Lamejun is often called Armenian pizza, but it's thinner and more delicate. The dough is stretched paper-thin and topped with a spiced meat mixture (lamb and beef, seasoned with onion, tomato, and Aleppo pepper). It's baked in a hot oven until the edges crisp and the meat browns slightly. The finished lamejun is folded or rolled. It's eaten warm, often with fresh lemon squeezed over it. This is the signature item that built Eastern Lamejun's reputation.
Tips from diners
Start with the meat lamejun. It's the foundational dish and the reason this bakery exists. Squeeze lemon over it before eating.
Lamejun are best eaten warm. Eat right away or reheat at home. They do not transport well cold.
Börek is a pastry from Turkish and Armenian tradition—phyllo-thin layers of pastry wrapped around a filling, then baked until the exterior is shattered and crispy. Eastern Lamejun's cheese börek uses tangy feta. When fresh from the oven, the pastry crackles when you bite it. The warm cheese inside provides richness and salt. This is a pastry that demands to be eaten immediately.
Tips from diners
Börek are made fresh all day. Come late afternoon (after 3 pm) for the warmest, crispiest pastries.
This combines the spinach tradition with pastry. The filling includes spinach, onion, and feta cheese. The pastry shatters in your mouth while the warm filling stays moist and savory. It's heartier than the plain cheese börek but follows the same baking tradition.
Tips from diners
One spinach and cheese börek is a complete light meal. Pair with coffee or Turkish tea.
Similar to the meat lamejun but in börek form—phyllo pastry wrapped around a spiced meat filling, then baked. The meat filling includes lamb, beef, onion, and spices. The pastry shatters. The meat stays warm and aromatic inside. This is richer and more savory than the lamejun version.
Tips from diners
Meat börek is more filling than meat lamejun. If you're very hungry, get börek. If you want lighter, get lamejun.
The vegetable lamejun uses spinach as the base, combined with tomato, onion, and aromatic spices. It's lighter than the meat version but equally satisfying. The vegetables caramelize slightly in the oven, concentrating their flavors. This is traditionally eaten during fasting periods in the Armenian church, making it culturally significant.
Tips from diners
The vegetable lamejun is just as delicious as the meat version. Don't skip it thinking it's a lesser option.
Eastern Lamejun Bakers opened in 1942 and has been the cornerstone of the Watertown/Belmont Armenian community for over 80 years. The Koundakjians family founded it, and the Dervartanian family acquired it in 1984 and has run it ever since. Watertown has the third-largest Armenian population in the United States (after Los Angeles and Fresno), and this bakery is why. Lamejun—thin flatbread topped with spiced meat—is baked fresh daily. Börek and Middle Eastern pastries round out the menu. Everything is made without preservatives.
Everything is made fresh daily without preservatives. Eat the lamejun and börek warm. They do not keep overnight without losing their crispness.
This is a working bakery and community institution. It's cash-friendly and cash-preferred. Come during weekday afternoons (3–5 pm) for the warmest items fresh from the oven.
Closed Sundays. If you want specific items, call ahead. Large orders (dozens of lamejun) need a day's notice.
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