The bougatsa made by the Salkintzis family isn’t just a pastry. It’s a piece of Heraklion’s soul. A taste that bridges generations. A tradition that began in 1922 with “grandfather Apostolos” and continues unbroken to this day, with the fourth generation still using the exact same recipe.

More than a hundred years later, Fyllosophies is now well into its second century of life in the heart of Heraklion, standing as the city’s undisputed landmark for Cretan bougatsa.

From the 1920s to today, four generations have grown up with the same taste: the crisp filo, the dusting of icing sugar, the cinnamon, and the custard or myzithra cheese that Apostolos Salkintzis combined with Crete’s finest local ingredients. This bougatsa has never changed. It’s still made with the same traditional recipe, the same care and the same love.

That’s why Fyllosophies is not just a brand. It’s the beating heart of bougatsa in Heraklion.

In Heraklion, New Year’s Day has a taste. And that taste is bougatsa. The tradition began with grandfather Apostolos, when winners at the card tables in the interwar years would treat the losers to a sweet start. His bougatsa became a treat for consolation, luck and new beginnings. And so a sweet ritual was born – passed from generation to generation until it became a beloved part of the Cretan New Year.

Today, no New Year’s table in Heraklion feels complete without bougatsa from Fyllosophies. It’s the first taste of the year. A flavour that brings families together.

With deep respect for the past and a clear eye on the future, the fourth generation of the Salkintzis family is carrying on the tradition — and evolving it. Every New Year’s Eve, their bougatsas — baked and unbaked — come with 25+1 hidden coins:

• 25 silver coins for the departing 2025

• 1 golden coin for the coming 2026

The golden coin wins an unforgettable trip for two, while the silver ones come with gifts lovingly curated by Fyllosophies. This is how tradition becomes a shared experience — a sweet movement that embraces the whole city.

From a tiny 12 m² sweet shop called Ta Leontaria, to today’s brand with three spots across Heraklion, the Salkintzis family remains the city’s longest-standing name in food. And they’re still going strong. With the fourth generation at the helm, they’re serving the same bougatsa that Heraklion’s grandparents, parents and children have loved for decades.

Start the new year the right way — with cinnamon, icing sugar, and a tradition over a century old.

Fyllosophies Locations:

• Lions Square – 2810 284774

• 97 Herakli, inside Ace Tennis Academy – 2810 344333

• 1 Kastrinogiannaki, inside Sport Point – 2810 335536