Plano’s Pistachio Bakery Sells a Lot of ... Pistachios

If the name isn’t a dead giveaway, Plano’s bakery Pistachio is a haven for lovers of all things nutty. Glass cases throughout the small shop are filled with nut-based sweets — rolled, pressed or folded to your liking. Amir Aljazaerli opened the bakery in 2021 with the goal of bringing Turkish flavors to Plano; everything here is imported directly from Turkey, including hookahs and selected gifts.

And while the main tribute is paid to the pistachio, baked goods here incorporate a world of nuts, including almonds, walnuts and pecans.

The bakery’s allure begins with the sights. Pistachio’s Turkish sweets are decorated in an almost unrealistically meticulous manner, featuring different pastries folded by the hundreds into cylinders, rings and diamonds. They’re filled with layers of Turkish nut and fruit mixtures to add a colorful punch to the bakery’s shelves. You’re probably wondering at this point if it all tastes as good as it looks. Our verdict is yes.
Sweets at Pistachio have tastes and textures to suit any palate. While its best-seller is the traditional filo pastry baklava stuffed with honey-soaked pistachios, other menu offerings take a less traditional approach to the Turkish bakery world. The confectionary’s Turkish Delights come with different fruit and nut fillings, covered in a starchy gelatinous layer to keep their cylindrical wrap in place. Flavors like pomegranate-rose and strawberry-cream come with added layers of fruit-flavored cream. Other varieties contain fancier elements like fried vermicelli noodles and chocolate crisps. Ask for a taste if you’re confused. Samples are (thankfully) allowed.
Turkish chocolates add to the long menu. Pistachio’s chocolates are stuffed with items like pistachio paste, cardamom and cheesecake. Try the baklava chocolate, which comes with a roll of pistachio baklava covered in a dark chocolate shell. The popular Barazek chocolate comes with a Turkish sesame cookie inside. Laced with goodies like sesame seeds, citrus essence and pistachio nuts, these are far from your typical grocery-store chocolates.

Pistachio also carries Turkish cookies made with a shortbread-like dough. The signature cookies crumble to the bite and come in flavors like apricot, chocolate and butter. You can dip them into a cup of Pistachio’s homemade Turkish coffee, spiced with cardamom and sweetened with more sugar. It’s a perfect way to finish off the sugar rush.

Pistachio’s sweets are sold individually by weight, which makes it easy to try some of everything on your wishlist. Prices are pretty average, at $14.99 per pound. But with buttery, nut-based pastries, just a few bites of the desserts (and sips of the coffee) will really fill you up. We predict your appetite will cave faster than your wallet.

Pistachio, 4101 E. Park Blvd., Plano. Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Sunday, noon – 6 p.m.