Dukagjini Burek

Authentic, hearty, satisfying… get one of each type. Love the meat one! The Albanian lady is super nice. My favorite Burek spot.

The best burek in NYC! Try it, you’ll like it! We tried a slice of each of the 4 types that they make… then cut them in half so that each of us got to taste each flavor… All 4 were delicious!

I love New York because of random places like this.
Wondering around the Bronx, I thought I would be getting some pizza, some Puerto Rican food, maybe some tacos, but nope, I found this super authentic Burek spot. You can argue all day if the burek is Albanian, Turkish, or from another European country. But there is no argument that these are delicious.
I enjoyed one meat slice and it was just what I needed. Some meat and hand made dough, that was super crispy on top and soft on the inside to perfection.
The offer a few other options of the burek and yogurt.
This made my day.

When in the area it’s a must to stop by.
For the most part we usually order the meat, spinach and cheese.
By far one of the better bureks in NYC, not greasy, filling, tasty and fresh.
The bureks are yummy.
FYI. They only take cash.

If you miss homemade byrek, this place is a MUST! I was in New York and on my way back to Boston, decided to try it, since some Albanian friends recommended it. I wasn’t sure I should stop because I was on a tight schedule, but after trying it, I’m sure I will come back here every time I’m nearby.

New York City may not be Italy or Greece, but it’s still home to the largest population of Albanian origin in the USA. As New York is also one of the cities with the highest ratio of restaurants per capita, it’s not surprising that the two worlds collide. This collision isn’t centered in Brooklyn or Queens, for a change, but in the Bronx! And believe it or not, Albanian food can be as noteworthy as Albanian mafiosi.
You’ll find Albanian and Kosovan restaurants on either side of Bronx Park. Some of the pizza joints on historically-​Italian Arthur Avenue and elsewhere are actually run by Albanians, and serve Albanian bureks in addition to pizza. Dukajini Burek, loosely situated in Pelham Gardens, goes one step further and serves only bureks. This is the place we’re visiting today.
Although Dukagjini Burek’s owners do seem to be ethnic Albanians from Kosovo, the joint resembles a New York pizza parlor more than anything that I’ve seen in Albanian. Fun fact of the day: famous pizzerias Giovanni’s and Patsy’s, as well as the whole Famous Famiglia restaurant chain (which started in NYC), are or used to be owned by Albanians. But we digress…
The menu is as simple as it gets: 3 kinds of bureks, sold as whole pies or by the slice. You can also buy a cup of homemade plain yogurt to eat with them, and finish your meal with an award-​winning espresso or a cappuccino. And of course there are a few cold beverages. Only this handful of options there may be, but at lunchtime on weekends business is brisk. It seems like half of New York’s Albanian community stops by to pick up stacks of steaming pies. If you look at the pictures of the food on their web site, be aware that they don’t necessarily match what’s being served nowadays — there were no coil-​shaped bureks when I was there recently.
So what is a burek, anyway? If you’re familiar with Turkish cuisine, you’ve probably tried böreks, baked filled pastries made with phyllo dough. The dish spread throughout the former Ottoman Empire, and its Albanian variation (or rather, variations, since many regions of Albania have their own), called byrek or burek, is made with several layers of dough that have been thinly rolled out by hand, and usually filled with cheese, meat, or vegetables. While street vendors and small cafés in Albania sell individual bureks to eat on the go, larger pies are made at home.
The pies at Dukagjini Burek are quite large, only slightly smaller than most whole New York pizzas. They’re made with lots of layers (about ten), the top and bottom ones brown and crispy, the inside ones much softer, almost like thin noodle sheets. You can see the cooks in the back making the phyllo dough by hand. Filling is rather sparse; there’s definitely more dough than filling, especially at the edges, where the layers are folded over. The dough is probably brushed with a bit of oil, just enough so that the result is neither dry nor excessively greasy.
The bureks are kept warm on top of the pizza ovens, though with the turnaround that I’ve observed, they don’t stay there very long. Still, they’re even better when you get them straight from the oven. So either buy whole pies, or wait by the counter until you get a fresh slice of the pie you want! The cheese burek’s filling tastes like a blend feta and ricotta, with some of the saltiness of the feta, and some of the softer texture of the ricotta. I’m not sure whether this is what it’s actually made of, or if they use some type of Albanian cheese. Either way, it’s very good.
The meat burek contains finely ground beef mixed with onion and spices (just salt, pepper, and a bit of red chile, I think), in fairly small amounts — this isn’t a phyllo burger. It might be even better than its cheese sibling. It would be interesting to mix the meat and cheese to see what it’s like, but I bet it’s against tradition, and we wouldn’t want to have an open mind and go against that, would we?
I didn’t try the spinach burek because spinach is not really my thing. But I did try the homemade yogurt: plain, not tangy at all, and quite liquid, which comes in handy if you want to dip your burek in it or pour it on top of the pie.
Dukagjini Burek makes great bureks. If you’re going to the Bronx Zoo or the New York Botanical Garden, it’s worth making a small detour to stop there for lunch. If I was a Kosovar living in the neighborhood, I would probably order a pie or two regularly, then put on my track suit and my sneakers, climb behind the wheel of my BMW, and double-​park in front of the joint to pick up my order.

