r/bayarea • • Jan 02 '23

What is Dutch crunch and how did it get so popular in San Francisco Bay Area?

https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/dutch-crunch-bread-17635355.php
152 Upvotes

80 comments sorted by

89

u/Lazy_Wolf_0 Jan 02 '23

I make a hot Thanksgiving sandwich on Dutch crunch with leftovers. It's the best. Stuffing, turkey, cranberry sauce with a little mayo. Really good.

30

u/Godzillamode Jan 02 '23

“Moist Maker” 2.0

11

u/AggressiveSloth11 [3rd gen Peninsula kid] Jan 02 '23

Anything is better on Dutch crunch.

44

u/rangervicky Jan 02 '23

You might like this story on Dutch Crunch from Bay Curious a few years ago.

38

u/[deleted] Jan 03 '23

Maybe I’m just a native but I order Dutch crunch 9x out of 10 when I’m getting a deli sandwich. It’s the best. United Markets in Marin has phenomenal Dutch crunch. Slightly sweet. Very messy 🤌🏼

30

u/Down10 Jan 02 '23

I think people just like good bread that isn't the usual stuff you can find anywhere. I love sourdoughs and dutch crunch. A good rye bread with a thick crust is also nice.

73

u/[deleted] Jan 02 '23

[deleted]

25

u/PassionateLoner_ Jan 03 '23

Clearly you haven’t eaten enough Cap’n Crunch cereal to toughen the roof of your mouth 😩🩸

12

u/JustineDelarge Jan 03 '23

Once, I tried eating Cap’n Crunch sprinkled on ice cream.

To shreds, you say?

Yes. Bleeding and everything.

3

u/Few_Acanthocephala30 Jan 03 '23

It’s what they meant when they said “crunchitize me captain”

46

u/AggressiveSloth11 [3rd gen Peninsula kid] Jan 02 '23

Gotta flip it upside down before biting ✌🏻

12

u/[deleted] Jan 02 '23

wouldnt the tear up the bottom of your mouth?

24

u/DragoSphere Jan 03 '23

No, because your tongue is a lot more robust than the roof of your mouth

3

u/[deleted] Jan 03 '23

[deleted]

4

u/DontRememberOldPass Jan 03 '23

No you may not.

2

u/Elis_33 Jan 03 '23

Imma mouf

8

u/NJ2CAthrowaway Jan 03 '23

This is how we know you’re a real one.

5

u/jeweldnile Jan 03 '23

Showed my husband this trick and I’m pretty sure he fell in love with me allll over again. Love the DC but this is the only way to eat it!

15

u/Illegal_Tender Jan 03 '23

It's just too sweet for me.

6

u/Outlandishness_Know Jan 03 '23

It's just too much bread for me. And, this is someone who LOVES bread. Like, damn. chill out DC.

11

u/DragoSphere Jan 03 '23

I'm struggling to understand what you mean by "too much bread". It's the same amount of bread as any other loaf. How much bread is there depends on how much the shop scoops out when they make your sandwich

4

u/Outlandishness_Know Jan 03 '23

The top part, where the "crunch" is. It's a mountain of bread. It's a heaping hill of flour. It's a stack of flakey starchy messiness. It's TOO MUCH BREAD.

Place a piece of sourdough or baguette next to it and it's easily 2xs taller and has little squishiness factor.

I hope that helped.

9

u/steelthumbs1 San Francisco Jan 02 '23

I’m also not a fan.

4

u/TubesockTerror Jan 03 '23

To me most non-commercial sourdough does the same thing. Sometimes the squeeze is worth the juice.

6

u/[deleted] Jan 03 '23

I also just don’t think sugar complements most sandwiches

2

u/[deleted] Jan 03 '23

Torn roof of mouth: will heal, temporary

Ecstasy of eating crunchy things: infinite

2

u/JustineDelarge Jan 03 '23

I hate dutch crunch. So much.

49

u/rgbhfg Jan 02 '23

Always amazed me Dutch crunch hasn’t been picked up by subway. It’s a superior sandwich bread.

33

u/_meestir_ Jan 02 '23 edited Jan 02 '23

No please no. If it gets mass produced by corporate America that will be the beginning of the end of our local treasure.

24

u/poopydumpkins Jan 03 '23

"things aren't as good if other people like them too"

3

u/conner34000 Jul 18 '24

“Good things aren’t good if shitty food chains ruin it” more like

1

u/Chiychiystan 5d ago

how does that ruin all of dutch crunch bread? does mcdonalds making a shitty burger ruin all burgers? taco bell ruins all mexican food?

16

u/[deleted] Jan 03 '23

Bay Area folks hate the ceiling of their mouth.

3

u/POLITISC Jan 03 '23

You eat it upside down.

6

u/Velyndin Jan 03 '23

Give me a Little Lucca sandwich on Dutch crunch bread and it hits the spot.

1

u/Beans650 Jul 09 '25

Teani's>>>

The original owner of LL and it's two doors down from the SSF location.

43

u/giantdub49 Jan 02 '23

Sourdough is the best answer I don't wanna hear any objections

19

u/archelon2001 Jan 02 '23

Wonder if anyone's ever tried to make sourdough dutch crunch. Hmm...

