baked until crispy. Two, with a small coffee, cost $3.

Gayana’s is a Georgian bakery, so in addition to the sweet pastries and cakes (the staff encouraged us to try the fruit pie — which looks more like a cake, and was dotted with chunks of different fruits — the next time we were there), they also serve pastries that are a bit more savory, like khachapuri. That traditional Georgian bread, filled a salty cheese mixture, is a little different here than what you’ll find at one popular Brighton Beach bakery, as these are smaller bits, compared to a large, flat loaf. We haven’t tried it here yet, but we might just stick to the stuff we already know and love.

With a few tables inside and a large window out onto Ditmas Ave, it’s a good spot to meet someone for coffee, or to sit and just watch people passing by.

Anyone try anything here that you’d recommend?

Gayana’s Bakery is located at 418 Ditmas Avenue, between E 4th and E 5th Streets, 718-975-3870.