Bougatsaki: Former plumber opens Greek pastry shop in Brunswick

Kosta Kostidis has opened a new Greek pastry shop, Bougatsaki, on Sydney Road in Brunswick, Melbourne. The business focuses on bougatsa, a traditional custard-filled pastry.

Kostidis transitioned to the food industry after a serious back injury in 2024 ended his career as an apprentice plumber. Following a period of recovery and unemployment, he began making pastries with his grandfather, Efthimios Oplopiadis, a former baker who migrated from Greece in 1968. After the success of a mobile food van, Kostidis established the permanent street-side outlet.