Oregano Bakery

Overview

Prepare to have dreams of sweet and spicy doughy swirls that are dripping in sticky cinnamon syrup. Yes, these scrolls are worthy of every heavenly word you've ever read about them. And we're not going to hold back either.

You may have seen them in cafes across Sydney: huge, pudgy scrolls covered in a blanket of icing sugar. Hidden within are layers of buttery dough and a secret spice mix that only Tony Jabbour, owner and chef, knows the recipe for. Paired best with a strong latte, these signature scrolls came about as a result of a rough start to a pizza business.

Four years ago, Oregano Bakery was a Lebanese pizza store — but boredom led to sugar cravings, so Tony started making his favourite sweet. Enter the cinnamon scroll. Starting with ten units a day, he now produces more than 3,000 a day, and the family-run business is distributing its famous scrolls to over 300 cafes across Sydney.

The humble bakery in South Hurstville is bright, modestly small and never without a crowd. People venture far and wide for their dough fix. Everything is made on the premises with passion and dedication, and the whole family is a part of it. Tony's wife, Sonia, is the face of the shop; her energetic and friendly demeanour ensures all customers enjoy every minute (and every crumb). Their son Jayden is head barista and executes a fine espresso; Sonia's brother, Robert, looks after all the marketing and business aspects; and daughter Jasmine is also behind the scenes, taking care of the social media pages to keep the mouths drooling.

It's not just the cinnamon scrolls that sell out at Oregano Bakery: mocha, tahini, salted caramel, chocolate, Nutella and banana, lemon, cookies and cream and banoffee are also dropping jaws. With sweet, syrupy goodness swirled into each crevasse, they really are moist morsels of joy worth cradling.

Despite the scrolls stealing the limelight, the core of the bakery is still all about the pizza. The za'atar wrap is deliciously filled with mint, shallots, olives and yoghurt, and the simple za'atar pizza with cheese is our pick of the lot. Further consideration should also be extended to the meat pizza with lean minced lamb and also the veggie pizza.

In the face of all this success, it's refreshing that family sentiment is at the core of it all. With requests to take it globally, the Jabbours preferred to stay true to their heart, keep their business local and maintain that artisan spirit. They absolutely love making people happy with food, and their generosity and warmth are what make the experience of Oregano Bakery so special. Take time to get your scroll fix and visit the Jabbours — if not for the precious moment with your cinnamon scroll, then for the love.

Appears in:

The Best Bakeries in Sydney for 2023