Hannah’s Bretzel (with photos)

A few Saturdays ago, after Robert Launay's fascinating talk at Culinary Historians and before the lambic tasting at Delilah's, I needed a bit to eat and decided it would be a good time for a sandwich at Hannah's. I'd stopped by during their first week for a six pack of bretzels but that was all I had a chance to try. Hannah's Bretzel has been mentioned before on LTHForum as well as on Chowhound and eGullet (all very favorable comments I might add).

Hannah's Bretzel and their Bretzel-Mobile

Hannah's occupies quite a small space but it seems very well thought out. There are only 4 seats at a window counter but as soon as a permit is approved there should be outdoor seating available.

Hannah's Chocolates

One notable feature of Hannah's is an extensive selection of European chocolate bars, many organically produced. At the back of the shop, behind a glass wall, are the ovens.

Bretzels and Sandwich Rolls

They make three types of bretzels. The Swabian is made with a traditional malted dough and coated with a bit of coarse salt. The farmer bretzel, from whole wheat flour, has a fresh, mild flavor with minimal salt. These would be perfect with some jam or Nutella (they have a nice variety of spreads). I haven't tried the whole grain bretzel but the whole grain roll sure was good.

Swabian Bretzel

A friend who grew up in Southern Germany and misses bretzels greatly thought these were by far the best she's had in Chicago. I agree.

Sandwich of Black Forest Ham and Gruyere

About a half dozen sandwiches are offered, all very appealing combinations. Ingredients are organic whenever possible and everything looks very fresh. The ham, sliced to order, was high quality. Ditto for the cheese. The sandwich was garnished with coarse grain mustard and English cucumber slices. The fresh-baked whole grain roll was as good as it looks. An excellent sandwich. The chips were fine but it would be nice to have an option, perhaps some sort of salad.

On both my visits Florian the owner was present and very interested in hearing my comments and chatting about many topics from environmental issues to stem cells. It's refreshing seeing a little lunch spot, especially in the Loop, that sets itself apart from all the other sandwich vendors and is run with such enthusiasm.

Hannah's Bretzel
180 W Washington St (just east of Wells)
Chicago
312-621-1111
Mon-Fri 6am-6pm, Sat 8am-2pm

Exactly the sandwich I had on my visit a few weeks back, and I was equally impressed. The ham and cheese were delicious, and I really enjoyed the coarse mustard and the bread.

Wish it was a little closer to my office so I could go more often. And the presence of bretzels and chocolate is a bit unfortunate, as I can't imagine walking out of Hannah's Bretzel without one or the other to accompany my sandwich.


Guess today's lunch decision has been settled...

Hi,

I stopped in at Hannah's Bretzel while in the loop the other day.

I was dickering in my mind to have the Black Forest Ham & Swiss Gruyere cheese on Bretzel bread or their French Ham (Madrange) & French Camembert on Whole Grain bread. At the advice of the server, I opted for the Black Forest Ham combination. I also ordered a bottle of LORINA French Lemonade, Citron, in my vain quest to find something approaching Schweppe's Bitter Lemon.

This was really quite a refreshing change of pace, a European style sandwich in downtown Chicago. I really liked the firm chewy texture of the bread. I enjoyed the filling with the addition of the thin, sliced cucumbers, though I would rather have had slightly less coarse ground mustard.

While eating I admired the small two story musicians union building sandwiched between two skyscrapers across the street. You have to wonder what tenacity kept that building erect amongst all the financially staggering offers to demolish and build something more commercially efficient. A wonder to admire indeed, just like my sandwich!

Regards,

I had lunch here today, and thought it was a damn good sandwich. The high quality ingredients are applied carefully, without being fussy. I had the Madrange Ham and Camembert--and liked it a lot, but would probably skip the Tapenade next time. I thought it overpowered the delicate ham.

But I wanted to mention the Swiss "Budner" soup. An austere vegetable barley which was such a refreshing change from the standard oversalty-boil in the bag type you might get at other establishments. They make it fresh daily. All of the vegetables came through in the delicate broth--and the barley gave it a little bit of chew and a nutty flavor. At first, I thought --eh, vegetable barley, but it grew on me with every bite--and left me wishing I had ordered the large.

-trixie-pea-

How nice to see that good lunch options are springing up in the loop . . . now that I no longer work there. As a note, Hannah's Bretzel is not too far from another location of the fairly good as Loop standards go Mexican: La Cocina.

MAG wrote:. As a note, Hannah's Bretzel is not too far from another location of the fairly good as Loop standards go Mexican: La Cocina.

Bretzel is also 3 doors down from Cardozo's Pub.

It's in the basement of a building, and off the beaten path.

Not great food, just a diner/pub hidden away from view.

Nice variety, but off the radar, so no one from work will be there. Get away place.

From the Bretzel review, I am hitting that tomorrow. I work a block away

Thanks LTH'ers for the reviews and pics

I went to Hannah's this week with a friend. Had an awesome sandwich called the "Sergio Special" which consisted of the whole grain bread (they were out of bretzel bread), ham, cheese, avocado, mango chutney, jalapenos, etc.. Very tasty.

