Located on the site of an industrial warehouse in the southwest corner of Durham's Tuscaloosa-Lakewood neighborhood, Guglhupf is a European-inspired bakery and cafe known for its fresh-baked artisan breads, exquisite pastries, and meals that feature local ingredients prepared with a southern German twist.

History

Founded in 1998, Guglhupf is the creation of Claudia Kemmet-Cooper, who trained as a baker and pastry chef at the Rischart bakery in Munich.  She came to Durham initially to fulfill her dream of opening a bakery that would introduce traditional German recipes to a contemporary American audience while reinventing them to reflect the global tastes of its diverse community.

So successful was Guglhupf's unique blend of old world atmosphere and Southern charm that Kemmet-Cooper eventually decided to expand the business. With the help of local contractor Ted Patterson, she designed a space intended to create a sophisticated ambiance while honoring the building's industrial origins.

The extensive renovation began in 2004, adding a cafe to the existing bakery building as well as building an exterior patio dining area to complement its cozy dining room.

Cuisine

Bakery & Patisserie

Guglhupf's bakery offers an array of artisan breads, prepared from scratch daily by master bakers Christian Oertel and Chris Astraikis. It also features a variety of pastries and desserts, classic and contemporary. Head pastry chef Antonia Manzi oversees the creation of numerous delicacies, including Berliners, strudels, and tortes. Special holiday treats, such as Guglhupf's famous stollen, supplement everyday fare, but be sure to place orders early in the season, as quantities are limited and can sell out quickly!

Cafe

Guglhupf's cafe is a full-service restaurant that offers both indoor and outdoor seating. The interior provides a cozy environment conducive to a coffee and a chat, while the Biergarten-style patio welcomes its guests to gather for Bavarian small plates and wine near a man-made stream cascading through a sculptured concrete terrace. Executive chef David Alworth's menus emphasize local and seasonal ingredients, which, when paired with Guglhupf's carefully curated selection of German and Austrian wines, create a unique dining experience.

Among Guglhupf's lunch options are small plates -- perennial favorites include the Alsatian potato leek tart and the house-made bratwurst -- as well as "sharing platters" such as the wurstplatte-charcuterie plate (served with bakery bread). Dinner entrees may include Swabian ribeye or wienerschnitzel. Vegetarian options are also available.

Saturdays and Sundays are popular with the brunch crowd. In addition to an extensive selection of coffee and tea beverages, customer favorites such as eggs benedict, grilled nutella sandwiches, and the turkey, brie, and apple chutney panini keep diners coming back week after week. Families will be pleased to know that a kids' menu is available. While reservations are suggested for weekend dining, brunch is strictly "first come, first served". 

Hours

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Bakery	closed	7:30 - 6:00	7:30 - 6:00	7:30 - 6:00	7:30 - 6:00	7:30 - 5:00	8:30 - 2:00
Cafe	closed	B:8:00 - 11:00 L:11:00 - 4:30 D:5:30 - 9:30	8:00 - 11:00 11:00 - 4:30 5:30 - 9:30	8:00 - 11:00 11:00 - 4:30 5:30 - 9:30	8:00 - 11:00 11:00 - 4:30 5:30 - 10:00	BR:8:00 - 4:30     D:5:30 - 10:00	BR:9:00 - 3:00     DS:3:00 - 5:00

B = Breakfast; BR = Brunch; L = Lunch; D = Dinner; DS = Dessert

Special Events

Guglhupf is known for its popular Wine Dinners, pairing unique wines, often from a single vintner, with a prix fixe meal. Reservations for these events are strongly recommended. Each year, Guglhupf also hosts Rocktoberfest, a food and beer event on the Guglhupf patio. This year's celebration takes place on September 28, 2013, and will be open to the community with no reservations required. A winter celebration is also planned for sometime in December.

Awards & Recognition

Not surprisingly, Guglhupf has won numerous awards. In 2013, it received opentable.com's "Diner's Choice Award," as well as the "best bakery" designation in the North Carolina Indy Week's "Best of the Triangle 2013," an honor it has achieved consistently over the past several years. In January 2013, Guglhupf was featured in The New York Times as part of its popular "36 Hours in..." series. It has also been spotlighted on the Food Network's Food Finds.

In 2004, the City of Durham recognized Guglhupf's architectural excellence by presenting it with the Golden Leaf Award for Best Commercial Construction. This award recognizes "the best visual contributions to the Durham community, and encourages design and maintenance that contributes to design, sustainability, and usability of the Durham community,"

Art & Design

Not only is the food amazing, but Guglhupf's decor is inspiring and its atmosphere welcoming. Large paper lanterns hang from the ceiling, casting their glow upstairs and downstairs. Solid wooden tables occupy cozy alcoves, enabling guests to appreciate Guglhupf's rotating exhibits of original art. As of September 2013, Guglhupf's featured artist is Lisa Creed, a nationally known painter who resides in Durham. If your dining companions and neat white tablecloths are not enough for your eyes, the art accompanying your meal will enhance your experience.

By the way, what does "guglhupf" mean?

:

 

Guglhupf takes its name from gugelhupf (known variously as gugelhopf, guguluf, or kuglóf), a traditional southern German bundt cake. 

If you wander on over to the bakery, you might just find this mouth-watering delicacy waiting for you!

 

Location

2706 Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard, Durham, N.C., 27707

Review Site

Yelp, Google Local Business, Urban Spoon

Website / Social Media

www.guglhupf.com