The Baklava Architect

Emre Demir

Born above his family's baklava shop in Gaziantep, Emre counts phyllo layers the way others count breaths — forty sheets hand-pulled to translucency, brushed with clarified butter and packed with Antep pistachio. He treats syrup temperature as sacred and kunefe as a test of nerve. Exacting, proud, and devoted to the old Ottoman canon of sweets.

Turkish DessertsBaklava & KunefeOttoman ConfectioneryTurkish Delight

Voice · meticulous, reverent, exacting, proud, traditional, deliberate

Signature Dishes

The essential curation of Emre's favorites.

80 MIN

Butternut-Squash Lokum with Honey & Pistachio

A modern Ottoman-inspired confection where silky roasted butternut squash meets the timeless art of lokum-making, bound with honey-sweetened starch and crowned with crushed Antep pistachio.

55 MIN

Pistachio Rose Water Kunefe Cups

Delicate individual kunefe cups with shredded phyllo-style pastry soaked in orange-infused syrup, filled with crushed Antep pistachio and creamy milk, finished with a scattering of bright green pistachio.

55 MIN

Crispy Butternut-Squash Katmer

A modern Turkish-inspired layered pastry featuring tender roasted butternut squash, creamy kaymak-inspired filling, and golden crispy bread layers, finished with crushed pistachios.

50 MIN

Pumpkin and Tahini Turkish Delight Truffles

Velvety roasted pumpkin blended with rich tahini and warm spices, shaped into bite-sized truffles and rolled in a fragrant pistachio and powdered sugar coating. A nod to Ottoman confectionery, reimagined with restrained elegance.

35 MIN

Cantaloupe and Fennel Seed Rose Sorbet

A fragrant summer sorbet that marries the honeyed sweetness of ripe cantaloupe with aromatic fennel seed and a whisper of lemon, churned to a silky, pale coral finish.

70 MIN

Gaziantep Pistachio Shortcrust Tart

A buttery shortcrust tart shell filled with fragrant pistachio custard and crowned with crushed Antep pistachios. Meticulously crafted in the Gaziantep tradition of Emre Demir.

75 MIN

Coconut Flour Baklava Diamonds with Saffron Syrup

Delicate diamond-shaped pastries with a crisp coconut flour crust, fragrant with saffron, filled with crushed pistachios and drenched in a golden honey-saffron syrup.

40 MIN

Ottoman Rice Pudding with Orange Blossom and Pistachio

A velvety Ottoman-style rice pudding perfumed with orange zest and aromatic spices, crowned with crushed pistachios and a drizzle of honey. Traditionally served lukewarm, it showcases the restrained elegance of Ottoman confectionery.

45 MIN

Pistachio & Honey Tulumba in Olive Oil

Crispy golden tulumba drenched in fragrant honey syrup and showered with crushed Antep pistachios, made entirely in olive oil for a lighter, fruitier finish.

80 MIN

Butternut-Squash Lokum with Honey & Pistachio

A modern Ottoman-inspired confection where silky roasted butternut squash meets the timeless art of lokum-making, bound with honey-sweetened starch and crowned with crushed Antep pistachio.

55 MIN

Pistachio Rose Water Kunefe Cups

55 MIN

Crispy Butternut-Squash Katmer

A modern Turkish-inspired layered pastry featuring tender roasted butternut squash, creamy kaymak-inspired filling, and golden crispy bread layers, finished with crushed pistachios.

50 MIN

Pumpkin and Tahini Turkish Delight Truffles

35 MIN

Cantaloupe and Fennel Seed Rose Sorbet

A fragrant summer sorbet that marries the honeyed sweetness of ripe cantaloupe with aromatic fennel seed and a whisper of lemon, churned to a silky, pale coral finish.

70 MIN

Gaziantep Pistachio Shortcrust Tart

A buttery shortcrust tart shell filled with fragrant pistachio custard and crowned with crushed Antep pistachios. Meticulously crafted in the Gaziantep tradition of Emre Demir.

75 MIN

Coconut Flour Baklava Diamonds with Saffron Syrup

Delicate diamond-shaped pastries with a crisp coconut flour crust, fragrant with saffron, filled with crushed pistachios and drenched in a golden honey-saffron syrup.

40 MIN

Ottoman Rice Pudding with Orange Blossom and Pistachio

45 MIN

Pistachio & Honey Tulumba in Olive Oil

Crispy golden tulumba drenched in fragrant honey syrup and showered with crushed Antep pistachios, made entirely in olive oil for a lighter, fruitier finish.

From the Pantry

Signature staples

Gaziantep PistachiosRose WaterOrange Blossom WaterKataifi DoughClarified Butter

Favorite tools

Fine-Hog-Bristle Pastry BrushMarble SlabCandy ThermometerCopper Kunefe PanPhyllo Stretching Cloth

Reaches for

Hand-Pulled PhylloRaw PistachiosFloral WatersPure Honey

Steers clear of

Artificial AdditivesStore-Bought PhylloSynthetic Colors

Flavor Profile

The Loves

Gaziantep PistachioRose WaterOrange BlossomClarified ButterKataifiKaymak

The Defaults

Antep PistachioSimple SyrupClarified ButterPhyllo

The Avoids

Artificial FlavorsCorn Syrup SubstitutesPre-Packaged PhylloFood Coloring