Where to find dense, moist wheat bread like in Germany?

[Chowpatty]

I recently returned from Berlin where I had some of the best brown bread I've ever tasted. Has anyone found anything like these dense but not heavy loaves, that are soft (not super crunchy like French bread), but not as sweet as the mostly bad "honey wheat" bread most bakeries have here? I haven't been impressed with Great Harvest at all.
Googling around a little, I see that perhaps it's called Vollkornbrot, made with rye? It's lightly sweet, not at all like what we think of as rye bread.

[Munchmouth]

I second for Berolina's in Montrose. Love Shreiner's too- if you pick up some sausage and rokraut you are all set for a few days, dinnerwise.

[Chowpatty]

Thanks for the suggestions! I did exactly what Munchmouth recommended -- tried the outdoor bbq at Schreiner's where they were serving excellent Irish sausage and smoky bbq brisket, picked up some sausages to take home, and then got a German seeded loaf at Berolina's. I can't believe that I never knew how good German bread was until I went to Berlin. Berolina's was very close to what I was looking for, and they also had a Black Forest loaf which looked intriguing.

[foodiemahoodie]

Try Rockenwagner bakery. I'm not sure it has exactly what you want - but it definitely had a lot of "Teutonic" qualities in the baked goods.

[ipsedixit]

Patty,

If you can hunt them down, Bicycle Bread makes a pretty good whole wheat bread.

[Das Ubergeek]

Hie thee to Streit's Bakery in Downey. You can buy their breads in several places—Wholesome Choice, and I know they sell it at Mattern Sausage, and I think maybe also at Hollingshead's Deli (not sure on that one though), but why not go to the Mother Ship?

If you want to stay in L.A., go to Berolina Bakery in Glendale. It's Swedish, but the bread styles are similar and I've never had a sweet bread unless it was supposed to be sweet, like vörtlimpa.

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Mattern Sausage
1003 N Parker St, Orange, CA 92867

[Chowpatty]

Thanks Uber, I will make a pilgrimage one of these days, but likely will get to Berolina first.

[happybaker]

Chowpatty,

if you go to Berolina's, you should also stop at Schreiner's Fine Sausages, right next door. Great stuff to be had there!

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Schreiner's Fine Sausages
3417 Ocean View Blvd, Glendale, CA 91208

[honkman]

As a German living in California I can fully understand you - I get most thing and much more in California than in Germany but I have yet to find good bread, rolls etc. in the same quality and variety anywhere in California. If you are looking for at least a few variations of decent German-style bread the supermarket in the "German" village in Huntington Beach is your best option.

[DiveFan]

Haven't been in a while, but Alpine Village Market in Torrance usually has a good selection of German style breads. I think they are actually baked in OC though.

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Alpine Village Market
833 Torrance Blvd Ste 1A, Torrance, CA 90502

[bad nono]

Not German, and it's a rye bread, but Hygge's dark rye bread is probably the best bread I've had in Los Angeles, and the closest thing to North European breads in general. It's not crunchy and it's not sweet whatsoever.

[cls]

Cheese Store Silverlake has some great bread from a local baker like you describe. The selection changes, but you could probably ask.

[Chowpatty]

Thanks, love Mark Stambler's bread but it's nothing like what I'm looking for -- it's French-style with a hard crust. I think Rockenwagner might be my best bet, but I just picked up a loaf of Il Fornaio multigrain at Bristol Farms with pumpkin and sunflower seeds that's not bad at all.

[cls]

Good to know who makes it.
I did have one when they first started carrying it that did not have a hard crust and was a soft whole wheat.