SoHo Bakery’s $60 Rye Loaf Goes Viral

Rye by Martin Auer, an Austrian bakery’s first U.S. outpost in SoHo, is drawing attention for selling a large rye loaf for $60, with smaller portions available at lower prices. The bakery attributes the cost to importing Austrian flour, the neighborhood’s high operating expenses and a labor-intensive process that can take about 48 hours; its bread is made with rye flour, water and salt. The shop presents bread-making as part of the experience, with customers able to watch bakers work, while some visitors praise the bread and others say the price is excessive. The launch has gone viral online, reflecting both the appeal of luxury food as a novelty or status symbol and skepticism about paying so much for a loaf.