Overview
Sydney recently lost one of its favourite spots for decadent pastries and loaded sandwiches. After satisfying cravings on Enmore Road for six years, Saga Enmore had its final service in late June. However, when one door closes, another opens, and the beloved duo behind Saga is already back with a new venture: Salma's Canteen.
Saga's Andy Bowdy and Maddison Howes have linked up with another popular Sydney duo, Michael Rantissi and Kristy Frawley of Kepos Street Kitchen, to launch this new Rosebery lunch spot which combines the best that each pair has to offer.
Now open on Botany Road, Salma's Canteen offers a mix of hearty mains and salads from Rantissi, deli delights and sandwiches, and Bowdy's signature sweet treats — all in the one spot. The regularly changing menu leans heavily on fresh produce from Carriageworks' weekly market, which means the salads are big and heavy on greens, and the sambos will have you satisfied until dinner.
Selma's is now also the one-stop shop for Andy Bowdy cakes. You can also expect some beloved favourites from the Saga menu to make their way over, including yuzu cheesecake, salted honey tart, and passionfruit and fennel seed palmiers.
"I started out my career 18 years ago at Pink Salt, working under Michael, so to open a place together is pretty awesome," says Bowdy. "Michael and I have very similar philosophies in terms of food — we both love fresh, vibrant food and celebrating ingredients that are in season."
"Everyone who loves food has a Salma in their life — a feeder and nourisher who brings people together to eat and talk, sending them home piled with leftovers," says Rantissi. "Salma's Canteen is the new Salma in your life — a one-stop shop that's part kitchen, part takeaway, part diner and part shop."
Takeaway is the main mode of operation at the Rosebery shop, but there are a few spots both indoors and outside where you can sit for lunch or a post-work snack. The doors also stay open until 7pm Tuesday–Saturday, so you can swing past and pick up your dinner after work, a flaky pastry for dessert, or even stock up your pantry and take your home cooking to the next level.
The cafe stocks the likes of Bowdy's shortcrust pastry and fruit curd, as well as Rantissi's meatballs, salmon pastrami and seasoned potatoes in takeaway containers, ready for you to use in your next home creation.
Salma's Canteen is now open at Shop 2, 797 Botany Road, Rosebery — operating from 11am–7pm Tuesday–Saturday and 10am–4pm Sunday.
Images: Mel Koutchavlis.