Sourdough House: The Alexandrian Bakery Revolutionising Breakfast

“I feel as though they are each my babies - each one has its own story.”

On a tranquil, tree-covered street in the quiet neighbourhood of Kafr Abdo, Alexandria, a small, unassuming shop is making ripples in the Alexandrian breakfast - or brunch - scene. Sourdough House, a project born out of founders Lamia Amroussy and Ahmed Assem’s long-founded love for baking, is slowly making sourdough the new norm for the Alexandrian community.

Normally, when one thinks sourdough, they think about bread or, at max, a simple focaccia. But Sourdough House is much more committed to the cause, crafting an extensive array of pastries, bagels, cakes, and more out of natural leavened bread (which is what sourdough is otherwise known as). At this bakery, you can have your pick of brioches, bagels, breakfast twists, pound cakes, cookies, Turkish simits, strombolis and of course sandwiches made out of a variety of breads. 

But this extensive menu was not always there. At the beginning of Sourdough House, there only existed a simple, traditional, brioche recipe with fillings rooted in using fresh, local ingredients. “My journey into baking, inspired by my grandmother's passion, was nurtured through baking for my children and friends, who insisted that I must have my own bakery,” Amroussy shares with SceneEats. “About seven years ago, I found out about natural leavened baking. Digging into the science and art of it was and still is a long journey that I wanted to introduce to Alexandrian people. When I met Ahmed Assem, who had just returned from pursuing a baking career in Greece and shared my dream, we decided to make it a reality. The journey started with a small loan, a shop, an oven, and a mixer on May 8th, 2022.”

Gradually, Amroussy and Assem began expanding their menu, maintaining the theme of an Egyptian influence on their growingly global, entirely sourdough-based menu. 

“Our aim was to introduce artisanal bakeries from around the world with an Egyptian twist,” Amroussy says. “The decision to focus on handmade creations without the use of machinery adds a special touch of delicate authenticity and craftsmanship to our bakery.”

At Sourdough House, every single pastry, loaf of challah bread, and even down to the simple cookie, is made with the utmost care. And you can taste it. 

The core of Sourdough House continues to remain in locally sourced ingredients and fresh additions to dough, that keep even the oldest items on their menu constantly tasting fresh. “We loved incorporating fresh fruit into our fillings as well as bagels made with fresh vegetables. They simply add an exciting twist to a traditional bakery.”

Recently, Sourdough House has also added sandwiches to their menu. "Adding sandwiches to our menu was a decision born out of our customers’ needs.  We noticed that our customers often came in looking for a quick, savoury option to complement their sweet treats. While we had a selection of pastries and baked goods, we realised that there was a demand for something more substantial, especially during lunchtime.” 

Being a bakery, afterall, Sourdough House couldn’t simply just throw any filling into the next loaf of bread - they had to be customised. “By carefully selecting the fillings, condiments, and bread options, we were able to create a selection of sandwiches like simit with Egyptian white cheese, our signature Sicilian sandwich in focaccia bread and, recently, the chicken schnitzel in seeded sourdough country loaf.”

When asked about her favourite pastry off the menu, Amroussy rejected favouritism in a classic motherly fashion. “Every item is my favourite in its own way - each pastry has its own story. But I do love munching on a focaccia in the morning, and the marble pound cake is my endless love.”

Sourdough House continues to be a community-based pursuit that began with the goal of introducing sourdough to Alexandria, and now continues on its community-building and -serving mission. “In the future, I see us expanding our menu to offer even more tempting options, perhaps experimenting with new flavours and ingredients to keep things fresh. We also want to become more involved in community events, hosting workshops and partnering with local organisations to give back to the community. Ultimately, I hope to see our bakery continue to grow and evolve while remaining true to quality and values that make us special.”