Sofra, an Arabic word synonymous with hospitality, is an apt name for the new restaurant from Oleana duo Ana Sortun and Maura Kilpatrick. Located on the margins of Cambridge, just blocks away from Boston’s best Armenian and Middle Eastern markets, the sunny bakery and café glows with neighborly comfort. Blond wood, banquettes draped with a kaleidoscopic assortment of rugs, and low copper tables create a warm, mildly exotic vibe, while tidy packages of handcrafted crackers, blended spices, and signed copies of Sortun’s book for sale (Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean) give the place a boutique feel. You can also purchase ultra-fresh produce from Siena Farms, operated by Sortun’s husband.
Sofra is open from 7 A.M. until 7 P.M., so dinner is only an option if you’re talking takeout. But no matter. The excellent breakfast choices range from housemade pastries to a few neatly composed plates like the Turkish breakfast (soft-boiled egg, cucumber, tomato, olives, feta, figs, and yogurt with honey). Come lunchtime, they roll out the cold mezze bar, an extensive, colorful mosaic of dishes (try the green olive/walnut salad, beet tsatsiki, and an Oleana prêt-a-manger classic, whipped feta with sweet and hot peppers). They also fire up the saj, a convex griddle (it looks like an upside-down wok) to make Turkish stuffed flatbread sandwiches called gozleme (the oregano sausage with cumin, orange, and olives is particularly tasty).
On the sweet front Kilpatrick, the pastry chef at Oleana, offers a variety of Middle Eastern-inspired treats, such as Syrian shortbreads and chocolate hazelnut baklava with cocoa honey. And never mind that Sofra is a little off the beaten path—it’s sure to attract a cult of regulars from the neighborhood and beyond.
Sofra Bakery and Cafe 1 Belmont St., Cambridge, MA (617-661-3161; sofrabakery.com)
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