Hot cross buns aren’t on the menu, but when a customer calls with a craving, Hafsa Mirza bakes them anyway.
Tucked away in a quiet corner of a McKinney shopping center, Ogi’s European Bakery and Deli invites visitors with the warmth of its Old World charm and the aroma of freshly baked delights. Owned by Hafsa Mirza, who greets every customer by name with a welcoming smile, Ogi’s serves an array of authentic European pastries, cakes, breads, sandwiches and sausages, each crafted with time-honored techniques and meticulous care.
“People call me and say, ‘I had this childhood thing I used to eat growing up in Germany, can you make it?’” Mirza laughs. “It’s a walk through memory lane, and I understand that.”
“It’s a walk through memory lane, and I understand that.”
Founded in 2018 by Ogi Stoyanov and Dora Stoyanov, a Bulgarian couple with a passion for sharing the flavors of their homeland, Ogi’s quickly became a neighborhood gem. With honey-soaked baklava, smoked pork sandwiches and pljeskavica — a traditional Balkan burger — the bakery introduced McKinney to the comforting, time-honored dishes of Eastern Europe. But as retirement age approached, the Stoyanovs searched for someone who could carry on their legacy — not just by preserving the recipes but by nurturing the sense of community they had built.
They found that person in Mirza. In 2020, they placed the bakery in her hands, confident that its heart would remain intact.
Though some longtime patrons were initially skeptical of the ownership change, the community has wholeheartedly embraced Mirza’s vision. “Oh yeah, the same folks are still coming,” she says. “They meet me, and they come back.”
Born and raised in London with Bulgarian roots from her mother’s side, Mirza draws inspiration from a rich and diverse culinary heritage, whether she’s making a delicate slice of garash cake, a flaky, traditional apple strudel or a savory, spinach-filled pastry. “I have a lot of people who visit Europe and then come here and say, ‘Your food reminds us of where we went over there,’” Mirza says. “That’s real food — that’s the way food is supposed to taste.”
“That’s real food — that’s the way food is supposed to taste.”
This real food is made for real people. As dietary restrictions become more common, Mirza is creating an inclusive space where everyone can indulge. Her shop offers halal and kosher options alongside a wide selection of gluten-free and vegan treats. Take the amaretto cake, for example — being gluten-free shouldn’t mean missing out on the simple joy of a freshly baked slice. And just because your culture has certain restrictions on food, that doesn’t mean you can’t try something new.
“A lot of people from that part of the world would never be able to eat proper European food, because it’s not something which is halal,” Mirza explains. “So I changed that because I want everybody to come and eat.”
Mirza wasn’t always planning on becoming a chef — let alone a baker. After getting a master’s in economics from San José State University and working in various nonprofit sectors, she began baking for fundraiser events while living in California. “It’s just something that came naturally to me,” Mirza says. “I started baking baklava for PTA fundraisers, and it just became my calling.”
Mirza’s culinary expertise is matched only by her boundless curiosity about global cuisine. A self-proclaimed history enthusiast, she draws inspiration from the rich culinary traditions of Europe and beyond. From Ottoman-era baklava to delicate Hungarian pastries to the layered complexity of Mexican mole, Mirza weaves a vibrant tapestry of cultures into her kitchen. Some of it, she learned from her diverse and talented team at Ogi’s — all women, in fact. She firmly believes that bakers and chefs should experience these countries firsthand before offering their traditional dishes.
“Unless you’ve traveled there, you’re trying to recreate something that you haven’t actually tasted,” Mirza says.“I’ve traveled a lot, all over Europe, Russia, Asia — I’ve climbed Mt. Fuji.”
However, Mirza’s commitment goes beyond tradition. Her dedication to quality elevates Ogi’s offerings to something truly extraordinary. Even the signature red velvet cake receives a wholesome twist — it’s naturally colored with beet juice instead of artificial dyes. It’s in this way that she is able to make something so beautiful and also so delicious.
Americans love saccharine sweets, but Mirza’s dishes are different. Her cakes, pastries and treats are sweet, yes, and truly perfect alongside a cup of coffee, but never overly sugary or artificial. Just real ingredients. Real flavor. The lemon scones are infused with real lavender — not syrup, but delicate lavender buds. The Belgian cake gets its sweetness from fresh oranges, not artificial flavoring.
Mirza is dedicated to using these all-natural ingredients at Ogi’s, going so far as to import flour and sugar from Europe — where, she explains, food standards are significantly higher than in the U.S. She believes the key issue lies in the ingredients themselves and says that grains, for example, have been so heavily modified that they are much harder for the body to digest.
“What people don’t understand in America is that 90 percent of the food is manufactured,” Mirza says. “The art of baking is dying, and what we are served is just fancy McDonald’s. You’re just heating and feeding people as quickly as you can.”
At Ogi’s, every loaf of bread, every sausage link, is more than just food — it’s a love letter to tradition, a celebration of craftsmanship and a testament to the power of uplifting others through food. Every bite tells a story of culture and care.
This article originally appeared in Local Profile magazine. Check out the issue here.
____
Hungry for more? Check out our dining guide.
Don't miss anything Local. Sign up for our free newsletter.
