Bread is often called the staff of life and not usually a delicacy. However when the bread in question is given a light touch and is made by a skilled artisan, then it does qualify as a delicacy. At Neu’s Delicacy in Bondi Junction, Manuel Neu is a baby faced bread baron. Originally from Germany, he is in the business of baking German style breads. And thanks to lovely reader Jaqi for letting me know about Neu’s!
Manuel Neu
Manuel tells us that there is a difference between French style sourdoughs and German style ones . French sourdough, which are the types that you see here are wheat based with a crunchy, thicker crust where German sourdoughs usually have a rye component and have a thinner crust on top. There are regional differences even within Germany as breads in Hamburg are comparatively lighter than the heavier breads in Munich.
Neu’s as Manuel pronounces it “it’s a noice bit of bread” (think Kath and Kim) started baking their own breads in late 2011. As per the German tradition the bakery is named after the family name. Previously, their business consisted of importing par baked breads from Germany. Par baked imports are more common than you would think. This is when bread is baked 80% done and then frozen and imported and these are then finished in the destination country and bake until done. It is how Luneburger imports their bread and there are many French pastries and breads that are imported in this same fashion.
Neu’s decided to change tack and hire a baker master from Germany. Jurgen walked in and the shopfront in Bondi Junction changed from a cafe to literally just a shopfront as they needed more space to bake the loaves that they sell all over in markets throughout Sydney.
Their best seller is the rustic sourdough which is made with 50% rye and 50% wheat and in total they sell 1,500 loaves a week, all made with Australian ingredients with the exception of the salt and lye for the pretzels. In total there are twelve types of breads, seven of those containing rye. We try a range of the breads here including the pumpkin, sunflower seed baguette with shredded apple and soy beans (Mr NQN’s favourite), a big crumbed wheat tomato and a chilli ciabatta (the latter having a lovely spicy hit). I really enjoy the rich brown Munich malt as it has a dense crumb, moist centre and lovely aroma, although I would love more spice in the English raisin bread.
The dck ovens which heat the loaves from the top and bottom
We try the wurzelbrot or root bread which resembles a twisted tree root which has a light flavour of cumin. There is also a 50% wheat 50% rye carrot loaf with shreds of carrot and a multitude of nubbly seeds (sunflower, linseed and soya bean) and the classic rustic sourdough that we take home. They’re breads filled with weight and goodness and not flyaway, light samples, yet the inner is not dry and have an appealing moistness to them.
Manuel tells us “the moistness in the bread is achieved through the resting time of the dough. When your dough is resting you give it time to acidify – means the glue or gluten in our flour has time absorb more water. Flavour also develops during the resting time.”
Apart from the loaves, there are also ready made sandwiches including two interesting ones which comes in pretzel rolls and one is what Manuel calls a classic German sandwich with salami, egg, gherkin and cream cheese in a pretzel roll.
Berliner $3
Apart from these, are the item that my eyes hone in on, the Berliner donuts. These are filled with raspberry jam and come winter, the store will sell egg nog custard centred Berliners! You’ll be able to find me at the front of the queue for that one 
So tell me Dear Reader, what is your favourite type of bread to eat?
NQN was given some samples of bread to try
Neu’s Delicacy
23 Bronte Road Bondi Junction NSW 2022
Tel: +61 (02) 9369 2222
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38 Comments | Add your own
Wow, this bakery looks amazing!! Those pretzels are definitely calling out to me. What an incredible oven.
German bread AHHH!
The Bretzel rolls look so yummy! Another thing to do with the round Bretzel rolls is to open one up leaving one side of the roll connected. Put a hard boiled egg inside and smash the lid and base back togther. It’s salty and eggy and good!
Do they have other German sweets on sale?
Oh wow, another German bakery… we have so much choice in Sydney its hard to keep your money in your pocket and a nice figure!
I never knew about the imported frozen breads – very interesting and how gorgeous is that oven
I love dark rye but anything that is dense will work for me.
Bread never looked so enticing – I can smell it through the screen
Great review and on my list of places to visit!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I love the bread from Soos bakery. Rye with caraway seed. It is the bread I remember having in my childhood back in Humgary.
Soos is on Old South Head Rd North Bondi.
This is great publicity for a business that’s only been open for around six months. There is a similar bakery in Newport called ‘Blue Moon Bakery’ also run by Germans, Chris and Christine. It’s been going for around 10 years and they supply not only the locals but restaurants as well. Like you say, bread cooked by artisans is just wonderful xx
This looks so good. I’d love to try one of the pretzels!
oooh Mr BBB would love those berliners!
Oh my, oh me! This looks SO inviting. Herr Neu has chosen his shop site well, methinks, as that area of E Suburbs is so European multicultural with such a large proportion of Jewish incomers who do know their loaf. And his breads look seriously good! Living semi-rurally I have to make do with quinoa and flaxseed breads, but the German style rye sourdough makes me think about asking some Sydney visiting friend to make a trip to BJ before
!
