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Best Strudel in San Francisco

“Layered pastry born in 1696, strudel descended from Hungarian rétes and Ottoman baklava.”

Strudel

What the real thing tastes like

Strudel ( STROO-dəl, German: [ˈʃtʁuːdl̩] ) is a type of layered baked good made with pastry, with a filling that is usually sweet, but savoury fillings are also common. It became popular in the 18th century throughout the Austrian Empire. Strudel is part of Austrian cuisine and German cuisine but is also common in other Central European cuisines. In Italy it is recognized as a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (PAT) of South Tyrol. The oldest strudel recipes (a Millirahmstrudel and a turnip strudel) are from 1696, in a handwritten cookbook at the Wienbibliothek im Rathaus (formerly Wiener Stadtbibliothek). The pastry is believed to descend from the Hungarian rétes, which was traditionally a variation of the Ottoman baklava.

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Strudel is where pastry becomes a canvas for layering—thin sheets wrapped around fillings both sweet and savory, baked until the exterior turns golden and the interior softens into itself. Born in the Austrian Empire during the 18th century, this Central European staple traces its roots back to a 1696 Viennese cookbook and even further to Hungarian rétes, itself descended from Ottoman baklava. The pastry carries history in every fold, now recognized across Austria, Germany, Central Europe, and even protected as a traditional product in Italy's South Tyrol.

Order it here when it has

  • dual-filling tradition
  • centuries of culinary pedigree
  • cross-cultural heritage

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