In Holly Hills, Mary Issa brings a taste of her home cooking to South St. Louis with Leona Market.
The Mediterranean bakery and grocery store offers much more than meets the eye. In addition to shelves stocked with everyday necessities and snacks, the corner store specializes in handmade sweet and savory pastries, deli-style sandwiches, soup of the day, and desserts.
Issa came to St. Louis with her sons in 2015 and launched her own business, SunRise Catering. In her native Bethlehem in the West Bank, she previously worked as a boarding school teacher. During the day, Issa taught mathematics, and during afternoon classes, she instructed students on how to cook from scratch.
For 10 years, Issa made use of her culinary skills as a professional cook at a St. Louis senior home. She also gained industry experience working at local Mediterranean restaurants. When the opportunity arose to start her own family business, Issa knew she’d found the ideal place to showcase the recipes and techniques she’d perfected over the years.
Growing up, Issa always enjoyed preparing pastry for her family and celebrations. At Leona Market, she offers a rotating daily selection that includes treats such as baklava and sweet pastry dough filled with apples, chocolate, cinnamon, pistachio, or dates. Savory pastries include za’atar cheese or meat sambusas; a vegetarian mini pizza with olives and green onions; and kubbeh made with cracked wheat, ground beef, and onion…