Mention Hofpfisteri to anyone in Munich and they’ll know what you’re talking about. You’re never too far from one of the bakeries in the Bavarian capital: The chain boasts 96 branches in the city with a 1,018-strong workforce, baking beloved, chewy, organic loaves for breakfast, break-time (“Pausenbrot”), and dinner (“Abendbrot”). While modern-day Hofpfisteri reigns over a mini empire, it’s actually Munich’s oldest operating bakery, having first opened its doors in 1331.
It was during Louis the Bavarian’s rule over Munich that the eatery has its origins. A mill was first established to supply the court, closely followed by a bakery, and, of course, a master baker. This is how Hofpisteri came to be, but it was soon donated to the church to feed the Kaiser Ludwig Mass. It is depicted in Joseph Pushkin’s watercolor painting called the “Alte Hofpfisterei,” where a Gothic church towers over the humble bakery.
Fast forward to 1917 when Ludwig Stocker took over the original site. Soon after, however, a brewery snapped up the building, and Ludwig took matters into his own hands, reconstructing the bakery in Kreittmayrstasse. Hofpfisteri sites have now popped up across Germany in Berlin and Hesse, and you can even order the baked goods online. To this day, the HQ remains in Munich — a nod to where it all began.
What’s so good about Hofpfisteri bread?
Since the 1950s, craft bakeries have dramatically declined in number in West Germany, plummeting plummeted from around 55,000 to just 13,000 across the entire country, with mass production and inflation forcing independent eateries to shut up shop. However, bakeries like Hofpfisteri have stayed stubborn, refusing to compromise on their pro-organic approach. Every day, the bakery tower in Munich’s Maxworstadt quarter dispatches award-winning bread made from natural ingredients and regional grains.
There’s the infamous dense, tangy farmhouse bread, one of the company’s oldest products that’s baked low and slow to develop a deep, dark color. There’s also spelt volcano bread, as well as pretzels. The bakery has gained a fanbase online, with social media users finding camaraderie with fellow bread-lovers. “I’ll forever be a Hofpfisterei guy,” one Reddit user pledged, while another quipped, “They seem to keep quality despite being almost everywhere.” In another Reddit post, a fan praised the bread as consistent and always delicious. Their advice? Cut it thinly, and slather it with cold butter.
If you want to try your hand at baking rye bread at home, just make sure to choose a bran or germ flour, if you prefer a fluffier texture. Add stack corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese between two slices for the perfect Reuben.
