Academic and author Adam Cherkawi had not planned on owning a bakery. That was, until a six-month stint at Broadway Market’s Wave Gelato inspired him to drop everything and train as a baker. “While I was working there, I realised I wanted to work in hospitality,” he tells Broadsheet. “I love academia – I’m planning to do my PhD in the next few years – but I’ve always had a passion for food.”
After two months of brushing up on his pastry skills in Lebanon, he opened his very own bakery on Shacklewell Lane in Dalston. “I saw the gap in the market,” he says. “There are a lot of Lebanese bakeries in west London, but not really in east London.”
Located next door to the ever-buzzy Shacklewell Arms, Edami’s specialty is manakish: a traditional Lebanese flatbread often compared to pizza, baked fresh and topped to order. Cherkawi conjures classic combinations like za’atar (a blend of thyme, oregano, marjoram, cumin, coriander and sesame seeds) and cheese, alongside sweet versions topped with chocolate or tahini and carob molasses.
There are also smaller bites, including triangular pastries filled with spinach named fatayer, alongside a selection of dips including black chickpea hummus and muhammara, a red pepper and walnut paste.
A pair of unique gelatos made in collaboration with his former colleagues at Wave include a floral hibiscus scoop inspired by his family ties to Senegal, and a decadent, luxurious blend of tahini and carob.
Alongside fresh juices and homemade ayran – a salted yoghurt drink popular across the Middle East – Cherkawi also serves Lebanese coffee, prepared in the traditional style often labelled as Turkish coffee. He plans to expand into espresso-based drinks soon.
Bright, roomy and relaxed, the space is larger than your average neighbourhood bakery. “I wanted it to have a cafe vibe,” Cherkawi continues. “Just a nice place for people to chill and have a good time.”
Longer term, he hopes to get a late license, allowing Edami to double up as a cultural venue that’ll host small-scale live music events, poetry and talks, as well as feeding the post-pint crowds that inevitably spill out from next door.
For now, though, Cherkawi is focussing on coming up with monthly specials: classic Lebanese breads and pastries with a contemporary twist. “So far so good,” he says. “But I still can’t believe it actually happened.”
Edami Bakery
73-75 Shacklewell Lane, E8 2EB
Hours:
Tue to Sun 9am–3pm
