If you've wandered past our stall and wondered what exactly an esfiha is, you're not alone — it's one of the most-asked questions we get on the Gold Coast. So let's clear it up.
An esfiha (pronounced es-FEE-ha) is a small, open-faced baked pastry that's a staple of Brazilian street food and bakery culture. The dough is soft and slightly chewy, baked golden, and topped with a filling that's spread right across the surface rather than sealed inside — which is what sets it apart from a pie, a pastry or an empanada.
The dish actually has Middle Eastern roots — it's a Brazilian take on the Lebanese "sfiha," brought over by Levantine immigrants in the early 1900s and adapted with local ingredients over generations. Brazil ran with it, and today the open esfiha is as much a part of Brazilian bakery culture as the empanada or coxinha. It's the kind of food you grab on the go, share with mates, or order a tray of for a party — small, handheld, and impossible to stop at one.
At Burleigh Bites, we bake ours fresh to order every Friday, and we've built out a full range so there's something for everyone:
Our classic Beef Open Esfiha is filled with subtly spiced halal minced beef — the one most people start with. The Cheese Open Esfiha is a four-cheese blend that's gooey, golden and dangerously moreish. If you like heat, the Calabrese Open Esfiha brings spicy Calabrese sausage and melted cheese to the party. Our Chicken Open Esfiha is creamier, made with shredded free-range chicken blended with ricotta. And for something plant-based, the Pumpkin & Cashew Cheese Esfiha is a vegan favourite loaded with fresh coriander.
Can't make it in on a Friday? Most of our esfihas are also available frozen in 6-packs, so you can bake them fresh at home whenever the craving hits.
So next time someone asks what's in an esfiha, you'll know: it's dough, a generous topping, a bit of Middle Eastern history filtered through Brazilian flavour — and honestly, one of the best handheld bites you'll find on the Gold Coast.
Come try one for yourself — we promise it's easier to eat than it is to pronounce.
— The Burleigh Bites Team