Massis Bakery & Specialty Foodstore

Sweet tahini bread! I didn’t even know this existed until a couple of days ago, and to say it was incredible is an understatement. This was my first trip to Massis and everything I’ve bought and eaten was universally delicious — the tahini bread, lahmajun, and hummus, all homemade (and a container of pistachio halvah). I’m not Armenian and many of these things were new to me, but don’t be scared — there are lots of goodies to appeal to everyone! (Very good spice collection, too.) The guys working there were friendly and helpful. I look forward to going back!

The Best there is. Growing up in Watertown this place has always been a staple. Now that I live in NH. I make monthly pilgrimages here for authentic Armenian fare that is unavailable really no where other than What-​a-​town.

This is a busy (at least on the day we visited) local bakery and grocery with baking going on in the back. We skipped the fresh and dry goods and bought a range of traditional middle eastern house-​made baked items. The lahmejunes, zaatar bread, spinach and cheese fillo and atayef (desert) we tried all got points for their freshness and the quality of their ingredients; their flat dough was pleasantly thin and their fillo flaky. Flavors tended to be on the mild side. If we’re back in the neighborhood we’d definitely make an effort to try some additional items. They also make luncheon items to go.

I am a second generation American Armenian — and there have been 3 generations going to this store for all our homemade Armenian food and grocery store. If that isn’t enough validation that this is the place for authentic, fresh, homemade food… I don’t know what is :-)
Everything here is the best — lamejune, baked goods such as choreg, tahini sweet bread, Syrian and lavash breads etc… the spices, the vegetables, cheeses, olives, hummus, tabbouleh I could go on and on. They even have cook books! And take out!
If you’re looking for great ideas for appetizers, meals, desserts it’s all here. The paklava and cookies are delicious. If I don’t have time to make my own… there’s is sometimes better — dare I admit that!
My friends have asked me multiple times over the years to give them tours of this store and suggestions on what to buy, what to try… but the family that owns the store will be happy to help you out as well so don’t be afraid to ask.

Driving along Mt. Auburn on a nice day, I randomly wandered into here, not knowing much about Armenian food. It was fun exploring the various food items in the store.
So I kinda went easy and got a spinach borek, which is pretty much akin to spinach pie. It was pretty fresh and the dough was soft. The filling inside was savory, with some flavorful spinach and sharp feta cheese inside.
Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area and want to see a different food culture.

I have memories of my father bringing a box full of Lahmejunes home as a decadent treat, once in a while. They are just delicious, flavorful and wonderful. I think they are an aquired taste, and I love them. I dont know how he discovered them, but I am glad he did. I suspect it was when he and my mother had their very first apartment as newlyweds, in Watertown. It makes me smile. Go to Massis. You never know the memories you might establish.

This place has the BEST homemade hummus I have ever had. I always get the spicy hummus — it is amazing with their pita bread. I haven’t tried any of the pastries or sandwiches yet but those look yummy too and hopefully I will soon. Not necessarily the most visually appealing place but the great quality, quantity, and selection of Armenian and Middle Eastern foods makes up for it. The family that runs it is super nice and helpful. Go check them out and try the spicy hummus!

I visit Massis almost every other day when I am in town. I pick up some of their wonderful home-​baked date cookies and fig cookies, and their date pastries and fig pastries. The spice mixture they use in the filling (with a pronounced note of fennel and a bit of nigella and clove) is transcendent.
I love the kibbee, too – I get off the bus on my way home, buy two or three kibbee, and I have to dig into the bag to fish one out to eat while I am still walking home from Massis, because I can’t resist.
This wonderful family-​run business has the best eetch (bulgur wheat cooked with red pepper, tomatoes, and seasonings). The best.
Their baba ghannouj and tabbouleh is also the best in the area.
They also have the best atayif for iftar, or whenever. Really, I can’t resist their atayif.
They have the best assortment in Watertown of distinctive Middle Eastern jams, preserves, and spoon sweets, such as quince, mulberry, rose petal, mastic, green walnut, kızılcık (cornelian cherry), etc.
A great mystery: why does Massis always have such fresh cilantro? They must get the humidity and temperature in the refrigerate case just right.

Best bakery in Watertown. Good prices, too. Best prices on bread. My go-​to place for dinner ready-​made. My favorite lamejuns of all the local bakers.
Update summer of ’14, not thrilled with recent changes in recipes or cooks. I don’t know which, but just a few months back, everything tasted better. What is going on? Is it hydrogenated soybean oil taking over? I hope it’s a temporary lapse, everything just tastes a little different, lately. Veggie lahmejun, kibbis, eggplant salad, stuffed grape leaves, tabouli, it all seems to taste a little different. Please restore recipes, guys, I love your food!

biggest of the armenian markets and a wide selection of the same products
friendly service. i’m getting that at all these armenian places. maybe it’s just their culture.

I didn’t get to try many of the items here that caught my eye because we were early on in my Watertown tour and it would be hours and hours before I got home. Since I hadn’t brought a cooler with me, I had to stick with non-​refrigerated products.
I got two containers of olives which were quite yummy. I also got a sampling of a few of the bakery items. Those were a bit of a disappointment. I’m not sure if it was an off day in the kitchen but the cookies were just too dry. :(
Next trip I’m making this my last stop so I can try some of the cheeses, the lamejun and the meat pies.

