How San Francisco's Dutch Crunch Bread Became A Sandwich Icon

Dutch crunch bread, with its signature crackled crust and soft, airy interior, is a well-loved staple of San Francisco's food scene. Often referred to as tijgerbrood (tiger bread) in the Netherlands — hence the name Dutch crunch — its origins may be debated, but its rise to Golden Gate stardom tells a story of local creativity and the perfect pairing of bread and filling.

One of the first bakeries credited with popularizing Dutch crunch was Galli's Sanitary Bakery, a local institution. Initially, it made Dutch crunch as small dinner rolls. However, the bread's transformation into a sandwich staple can be attributed to a fortuitous collaboration. Jim DeAngelis, owner of the nearby sandwich shop Darby Dan's, sought a special bread to elevate his sandwiches. He approached Galli's, which eventually expanded its rolls into larger loaves, and just like that, the Dutch crunch sandwich was born.

The crust of a Dutch crunch loaf is not your typical bread crust — it's an experience. The secret to its crackled surface lies in a special topping: a paste made from rice flour, sugar, oil, yeast, and water, applied to the dough before baking. As the bread bakes, the topping hardens slightly, creating the distinctive crackled surface. The rice flour, being gluten-free and rich in starch, is the key ingredient, reacting with the sugar and heat to form that much-loved crunch.

This special bread quickly became a favorite throughout San Francisco, where it is now the bread of choice for many sandwich lovers. Its sturdy structure and subtle sweetness make it an ideal base for a wide range of fillings. Unlike the hearty crunch of a fresh baguette, which can sometimes overpower delicate fillings, or the dense chewiness of a bagel, Dutch crunch offers a perfect balance. It provides both a textural contrast and a hint of sweetness that pairs well with both savory and sweet ingredients.

The bread's subtle sweetness enhances the flavors of the fillings, whether it's a classic and meaty Italian hero piled high with mortadella, salami, and provolone, or a more adventurous creation like Korean barbecue pork with kimchi and spicy gochujang. Even a simple breakfast sandwich with scrambled egg whites, cheddar cheese, and bacon is elevated by the distinct texture and flavor of Dutch crunch.

A testament to Dutch crunch's lasting appeal can be found at Mission Sandwich Social in Brooklyn, New York. This eatery created a signature sandwich as a tribute to a former San Francisco Giants pitcher, featuring turkey, roast beef, melted cheddar, hot honey, and Dijon mustard, all in a freshly baked Dutch crunch roll. As the bread has made its way across the country, it continues to inspire creativity, even outside the Bay Area.