The duo behind beloved Enmore eatery Saga, the former home of some of Sydney's best sambos and pastries, is already back with another winning venture: Salma's Canteen. Andy Bowdy and Maddison Howes have linked up with another popular Sydney duo, Michael Rantissi and Kristy Frawley of Kepos Street Kitchen, to create this new Rosebery lunch spot that combines the best each pair has to offer.
"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.
Located 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 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.
Salma's is now also the one-stop shop for Andy Bowdy's baked goods. Some beloved favourites from the Saga menu have even made their way over, including yuzu cheesecake, salted honey tart and passionfruit and fennel seed palmiers.
Takeaway is the main mode of operation at the Rosebery shop, but there are a few spots both indoors and outdoors 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 venue 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.
