‘We’re just little guys from Guildford’: Family bakery goes big after Good Food Guide win
The new look Yum Yum Bakery in Guildford.
Yum Yum Bakery launched its new Guildford cafe with more than double the capacity this week, after it was named The Sydney Morning Herald 2026 Good Food Guide Cafe of the Year in October.
“The award was a push to take the cafe to the next level,” says second-generation owner Najib Haddad. He grew up in that kitchen, baking puffy pita bread and awarma in the wood-fired oven his father, Toufic Haddad, built in 1990, and led the cafe into a new era after taking the reins in 2015.
From a small oregano “pizza” joint in Guildford, to a contemporary cafe celebrating Lebanese brunch fare, Yum Yum Bakery evolved while holding true to the familial warmth at its heart. That’s what kept generations of customers coming back, and that’s what led to recognition from The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.
A selection of new menu items, including avocado hummus, chilli scramble and kofta tacos.
Haddad said the family was shocked and humbled by the award.
“We’re just little guys from Guildford,” he said at the awards ceremony in October. “Dad started this 35 years ago, and for him to see us now … with all these famous chefs and big names …”
Demand soared following the announcement, putting pressure on a cafe that was already at its limit.
“We’ve seen a real shift, with new customers discovering us, but even before we won the award, the Guildford store didn’t have the space to accommodate everyone on the weekends,” Haddad said.
“We started getting a lot of comments from people who said they drove past, saw how busy it was, and just didn’t come in.”
The renovation in March created seating for an additional 50 customers, expanded the kitchen, and introduced new menu items. The space feels similar to the second Yum Yum Bakery, which opened in Concord in June: clean lines, contemporary warmth, with a little Mediterranean flavour.
“My parents were shocked when they finally saw it. It was like when we opened the Concord cafe after so many years: there were a lot of emotions,” Haddad said. “They’re proud to see how us kids have taken over and how we’re growing.”
The menu remains largely unchanged – you can still order a breakfast plate big enough to feed at least three people for $44, stacked with puffy pita bread (still warm from the oven), fried eggs, labneh, halloumi and colourful pickles. It’s one of their bestselling dishes, along with their fried egg awarma, but Haddad continues to tweak the menu.
The new space is larger, brighter, and with capacity for 80 people.
New dishes incorporate elements of a classic “Aussie” breakfast with Lebanese flavours. There is a variation of hummus with avocado, spiced cauliflower bites, and a chilli scramble. There’s also a new soft-serve machine, with flavours such as pistachio mulberry in development.
Still, there’s no slowing down, says Haddad: “We went from Guildford, to Concord, and now we’re looking to open a third store within the next six months … likely somewhere in south-west Sydney.”