But what really blew me away was the water. My friend ordered something called Metromint peppermint water. The flavor was unbelievable. Nothing but water and mint (I checked the ingredients). It was really delicious.
I'm not one to readily spend $1.85 for a bottle of water, but for this stuff, I will definitely make an exception.

Happy Taster Gal

In town this weekend (not for the Cubs game, but good guess!), I happen to be staying right around the corner - Unfortunately I did not notice until after having a roll and coffee at the adjacent Corner Bakery branch, but I poked in later in the afternoon. A light lunch at Hot Doug's (merguez and some duck fat frites) left enough room to split a traditional bretzel with my lovely travelling companion. Really superb texture and flavor.

I mentioned that I recognized the place from photos on a web site and the counterperson said though his mom follows the food blogs, but he hasn't kept up on them for a while.

I think I know what I am having for breakfast tomorrow.

Huge Hannah's Bretzel fan here! The quality of the ingredients used makes this spot stand out among Loop lunch options. I crave the saltiness of the Black Forest Ham sandwich weekly. Other favorites include the Vermont Cheddar and the Madrange Ham. For a great breakfast, complete with protein and whole grains, try Boursin on a whole grain Bretzel. The owner, Florian, is charming and I applaud his effort to bring a true organic, gourmet experience to the tired Loop lunch scene.

MAG, I secretly love La Cocina too! Shhh....

Just want to give a big thumbs up to Hannah's Bretzel. I had the Black Forest Ham and Gruyere today - it was great. The bretzel bread was delicious and I liked all the mustard they slathered on. Owner Florian was touting the catering menu, so if anyone works in the Loop and would like a lunch that is more classy than the norm, I would highly recommend this place. The only thing I thought was missing was seating!

http://www.hannahsbretzel.com

I spoke with the owner about the lack of seating. They are planning to open another location in the west loop area sometime in 2006. He knows he erred by not having seating available for customers and assured me this will not be the case in the second store. He had no real timetable as to where or when the new space will be, only told me that they were working on it. I'll report when I get more information.

in september i asked if anyone knew where i could buy amedei chocolate in chicago (http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=5105) but sadly received no replies. having tried nearly every chocolate bar at hannah's, i was ecstatic when they started carrying amedei a month or so ago. they only have the tavoletta bars (no porcelana or chuao) but believe you me, they're well worth the nine bucks!

I was there for the first time on Monday. The sandwich was great. It was actually a bit bigger than I expected. It came with a few potato chips. With an ice tea, it was around $10.00. A bit expensive for lunch, but great quality. It will be at least a once a week place for me.

Just got back from a lunch at Hannah's Bretzel (sandwich was excellent, as always)...noticed they had a bowl of the Kinder Surprise Eggspiece that a lot of people were looking for back in the Christkindlmarkt thread. $1.95 each.

You know, I work just a few blocks from here but have never once had the food because the one time I walked in, the place just oozed of Euro pretentiousness. I need to let that go and give it a try because I have yet to see a negative review of it. Thanks for keeping this ostrich informed.

the owner is from germany.

i happen to like it for that exact reason. but, it is everyone's right to an opinion.

yes, the music is kinda clubby, and there isn't much seating. the seating is communual, another euro-inspired detail (4 seats at a counter, and a large outdoor patio table in the nicer months).

lots of the chocolate selection comes from places outside the US, too.

if you can get past the details, the food is incredible. well worth the $$$ and this is coming from someone who strives to find lunch options for $5 or less. i don't blink an eye paying $6.95 for a sandwich there, and usually end up buying an interesting drink or chocolate treat, as i know it's money well spent.

miss ellen

I work a block away from Hannah's and it is quickly becoming my sole lunch destination (I try to brownbag when possible, but when I fail to, it is all Hannah's.)

edit: Since only one person mentioned the soups, let me drop a couple more cents here. The bündner barley soup is very tasty and filling, and I've tried a couple of their soups du jour (tomato bisque and potato leek) and all have been wonderful.

Although I must admit, the bündner can be inconsistent, tons of barley and leeks and celerey and carrots one day, little of any the next, all carrots another.

If I'm not feeling in the mood for a sandwich (a rare occurence - the siren song of the parma ham is a difficult one to resist), a regular soup and a bretzel make a great lunch.

If I'm feeling in the mood for a sandwich and soup, they have a combo which pairs a regular soup and a "half" a sandwich (actually about 75% of a sandwich).

I am obsessed. I go there every single day for breakfast. Sometimes I get a pretzel with nutella. Sometimes I get a pretzel with swiss cheese. If you just get a pretzel with cheese or ham, it's not too expensive (around 3.85 or so). I find that a mere pretzel satifies me for hours. It's such a great place!

