The daddy of artisan bakeries, the Bretzel Bakery in Portobello, Dublin has lost a little of its charm and variety over the years but it’s still a great bakery. They do the usual line-up of breads and cakes (though some of the classics like curd cheesecake seem to have disappeared) but the bread is good and their chocolate eclair is just like the one you ate as a child. They also make good pizza and gingerbread men, the must-have for any small bakery and classic light sponges.
You can buy Bretzel bread now in delis, which is one significant change from old, but the shop is always worth a visit, if only to catch up on a bit of Jewish history. In the 1900’s the Grinspon family ran a small bakery there until the Elliman family took it over in 1910. The chain of Jewish ownership was broken when a new owner took it over from Ida Stein in the 1960’s. However the Bretzel Bakery continued as a strictly Kosher bakery until the mid 1990’s. The Hackett family was the custodian until the end of the century, until ill health forced a sale. It has changed hands but as far as we know it has retained its Kosher licence. (Ask them if this is a concern for you.) Worth a trip.
www.bretzel.ie
Filed under: Artisan Bread and Bakers, Shopping for food
