Acacia Fillo Bar – Bulgarian Banitza

Acacia Fillo Bar is a tiny little Bulgarian café located on Denman Street that serves up Banitzas and Bureks. Both of these are very similar to each other (I’ve had bureks before at Bernie’s Balkan Kitchen which recently moved) but the banitzas are generally eaten for breakfast in Balkan countries.

I started my breakfast with a Hot Chocolate with whipped cream. The mug looked impressive when it arrived. They use a dark chocolate which I found to be a bit too bitter for my preferences.

I tried the Leek and Sirene Banitza ($10) which was served with a small salad and yogurt sauce. Sirene is a type of Bulgarian brined cheese made from sheep milk similar to feta cheese. I liked how flaky the top of the filo pastry was in this dish. The leeks and cheese were nestled in the delicate filo pastry and felt quite filling due to the generous serving size and the rich cheese. The acidity from the salad dressing and the yogurt helped to cut through this but it still made me sleepy for the rest of the day.

Unfortunately during my visit, they were redoing the roof so things got very loud during the end of my meal. If you’re looking for a hearty breakfast, the banitza will really fill you up.

1103 Denman Street
Vancouver, BC

www.acaciafillobar.com