I have been to this place twice, both times me and my wife spent close to $20.00 on two sub sandwitches, chips, and drinks. While the bread was crisp and flavorful and the meat decent, it was way overpriced. I can go to Subway or Cousins or even the various italian sub places and spend under $12.00 for all of it and they are larger portions.

This quote keeps kicking around, but I can never remember who I saw say it first: "The food isn't very good, but at least the portions are big!"

Hannah's may have some European details, but it is far from pretentious. The owner, Florian, is as friendly and charming as he can be and he knows how to treat customers. They do stock lots of imported goodies and charge higher-than-average prices (although it is good value for the quality of the ingredients you are getting) but none of this translates into pretension or attitude. Sure you pay more than Subway, but the sandwiches don't even compare taste-wise! Nor are you likely to find anything organic of whole grain at Subway.

My only complaint has been with the soups. I sampled the butternut squash when they had it and found it bland. I make a better squash soup at home. But truly, that was the only time I have ever been disappointed there.

gleam wrote:This quote keeps kicking around, but I can never remember who I saw say it first: "The food isn't very good, but at least the portions are big!"

This was from the other board and I believe it was Gary who authored this notion. Unfortunately it is one of those posts which are difficult to identify or search for. The general idea was that people from an older generation valued large portions over quality of food. All confirmed in a conversation overheard in a diner somewhere.

Since Gary keeps copies of everything he writes, there is a chance he could recreate it here.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:

gleam wrote:This quote keeps kicking around, but I can never remember who I saw say it first: "The food isn't very good, but at least the portions are big!"

This was from the other board and I believe it was Gary who authored this notion. Unfortunately it is one of those posts which are difficult to identify or search for. The general idea was that people from an older generation valued large portions over quality of food. All confirmed in a conversation overheard in a diner somewhere.

Since Gary keeps copies of everything he writes, there is a chance he could recreate it here.

Regards,

This sounds like merely the positive inverse of the old Jewish joke -

"Nu, how was the deli on the Avenue there?"

"Feh! The brisket was dry, the soup was too salty, and the kneidlach was like lead! And such small portions!"

When I lived in Florida, this Frankenstein-like attitude towards food (all food good... only lack of food bad...) certainly was the case much of the time, eg, Sonny's Barbecue, where one could get an all-U-can-eat platter of seriously mediocre food. The place was invariably packed, even though the BBQ truck down the block had combo plates of the real deal for 1/2 the price. I wonder the same thing whenever I walk past the Olive Garden here in Vegas, and see a parking lot full of cars on any given night. As my grandmother might have said, "what, are they GIVING something away?"

As for Hannah's Brezel, that looks like a place I would frequent (and may do so, in the near future). Does anyone know from where exactly Florian hails? Admittedly, my affinities in things Deutscher lie towards the Northern belt (from the Northern Rhineland to Danzig... errr....Gdansk) but I have to admit, those Swabians and Bavarians make some damn fine Brezeln. BMW's, too.

Der Hungrydirndl

My admittedly sometimes-faulty memory is trying to tell me he's Bavarian.

Cathy2 wrote:

gleam wrote:This quote keeps kicking around, but I can never remember who I saw say it first: "The food isn't very good, but at least the portions are big!"

This was from the other board and I believe it was Gary who authored this notion. Unfortunately it is one of those posts which are difficult to identify or search for. The general idea was that people from an older generation valued large portions over quality of food. All confirmed in a conversation overheard in a diner somewhere.

Since Gary keeps copies of everything he writes, there is a chance he could recreate it here.

Regards,

I seem to remember first seeing that phrase used in conjunction with a post about Maggiano's on the other board. (Of course, it might have been said before that point in time, but that was the first time that I'd seen it.)

Cathy2 wrote:This was from the other board and I believe it was Gary who authored this notion.

Cathy,

Not me, JeffB, though I have used it on occasion, with credit to Jeff.

Enjoy,
Gary

Really, kids, I think of this as the ultimate LTH joke. It has legs, but apparently The Woodster opened "Annie Hall" with it:

Alvy Singer: [addressing the camera] There's an old joke - um... two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of 'em says, "Boy, the food at this place is really terrible." The other one says, "Yeah, I know; and such small portions." Well, that's essentially how I feel about life - full of loneliness, and misery, and suffering, and unhappiness, and it's all over much too quickly.

Giovanna

Florian tells me that he is from Stuttgart. He has lived in Switzerland (hence the soup) and in New York before moving here.

What is the deal with the staff there?
They seem too serious about food to work in a fast food place.
Are they culinary students?
I've never seen such dedication to making a sandwich -- which is why I am pleased to drop $10 for lunch there.

I've only eaten once here -- I had to renew my license, so I was in the neighborhood and... so anyway. I had the tomato bisque, which was simply outstanding. About the best tomato soup I've ever had, brimming over with fresh tomato flavor. I also had a pretzel bread sandwich, which was quite good, maybe not the knockout I expected, but really a good quality deli sandwich. So, worth it, definitely, if you don't have to make a trek to get there.