How Lexington’s best pretzel started as a hobby during COVID
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During the COVID pandemic, Jeremy Markle was like a lot of us and started a new hobby.
The former craft beer industry professional got into baking — specifically sourdough baking, starting with focaccia and working his way up to pizza. From there, he moved on to his son’s favorite, pretzels.
Fast forward to today, and Markle’s authentic, German-style pretzel is the best of its kind in Lexington.
The sourdough pretzel is served at farmers markets, local restaurants and fresh from the oven of Markle’s microbakery and pub, The Wandering Bock Pretzel Pub & Brat Haus inside Greyline Station.
Markle and his co-owner wife, Nicole, started as Papa Pretzel, a pop-up at Greyline’s Julieta Market, and then in 2024 expanded to a commercial space and additional brand, The Wandering Bock, pairing the pretzels with Belgian, German and local beers.
Papa Pretzel at The Wandering Bock makes the best pretzel in Lexington
What makes his soft, chewy and perfectly baked craft pretzels stand out? There are two key reasons his Swabian-pretzel are the best.
Markle says “the soul of our baking” comes from the fermented sourdough starter, which he feeds “pretty much every day for the last six years.”
“It really does make a big difference in baking. It just gives a richer texture, a better flavor,” said Markle, who hand rolls 200-600 pretzels a week, depending on wholesale orders and local events.
“Not a lot of people anywhere in the world do sourdough pretzels,” said Markle. “A lot of it’s just dried yeast, commercial yeast. Even the Germans use a lot of commercial yeast.”
Before going into a 400-degree oven for just under 15 minutes, the pretzels get a traditional lye dip.
“It’s kind of a weird thing that pretzels are dipped in lye, but the Germans figured that out centuries ago,” said Markle. “A lot of pretzels that you’ll get home baked and probably at the mall will be just dipped in baking soda. That doesn’t really give them that pretzely flavor, like a traditional German pretzel.”
The result is a slight tangy flavor with a soft tender inside and salty, buttery golden crust. They are not greasy and can easily be a grab and go snack, pared perfectly with Markle’s homemade beer cheese or mustard.
Where can I buy Papa Pretzels, and how much are they?
The hand-twisted creations have become so popular, they are sold wholesale and served by local chefs, craft breweries, shops, festivals, pop-up events and the local farmer’s markets. They are on the menu at Salt and Vinegar, Ethereal Brewing, Cannabuzz Bar & Dispensary and Crow’s Hat in Lancaster. And the family-owned business is in talks to possibly expand its restaurant reach with a local fine dining place and a popular bar.
But where you need to truly enjoy the pretzel is hot and fresh from the oven at the hybrid bakery/pub, The Wandering Bock.
“I usually tell people, these are super hot. They’re still kind of baking,” said Markle. “If you let them sit and let the beer cheese sit in the middle for a couple of minutes, it’s a better experience.”
A 7-ounce Papa Pretzel is $6, or two for $10. A bigger, 11-ounce version called The Big Papa is also available ($8 or two for $14). The smaller Papa Pretzel is sold in bags of six for $25 at the Lexington Farmers Market and soon at the Southland Market.
You can also buy Papa Pretzel’s in bulk at the Wandering Bock: A Papa Pack with four hand-made pretzels and four dips for $22; or a Party Pack has nine pretzels and eight dips for $50.
Papa Pretzel has a five homemade beer cheeses on its menu. Each is made with a different beer to enhance the flavor.
Markle also uses his homemade dough for freshly baked hot dog and bratwurst buns. The 1/4-pound dogs and brats are from Critchfield Meats Family Market and come with 26 different topping combinations including German-style sauerkraut and spicy mustard.
Markle also makes a daily rotation of soups, but chili is always on the menu, so it can be used for his version of a coney dog: a fresh pretzel bun with a beer cheese base.
How are sourdough pretzels made at The Wandering Bock?
The three-day process starts with feeding the sourdough starter and letting it ferment overnight.
Day two involves mixing the starter with ingredients like water, flour, malt powder, butter and salt. Then for two-three hours, Markle hand rolls and makes the pretzels into his signature braided circular shape. He says forming them different from the classic pretzel shape is more practical when it comes to holding with a cheese spread or mustard dip.
“But we’ve also really come to appreciate the braided circle is kind of a symbol for us — the braiding together of community, and also the circular economies for small local economies that feed back into them,” said Markle. “So it’s kind of become a symbolic shape for us as well that we really like to focus on.”
After cold-proofing overnight in the refrigerator, the pretzels are made to order, first getting a bath in food-grade lye and a sprinkle of salt.
Then comes the hard part— holding back the urge to tear into the pretzel after coming out of the oven hot and steamy. You have to at least try and take Markle’s advice, letting the cheese soften in the middle after he hands it to you.
“But I’ll walk away, and I’ll look back and like, 10 seconds later, they’re just tearing into the pretzels like kids.” said Markle. “You know, it’s just the smell and everything, you don’t blame them, yeah?”
The Wandering Bock Pretzel Pub & Brat Haus
Where: Inside Greyline Station, next to Wing KYng
Hours: Noon-3 p.m., 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Tue.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun.
Order online: papapretzel.com
This story was originally published April 7, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
