Hidden Gem Alert! Istanbul-Style Turkish Bourekas at Crunch in Woodbridge

There’s Mozart, Stevie Wonder, Picasso — legendary prodigies who started young and made their mark early. And while Liam Shemi may not be composing symphonies, what he’s doing in the kitchen deserves some attention. At just 22, the chef and owner of Crunch in Woodbridge, Connecticut, is already turning heads with homemade artisanal boreks that are as ambitious as they are delicious.

Boreks are his specialty. Turkish bourekas, or Turkish borek- these traditional Mediterranean pastries are made with homemade filo dough that ferments in-house for two days. Then it’s stretched by hand until it’s paper-thin and filled with all kinds of flavor. At Crunch, they’re available in savory, sweet, and everything in between. Spinach, jalapeno, cheese, Dubai chocolate… but we’ll get to that in a bit. 

Liam grew up in San Francisco and started working in restaurants at just 14. He attended a school that let students earn academic credit through work experience, so he began building his craft early, balancing school with time in kitchens. His biggest inspiration came from his grandmother, who made boreks throughout his childhood. Though she’s no longer here, her legacy is baked into everything he does, sometimes staying up as late as 4 a.m. to perfect each batch.

He’s been building the foundation of this business since his California days. As of last January, he opened the Connecticut location near where he and his family now live. Crunch is very much a family operation — starting with his grandmother’s encouragement, now passed through him, and supported by his mom and other relatives. Whether they’re working the storefront, catering local events, or popping up at farmers’ markets like Tyme and Season, they’re all in.

Liam describes himself and his business as “trailblazing.” Boreks are already beloved in the Middle East, but his goal is to grow their popularity here in the U.S. He points out that now-mainstream foods like pizza and tacos also had to earn their place — and he wants to do the same with boreks.

At Crunch, the boreks are made Istanbul-style, kosher-friendly, and made without oil or any artificial ingredients. The menu goes beyond just boreks, with other baked goods and coffee on offer, but I had to go straight to the stars of the show. I came for the boreks and that famous crunch.

I tried two: the spinach feta and the Dubai chocolate. The spinach feta was rich, flaky, and perfectly savory — a full-on lunch in pastry form. Then came the Dubai chocolate, which was thin, crisp, not overly sweet, and full of flavor. I was genuinely impressed by the balance. The two boreks couldn’t have been more different, so picking a favorite felt impossible. Let’s just say both went scary fast.

When I asked what other flavors were on the way, Liam mentioned a honey ricotta launching the very next day (I may have snuck a sample and yes, I’ll have to be back this week), followed by a honey apple made with farm-fresh ingredients, and later in the season, a sweet pumpkin cream cheese. In short? There’s a lot to look forward to at Crunch. 

Crunch Woodbridge, CT