Nestled in the micro-suburb of Wareemba in Sydney, Martha’s is a bakery serving Middle Eastern and European inspired pastries with a side of the divine.
Co-founded by Paris Nassif and Nathan Lorenti and opened in September 2025, the bakery takes its name from St Martha, who serves as their blueprint for hospitality.
“Martha has always stood out as a character in the Bible as somebody who embodies hospitality, showing love through service and care through action,” Nassif told The Catholic Weekly.
“That’s something that we resonate with in our environment and our intentions to always serve with care and love, so I feel like her values and our values as a business really aligned.”
Nassif said the partners had tossed up names for their business which were “more directly aligned with the concept of being a bakery” but when they landed on Martha, they knew it was a match.
A few customers, she said, assumed it is named for American chef Martha Stewart, but any confusion over the business’ namesake has been cleared up with the addition of faith-based images on the bakery walls.
“We actually got an image of Sts Mary and Martha breaking bread in the shop, and sometimes people see it and make that connection,” she said.
Lorenti attends Holy Spirit Catholic church in North Ryde and Nassif attends St Nicholas’ Greek Orthodox church in Punchbowl. Nassif says her faith is as a key factor in everything she does.
“Hospitality is not an easy industry to be in and definitely tests you and I think faith was a big part of why I have the strength to get through some of those tests,” she said.
Their respective church communities have got behind the venture, with parishioners and even clergy visiting it in its first weeks of operation.
“It is great to see young Catholics who are proud of their faith taking it to the public square in innovative ways such as this cafe,” said Fr Anthony Casamento.
“The inspiration of Martha for the cafe’s name challenges all of us to a culture of hospitality and welcome.”