Luneburger import par baked breads? NOOOO! I didnt want to know that…sigh. Each time I have been in Germany its an absolute delight to wake each morning and visit the local Backerei. The the divine smell of the fresh baked goods make my purchases a tough decision.
Who knew they’d import frozen bread? I’m not sure how I feel about all the hoo ha with the freight when bread isn’t that difficult to make. I’ve made my own bread for years but I think I’d like to try some of this German sourdough.
What gorgeous breads! I didn’t know the difference between French and German sour dough breads–interesting.
I know it isn’t the healthiest, but I once lived over a bakery in Paris where I learned to appreciate a freshly baked baguette—perfection!
Nothing quite compares with the heavenly smell of fresh bread baking away in the oven. I couldn’t possibly pick a favourite bread as all are delicious in their own right. Oh, to live next to a bakery would be sublime and utterly dangerous for my thighs, lol!
I would drive all the way to Bronte Road for one of those Berliner’s, love, love, love! Haven’t had a decent since my teenage years when the local baker was German, what a loss to the locals when he closed down .
I love German bread! There are so many delicious varieties I don’t think I could have a favourite….I want them all.
The kind of bread that comes topped with peanut butter and maple syrup
That Manuel fellow is rather cute. He could feed me gherkins anyday.
These breads look absolutely divine….
I am on carb heaven right now…
Look at that Rye!!!
More Artisan bakers, how lucky are we in Sydney. Frozen breads have been imported into Australia for a very long time.,…. along with Danish Pastries and croissants. Lets support the baby faced barons and the Newport locals and all of the bakeries we know are muscling that dough to make us perfect bread without the aid of a packet or freezer
YUM. YUM. YUM. Too dangerously delicious to keep on my screen in fear of running all the way to Bondi to buy something…. Mmmmm German pretzels
I love bread… but I’ve been good and haven’t eaten much of it lately… still doesn’t mean I love it less!
My favourite types of bread are sweet, filled with fruit, jam – or custard! These breads lookk fab.
I enjoy eating toasted sourdough penne topped with savory mince for breakfast. All those different kinds of German Breads sound great especially the pretzels. YUM!
My favourite bread is the sourdough from Vos bakery in Hunter St – but all those German breads look tasty too!
Yum – totally pretzel and beer season! Will have to check this out with a soon to be Sydney-sider from Germany
Ahhhh bread. My weakness. Your photos made me drool! We had a bread making photoshoot at the studio on Wednesday, it was such fun! Our client brought Bavarian Proofing bowls (on my list to buy in Europe) and a Lame (bread scoring tool) which he generously gave me!!!! I’m very excited about making bread.
I’d love to have a bite of the pretzels, Lorraine.
Hey Lorraine! I was so excited when I opened up my email and saw this post. So glad you made it to Neus’
I love the moist, dense texture of these breads…weighty but not TOO heavy. Jurgen the newly arrived German baker has a great sense of humour too 
I hope this family business goes from strength to strength.
There is an art form to artisan bread making that makes me go weak at the knees. Those Berliner donuts have my name written all over them.
Love bread all kinds. Crusty loaf with soup, more refined with dinner, but can’t do seeded breads these days, which I miss.
Wow! This really makes me miss living in Germany (Mannheim, Cologne). We just don’t get this kind of bread in the US. Lucky you!
It sure looks wonderful, but I’ll have to take your word for the flavour
My favourite bread is Scharrs gluten free, its the best I’ve come across for flavour and texture, although its ccryovaced and imported from Europe. Of course this means its quite expensive as well
Sourdough!!! Crazy about sourdough fresh with butter or toasted with vegemite or cheese or a toasted sandwich. Mmmmmmmmm!!
Oh yum, I LOVE LOVE LOVE German bread! My German partner complains that the bread in Australia is just terrible, so we always gorge ourselves when we go to Germany, haha. I’m coming to Sydney for a weekend in a few months, will *have* to pop into Neu’s and stock up.
Hello Lorraine
Working full time has been crazy but just found out that i can actually go on blogs and stuff during working ours yay!
I’ve always loved bread a lot more than rice and other carbs…but because i love eating cake so much that lol i usually save my carb intake for that and not bread
but then i can’t resist it when it’s delicious looking gourmet bread like this hehe OH OH OH the Berliner DONUT me want me want!!
My favourite type of bread would have to be SOURDOUGH
I want a Egg Nog filled Berliner!
Mmm salty bready goodness!
I’m not a big bread eater but I do love fresh, good quality breads especially sourdough.
Hmm..handsome guy… oh no I mean, delicious bread… LOL.
I’m a bread lover and this place looks so good!
Ich fliege im November von Deutschland nach Sydney um dieses einmalige Brot und die Backwaren meines Bruder´s und Bäckermeister´s Jürgen Sippel zu probieren.
Er ist ein Meister in seinem Fach.
“Enjoy it”.
Anette
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