Usually when I visit my best friend in the Bronx, I like to take that opportunity and see what the Bronx has to offer back!
With the help of Unilocal,I decided to stop here for lunch and try one of their famous Burek ($ 4). I opted for their meat instead of the other two choices, which is either their cheese or spinach.
Initially I thought their Burek was a bit too pricey but once I had it, I realize for one Burek, it really does it’s job and it felt like a meal.
The meat (wish there was more) was very flavorful and I enjoy the crunchy dough outside and the softness inside. My best friend (we shared) also had some and thought it was very delicious.
I would definitely come back here again and let’s say I would recommend it to anyone that lives near by the neighbor. Their Burek was certainly fresh and delicious.
As far as décor goes, this place is a hole in a wall but honestly who really cares.

Don’t worry about Drive-​bys in The Bronx. Especially not if the Direct TV Genie is the person driving by. I mean, firstly, if you’re going to get shot, it’s better to get shot by her. No? And secondly, this place has you covered. Whenever she drives by to shoot at you, the owners will scream «Duck! A Genie!» Which is why the name of the place is, of course… «Duckagenie Burek.»
What to get: Meat Burek
What else: Hannah Davis is a hottie
There is a Bosnian restaurant in Buffalo, NY named Balkan Dining which is by far the best Slavic food I’ve ever eaten in my life. It’s off-​the-​charts good, it’s a ⁶⁄₅ rating. There’s only one other Slavic place in the country that compares to that, and I’ve tried plenty. It’s here, at Duckagenie, where they make the most delicious, steaming, hot, meaty, juicy, orgasmic Burek you will ever put in your mouth. If you’ve never had Bosnian meat in your mouth before, and never felt Bosnian meat juice going down your throat, it’s time to break you in, at Duckagenie.
The Burek is like a huge wedge of pizza but with the Greek-​style dough instead of Pizza dough, and with all kinds of cheese and oil and onions and potatoes and meat goodness on the inside. It’ll burn your mouth if you try and eat it within the first 5 mins of its arrival. I love that NYC knows how to do «hot food» instead of «lukewarm food». At least in this part of the Bronx they do.
And it’s dirt cheap, and incomparably delicious. It’s so good, it’s worth making a pilgrimage to the Bronx for (along with Gyro King, Greek Express, S & S Cheesecake, El Atoradero for Mexican, and Louie & Ernie’s Pizza).
So if you thought that Pelham was only famous for Denzel Washington’s sausage, in that movie where he pulls a train, then think again, because Pelham is now the capital of hot juicy Bosnian meat. It’s a crime that this place doesn’t have hundreds of reviews yet. Come and taste this Burek, and tell me it’s not one of the most delicious things you could ever put in your mouth in The Bronx, baby.

Fantastic bureks and excellent $ 2.50 cappuccino! And always service with a smile, Sold!

Best Burek in the city. Enough said.

