A Lebanese bakery lands in the heart of Livonia

The corner of Six Mile and Newburgh is about a mile from Northville and two miles from Farmington, which is part of why Sahara Bakery, Meat & Market sits there. The other part is what owner Abdualla noticed happening around him.

"We noticed the influx of Arabic bakeries in Dearborn while there were none in Livonia, but there were many Middle Easterners moving to the Livonia area," he said. Families who had relocated were still committing to the drive down to Dearborn for basic Arabic foods and spices.

Abdualla built the menu, stocked the shelves, reworked the layout of the entire shop, and is the one customers find behind the counter. He brings close to 25 years of experience as a chef, with time in Dubai and Beirut, and he owned a bakery in Dearborn starting in 2014 before the move to Livonia.

The name came with the building

"Sahara" means desert in Arabic. Abdualla said there is no real connection between the name and what they sell — it belonged to the store before they took over, and they ran with it.

What did change was the concept. The space had been more grocery store than bakery, and flipping that around was the hardest part of getting started. Figuring out the layout and setting it all up came first; today the bakery leads, and the grocery aisles play a supporting role with a basic selection of spices and Middle Eastern products for neighbors who are running low at home.

Manakeesh, made from their own dough

Manakeesh are a classic breakfast across the Middle East. Back in Lebanon, Abdualla said, turn almost any corner and you are guaranteed a bakery making them fresh. The dough recipe at Sahara is their own, tweaked and perfected in the months before they opened.

For a first-timer, his recommendation is the mixed zaatar and cheese manoushee. "The zaatar has a very tangy taste and the cheese balances it out," he said. It is one of their most popular toppings.

Recent additions include whole wheat and jareesh, a rustic flatbread made with crushed whole wheat and black seeds. Timing matters for the rest of the case: the dough is made early in the morning before opening hours, and the pita and sesame bread are baked fresh every day, usually in the mornings.

What keeps it going

Abdualla said off-menu requests come in often, and the shop tries to be as accommodating as possible. He credits the response from neighbors with making the store feel like it belongs here.

"Being the reason that families can enjoy a classic Lebanese breakfast and not have to drive so far for it definitely makes us happy and purposeful in what we do."

Abdualla, owner

Running a business is difficult, he said, and what keeps many businesses going is their customer base. He counts Sahara among them. They are one of the only Lebanese bakeries in the area, and he said they are glad to be serving the community with fresh manakeesh, mini pies and sandwiches.

If you go

Address

37128 Six Mile Rd
Livonia, MI 48152

Phone

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Hours

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Specialties

Manakeesh, mini pies, sandwiches, fresh pita, halal meat counter, Middle Eastern groceries