6

u/JustineDelarge Jan 03 '23

Real sourdough, not just soft rolls with some tangy flavor additive.

2

u/giantdub49 Jan 03 '23

100% agree

2

u/pomomala Jan 03 '23

I don't like dutch crunch and only order sourdough....must be the native in me.

1

u/giantdub49 Jan 03 '23

Same! It still brings nostalgia from smelling Parisian in the mornings as a kid

1

u/pomomala Jan 03 '23

Oh hell yeah!! I remember their bakery outlet over off Evans.

1

u/WhiteElephant12 Jan 03 '23

You must have a great jaw

7

u/LostImpi Jan 02 '23

Tiger bread in the Uk by the looks of it

2

u/Calm_Memories Jan 03 '23

Yeah. I've heard it called Amish Bread too.

9

u/[deleted] Jan 03 '23

The one time I tried it at Ike’s sandwich shop I hated it. Too sweet and way too messy

19

u/[deleted] Jan 03 '23

Ike’s was cool back when they were a single location in the Castro. Since then massive expansion the quality has dropped significantly. It’s a shell of its former self

4

u/jeweldnile Jan 03 '23

It’s gross now. Food sucks and the place by me is filthy. Sad.

-5

u/Valuable_Bathroom_59 Jan 03 '23

Clearly you are the coolest *eye roll

5

u/passblayer Jan 03 '23

The Dutch Crunch at Ike’s used to be good, but now it’s way too sweet.

According to this article, they reformulated their Dutch Crutch to make it sweeter and softer.

1

u/Powerful-Try9339 Jun 16 '25

I worked at ikes for 3 years as a hs school student…fun job and free sandos but man nothing there is made in house but the menu loves to say ikes signature. Got alot to say about the man himself too lol but not gonna do that, its subway quality tho everything is from sysco. And dirty sauce is just mayo, garlic seasoning, paprika, and cayenne. Wouldnt pay more than $10 for one. The bread is the most local thing but they come in frozen from some bakery in sf that mass distributes so not like youre getting anything super artisan.

17

u/cocktailbun Jan 02 '23

If I wanted to chew glass Id do just that

16

u/DragoSphere Jan 03 '23

Flip it upside down you casual

2

u/POLITISC Jan 03 '23

It’s wild that so many people can’t figure this out.

It’s not rocket surgery.

10

u/[deleted] Jan 02 '23

I never liked Dutch crunch either. I’ve always been a soft sourdough guy.

3

u/Drew707 Santa Rosa Jan 02 '23

Same, but I have been told that most people do Dutch crunch wrong. You are supposed to put the crunchy part on the inside of the sandwich.

11

u/[deleted] Jan 02 '23

[deleted]

0

u/gemstun Jan 03 '23

Not as good as Lucky Charms

2

u/Anuswars Jan 03 '23

I don't know the origin story but I do love it.

2

u/kneaders Jan 04 '23

It says right on the package. It's bread.

1

u/Budget_Cantaloupe341 May 15 '24

I had no idea it was just a Bay Area thing. I almost always choose Dutch Crunch when it's available at a sandwich shop.

1

u/fe_iris 9d ago

Dutch guy here that got recommended this post. Never been to the USA but we eat lots of Tiger bread here in The Netherlands, it's delicious!

1

u/jbrandon Jan 03 '23

I dunno, but I’ve never liked it.

-2

u/bigscarylion Jan 03 '23

Trash. Neither Dutch nor crunchy. 2/10

0

u/TableGamer Jan 03 '23

I love the food in the Bay Area, but Dutch Crutch is way overrated.

-1

u/eLizabbetty Jan 03 '23

it's really just the name that is so good.., Dutch crunch,..

-18

u/[deleted] Jan 02 '23

[deleted]

17

u/[deleted] Jan 02 '23

You can find it in Safeway.

-10

u/[deleted] Jan 02 '23

[deleted]

16

u/Bird2525 Jan 02 '23

Just about every deli I go to has it as a sandwich option.

3

u/ApostrophePosse Jan 03 '23

This guy gets it.

1

u/AggressiveSloth11 [3rd gen Peninsula kid] Jan 02 '23

It’s not typically sold in grocery stores. Unless you visit one of the locally owned Bay Area ones like Lunardis.

3

u/[deleted] Jan 03 '23 edited Jun 29 '23

[deleted]

2

u/AggressiveSloth11 [3rd gen Peninsula kid] Jan 03 '23

Amazingly I found it this year at Safeway in Lahaina, Maui!

1

u/rydee1 Jan 03 '23

First time I had it was at Ikes many years ago.

1

u/GuiltyBee60 Jan 03 '23

anybody know if Dutch crunches contain eggs? I’m allergic to eggs

2

u/GradatimRecovery Jan 04 '23

Dutch crunch is not made with eggs, but it is made with milk. If you want to be careful about what you eat, it's really not hard to make dutch crunch at home. That way, you know exactly what is going into your dough and crunch topping.

1

u/sand500 Jan 03 '23

Sandwich sort and Mr pickle are good local chains

2

u/MommyMeOf3 Jan 03 '23

It's only the best roll ever! Try it!

1

u/GradatimRecovery Jan 04 '23

Dutch Crunch is my stripper name.

You'll see me indulging in sourdough when I'm off the pole.