Bread - Alvand Bakery Makes Fresh Hot Bread

Tire tread bread, Afghan bread, Persian flat bread. Different types or styles or names for the various flat breads of Iran and Afghanistan, some of which really do look like they have tire tracks on them. A soft dough that is stretched out and fast baked. Similar to naan. Similar to pita. But richer in flavor than pita which can be very dry. Some are baked on a layer of stones and produce their own distinct pattern from the stones.

Update 2025:  "It is a wonderful little bakery, focused on the flat breads of Afghanistan and Iran imho. What is interesting about these is how high the hydration is, how wet the dough is when it goes into the oven. Resulting in the soft, pliable, yet chewy texture. In some parts of the world, one sees the wet dough laid out on top of small stones, resulting in indentations that are specific to that bread. I once heard that Iranian soldiers, as part of their ration, one member would carry a box of stones, for baking bread in the field. When I worked as an engineer, several of my Iranian co-workers picked up clean, perfect stones at an aquarium supply, for use in baking the breads at home.

I've also attached photos of stocked shelves. You should definitely pick up some yogurt here, either plain, or, with the wild garlic.

And there is a freezer with house made ice cream to buy.

The pack of two breads is currently 6 dollars (August, 2025)"

Sangak Bread in Iran

Iranian Bread Documentary

Sharjah Bread in Afghanistan

The wonderful Alvand Bakery is on Eldridge between Briarforest and Westheimer. At one time, it was called Afghanistan Bakery. It closed for a while. Now re-opened. And I swear, when the bread comes hot out of the oven and is used to scoop up the homemade yogurt that I consider to be the best in Houston, and adding a little honey...what a fantastic breakfast!

Here is the exterior of the Alvand:

Venezuelan Bakery - Katy - Pan Pa Venezuela

 A recent road trip out west saw me in Katy. I recommend a visit. The downtown, old town as it were, has some excellent antique shops. Katy is home to Felix Flores's Cherry Block Butcher's and Market and also to the Midway barbecue restaurant and store (great sausages for sale).

And a little Venezuelan bakery opened about 9 months ago. I found it to be excellent. The focaccia was delicious. And the cream filled pastry was just perfect.

El Bolillo Bakery on Airline across from the Airline Farmer's Market

El Bolillo on Airline. 

Back in the day, about a decade or more ago, there were a bunch of panaderias in the Heights. Two on North Main, two on Yale, etc. But there was something disappointing about all of them. Like the owners and staff didn't care. Messy cabinets, paint peeling on the walls, a kind of here we are, we're a Mexican bakery so this is how we are kind of attitude. Kirk Michaelis, Galveston born, had a doughnut shop and his staff of bakers told him that if he would put together a panaderia they would come and make all the traditional breads of Mexico. He established the first El Bolillo (which is actually a pun, since a "bolillo" in addition to being a dinner roll is also slang for a "white guy") and went out of his way to make it very nice and hospitable. 

Soon, people were shopping at only his place and the other panaderias went out of business. Was this cultural appropriation by a white guy? I say no. He just made a cleaner,better, more friendly venue for patrons and they supported him. With the success of the first location (where El Rey meat market is now...as an aside, this is where I buy my chorizo as it is made in house from a family recipe of one of the butchers) he built his new location across the street and went out of his way to make it pretty, with murals on the wall, lots of space, and a large assortment of the breads of Mexico. I got to have some input. 

On one of the walls, the artist whom he had hired was painting a woman at her metate. But in her hands was a rolling pin. I showed the artist what a metlapil should look like and she repainted over the rolling pin!

Kirk survived a cancer lymphoma.

Kirk knows how to juggle.

He has three daughters that went to Nashville to start a music career as a trio. Under the name Michaelis.

For me, like for so many others, El Bolillo is my Heightw default when I want breads and I'm not baking my own.

Although they sell flour tortillas, my preferred source for flour tortillas by the dozen is actually Spanish Flowers, where Airline dead ends into North Main. Less greasy. And I also love the flour tortillas at Trigo's, but that isn't in the Heights and is a story for another time.

Many years ago, when he was just building the new place, Kirk and I did a walk through his production area. I did a video of one of his bakers forming bolillos and to this day, it is the YouTube video that I've had the most hits on. Go figure.

Iran - An Iranian Bakery and Grocery Store in Houston

When I posted about the fabulous garlic yogurt at the Iranian/Afghani bakery, Alvand, some Iranian friends let me know about a variation in Iran using a wild shallot to flavor the yogurt. And that is how I learned about Mast Moosir, or, Mast-O-Musir. And so, I went to a favorite store, Pas 2 Super Market on Wilcrest at Briar Forest to pick up some dried shallots.

While there, the bread making was in full operation. A rotating oven. A very very wet dough being formed on a metal peel, and then stretched to double its length when loaded into the oven, baked, sprinkled with sesame seeds and packaged. 

Pas 2, like Alvand, is a Houston treasure! I first learned of it from friend, Paul Galvani, who is mentioned elsewhere in this blog of mine.

A now, to finish this post, here is a link to 11 Persian words that will blow any of your Iranian friends away if you use them lol.

Persian Phrases

Turkish Bakery - Simit and Poacha on Westheimer

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Simit and Poacha Website Link


A most excellent bakery featuring the traditional breads and desserts of Turkey. I love this bakery!