Steam-baked · German tradition since 1995
Each loaf takes over four hours from mixing to cooling — steam in the ovens, old recipes, real ingredients. Our sourdough starter has been fed every day since 1908.
In 1995, Phillip Draeger began baking flax seed goods using a traditional German steam-baking technique. Steam is introduced into the oven at the critical moment the bread goes in, causing the crust to set with a crispness that cannot be achieved any other way. The inside stays moist and open. The outside shatters cleanly when you slice it.
Each loaf — from the simple flax seed loaf to the Cranberry Walnut — follows a schedule. Mixing, first proof, shape, second proof, steam, bake, cool. Over four hours in total. We do not rush it.
Availability varies by day. Come in early — our breads sell out. Calling ahead for specific varieties is always welcome.
Starter from 1908
Our flagship loaf. The sourdough starter has been fed continuously since Frederick Gunkel founded the bakery in 1908 — over 115 years of living culture. Each loaf has a crackling crust, open crumb, and a mild tang that deepens with every bite.
Customer Favorite
Tart dried cranberries and toasted walnuts folded into a hearty flax seed dough. Sweet-savory and deeply satisfying — a Gunkel's bestseller year-round.
A softer, slightly sweet loaf with ribbons of raspberry and creamy white chocolate chips. Exceptional toasted with a little butter for breakfast.
Fresh dill woven into a tender, fragrant crumb. Wonderful on its own, as sandwich bread, or served alongside fish and potato dishes.
Named for Phillip Draeger
Named for Phillip Draeger, who started at the bakery in 1965 and eventually became its owner. This hearty rolled-oat loaf was one of his personal favorites — wholesome, slightly sweet, and built to last.
Steam-baked, German tradition since 1995
Gunkel's pioneered flax seed baking in Antigo. Beginning in 1995, Phillip Draeger began incorporating flax seed the old German way — baked with steam in the ovens, each loaf taking over four hours from mixing to cooling. Rich in omega-3s and deeply nutty in flavor.
Living history
When Frederick Gunkel opened his bakery, he began a sourdough culture that has never been allowed to die. Every single day for over 115 years, someone at Gunkel's Bakery has fed that starter. Wars, winters, ownership changes, a new building — the starter kept going. When you buy a loaf of our sourdough, you are tasting an unbroken line back to 1908.
Stop in any Tuesday through Saturday morning. We open at 7 AM, and the best selection is always first thing.