Been there numerous times, specifically taking the subway from Manhattan to get there. This is not the most easily accessible place (by public transport) but the quality of the burek is outstanding. It is simply the perfect combination of the properly kneaded dough, butter and filling — all three varieties — cheese, meat, spinach. Succulent, tender and flavorful, pleasing to the senses texture. This is apparently a family establishment, they bake the burek in small batches — important for the consistency and quality. Hands down the best burek in the city on a par with the best you can find in Istanbul, probably better. They also make on the premises excellent yoghurt. For $ 4:00 large slice and $ 1.50 yoghurt I don’t think you can find a better deal around. Highly recommended!

Yeah, this is probably something you want to eat promptly. Burek ain’t improving with age and/​or refrigeration.
But when you get it out of the oven, it’s transcendent. And that goes for cheese, meat, and spinach. Sometimes these things are too salty, but not here.
I can see thinking it’s a bit too soggy or whatever. But wait until you have a kind of dried out burek where the phyllo is more like takeout egg roll. This is the right side of the spectrum to err on, in other words.
Yogurt is good, too. Creamier than you’d expect if you’re looking for the sour stuff.

We got the meat burek & the cheese burek. Both were really good. The meat inside the meat burek is flavorful, not dry like some other meat burek that we’ve tried in the past. The service was good. The lady who was behind the counter was friendly & polite. The place is small with just few tables.
$ 4 for each burek
Highly recommended!

I finally get a chance to express my experience at this amazing place ! First the cheese pies where sick ! Second their home made yogurt was a thing of art… Great pitstop when you visit Bronx !

Besides for the zoo and botanical garden, this is one of the only places I would trek to the Bronx for. It is a hole in the wall, which makes it even more awesome. My mom and I shared the cheese and spinach burek and it was plenty for both. You have to get a cup of ayran as well (cold yogurt drink)… and it will hit the spot. Owner is a sweet lady from Kosovo and there was a boy in the back prepping and stretching the dough in all types of directions, like a BOSS. Real good stuff

4.5 stars.
Always here when I’m on call at the hospital. LOVE LOVE LOVE the spinach and the cheese. Never had the meat, because the spinach is enough. The dough it the most heavenly flakey wonderfulness. Love!

Sometimes I see myself as the guy in that soup commercial who says, «Ok», in response to the excited woman on the other end of the phone line exulting: «it fits!»
Ok. Yup. That’s it. Just: Ok. I read the glowing Unilocal reviews for Dukagjini Burek enthusiastically, including one that notes: we were all welcomed into the big Albanian family. I probably am missing some warm, fuzzy genes, but I felt no such love. I entered the restaurant. Informed the lady about my order. Was told that there was no slice of the Meat Burek available (a customer was offered one five minutes after me!). Was given two room temperature slices: one each of the spinach and cheese pies ($ 4 each). These were placed on paper plates into a brown bag without asking me whether I wanted to sit down and eat. All the while the lady managing the shop, and the oven, spoke on the phone that rang every few seconds — with yet another order.
So, yes: they are popular, extremely busy. Churn out lots of pies that sell out soon. Are probably very good at what they do… But, spare me the Disney movie and the pixie dust!
It wasn’t that I expected an earth shattering experience, after traveling for more than an hour to reach the Pelham Parkway location. I did expect quality, though. I don’t think getting a soggy, room temperature slice meets that definition. To be fair the pie was still in the container that was placed in the oven, and may well have been hot once. But, moisture condensation had killed any of the noted flakiness. I didn’t finish that slice. It would’ve been unnecessary calories. But, just when I was debating a «Meh, I’ve had better» rating, I was surprised that despite the lack of flakiness, or warmth, the spinach pie (with a little feta cheese and onions) was very tasteful. I might even have described it as delicious, had it been just a notch warmer from room temperature. Another aspect warranting their acclaim was the lack of greasiness that typifies Bureks in other cuisines.
Given the accolades that adorn the walls from dozens of magazines, I expect that my experience wasn’t typical. As a practice, and to be balanced, I don’t review before multiple visits. But, in this case I will make the exception to make a point: it’s not unlikely to be an outlier to the great experiences, should you receive the last slice of a cold pie.
Then again, it’s probably me. (2.5 stars, rounded up).