The variety of food here is excellent, and although I am Eastern European, I was able to find most things I would normally need to drive to Everett to get. Groceries in general were very cheap, I bought 3L of Beurit olive oil for only $ 20. It’s not as good as the olive oil I used to buy in Spain when I lived there, but then again it’s about 10 times better than anything you could get at Shaw’s or any other grocer.
It doesn’t hurt that the cashier working here, the owner’s son I think, is cute and has a personality to match it. The other staff also will go out of their way to help you out which is nice.

I really love the lentil kibbeh, lentil and rice pilaf, and the yogurt here. They’ve got all kinds of other goodies – fresh cheeses, yogurt, baklava, pitas, lamejuns, hummus, baba ganoosh, rice pudding. I wish they used organic groceries, but I’m just dreaming there – none of the Armenian grocery stores do. I overlook it because I don’t know how to make lentil kibbeh and I must have it.

How did I not see this place when I make my trips to Sevan and Arax? Its literally a block down the road from the others.
They have a good selection of breads and cheeses which was great. I got some bulgarian feta which was very decently priced and tastes lovely. Their meat pies are VERY good, the meat filling has a better flavor than some of the others. The baba ganoush is pretty amazing here, I think this one is my favorite.
Their prices seem to be pretty decent as well. I haven’t had the lamejun yet, but I have some waiting for me… maybe I should just stuff my face right now.

My favorite of all the Armenian shops — the lamejun (armenian pizza) is just right and the kids love it. They also carry rojik (grape juice/​nut candy — hard to explain, need to experience) just like my grandfather used to make, so I really have a soft spot for this place. Also good place to stock up on other stuff like string cheese and lokhum.

Spent a night in Watertown because it’s a nice halfway point between Boston and Wellesley (where we were headed the following day before flying back from Logan).
Being that this suburb next to Newton and Cambridge has one of the largest Armenian populations in the US, thought to stop by a market/​bakery and learn a few things from the Medi world.
Bought some mint, saffron (low grade, called osfor), and ras al hanout (for marinating lamb), and tried some honeyed ‘biscuits’, called nazouk. The zaatar looked so fresh… perfect little sidetrip to whet my appetite for an evening’s indulgence at the Mediterranean inspired Oleana in a few hours’ time.
Nice experience… lots to choose from. Many interesting items, that were it not for the fact that I brought only carry-​on items, I would snatch up for experimentation in the kitchen in a heartbeat.
PS They sell that fresh ‘pizza’, if you will — the lahmacun… what Bourdain stuffs his face with in Turkey on NR…
PPS NOTE ON RAS EL HANOUT: Watched Richard Blais cook often with this Moroccan spice. since purchasing it and cooking with it, I actually had truffles made with them by a chef at a wine and food pairing tasting at Étude in Napa Valley yesterday!!! Nice

A great place to get spices, pre-​made Armenian eats, Lebanese bread, baked goods and more middle eastern delights. Their stuffed cabbage and grape leaves are super tasty and they have a nice selection of feta cheeses. Get the french feta– it’s the best.

Overall great food and selection for middle eastern and Armenian food. Very good lahmajunes, hummus and eetch made on the premises if you don’t feel like making it yourself. Very good prices, fresh food, and a very friendly staff. They even had string cheese without nigella seeds.
I urge anyone to go and try new foods. Very healthy food and very tasty.
My only complain was the boregs. No made with fluffy filo type dough, but more solid. No to my liking, but Will appeal to a lot of people i am sure.

This will be a bit of a drive-​by review. I’m visiting the Boston area and a friend introduced me to Massis baba ghanouj — it’s the best I’ve ever tasted. The eggplant is roasted/​smoked to perfection. I basically just sat down and ate a half a quart of the stuff, with the pita-​like «Lebanese bread» that they also sell. The hummus is also delicious.
I’m only giving 4 stars because I haven’t actually been there, just tasted this small number of their dishes. But I’d eat food from them again, no question.

Wow. I will start by saying that I am not a particular fan of Armenian, Greek, or Middle Eastern bakeries or pastries, so I went into Massis with a built-​in prejudice anyway. While my opinion wasn’t completely changed on leaving half an hour later it may at least have been softened. I sampled as much as I could of the bread selection, picked up a couple of bird’s nests, ranged through the baclava and cheeses for waaaay too long and grabbed at some of the yummiest fruit bars I’ve experienced in decades (you read that right — decades)! While I might be able to get hummus or stuffed grape leaves cheaper I know I won’t be able to get them any fresher… I watched it all being made either right in front of me or in the kitchen.
The food selection speaks for itself but the service deserves a special mention. At the time I was perusing the shelves there was bread being made, trucks in the midst of loading and unloading and several newcomers to the area who wanted a dissertation on the ingredients used in some of the products. The employees couldn’t have been more courteous or nicer to everyone who came in and needed help. Most impressive. I’ll certainly be back… soon.