Okay — First of all, the correct name of this place is Dukagjini Burektorja. In fact, when I first entered it that way, Unilocal claimed to not ever have heard of it. Good thing I then did some googling because only then did the Unilocal listing come up! Had I not done that, Unilocal would have ended up with 2 different listings for this place. And now, mini-​rant over!
Half Albanian, all-​American mutt that I am, I just had to try this place. I grew up eating burek but my family called it «lakror». My grandmother and great-​aunt (her older sister) used to make this from scratch without using a recipe (a handful of this, a pinch of that). I used to watch fascinated as they rolled out the phyllo dough so thinly that hung over the sides of their dinner tables that were large enough to seat 6! And spinach lakror was always what my brothers and I requested when they said they would make some.
So…how did Dukagjini measure up to Grandma and Great Aunt’s? Well… the phyllo dough was perfect. There’s nothing like fresh phyllo in terms of flavor and flakiness. I make lakror now — using a recipe but also using boxed phyllo and yes, the boxed stuff just doesn’t compare.
However, Dukagjini’s filling was just *meh*. One bite into it and my husband said «I like yours much better.» (Awwww!).
Don’t get me wrong — Dukagjini’s is decent. We didn’t get one fresh baked right from the oven, rather it was right from the warming oven. It would have been nice to have one freshly made to see if that made a difference.
It’s a cheap meal, to be sure. With a slice of burek each and 2 soft drinks, the total cost was $ 11. The dining area is small as most of their business is take-​out. And, yes, people do double park and run in for their bureks.
As for us — We won’t make the trek up to the Bronx again just for this. Still, if you go, the folks there are nice. The older lady (I take it she is the mother) doesn’t have the best command of English. I tried to engage her in conversation about her bureks but I don’t think she understood as she just smiled. It would have been nice to chat, however…

It was my first time ever having burek. Went with my bf who is Albanian, and we both thought it was really good.
We got the one meat and one spinach. They were really flavorful and the dough was fantastic!!!
If your in the Bronx, and in the hood i would def recommend this place for a (very) filling inexpensive snack/​meal.
The lady behind the counter was really nice too!!!

It might be too early to say 2011 was a great year, but being invited into the kitchen of an Albanian mother and daughter cooking burek is a pretty good way to start. In between a small photo studio and halal meat shop on Lydig Avenue in the Bronxdale neighborhood (of the Bronx), Dukagjini is owned by an Albanian Kosovar but operated by two lovely Albanian women who obviously know all their customers and produce some fine burek.
Balkans double park their cars outside and run in for a slice. The walls and windows are covered with posters advertising various events going on in the community. There is a painting of the owner’s restaurant (also called Dukagjini) in Kosovo. Everything just speaks of it being a hub for the area’s Albanian residents.
On a recent visit, I finished my burek and espresso and got enough nerve to ask if I could take a photo of the women at the counter. This opened the floodgates of hospitality, the door swung open and I was allowed to step into the kitchen to meet mom and see the preparations of uncooked burek. Mom was lovely, greased up to her elbows making the dough and happy to show off her creations. Her daughter (see kitchen photos on blog, didn’t want to put their photos on Unilocal) was equally proud and gave me a look into the oven full of all varieties available.
Before all this went down, I was able to enjoy a lovely meat slice, a cup of the freshest yogurt ($ 1.50) you will ever try, and a small espresso ($ 2). The menu is limited to these three things, although you do have the choice of meat, cheese, or spinach for your burek, all of which are $ 4.
The flaky goodness of a burek is common to all countries that make them, but an Albanian version is somehow less greasy. The meat is good, the cheesy slices have more cheese, and the spinach slices seem to be infused with dill.
There are only five tables here, but it seems like most people take their food and run so it is easy to get a seat. It’s fun to sit back with your food and drink and watch people come in and out. The Bronx has something very special here at Dukagjini.