Gary’s Muffins was begun in a small shop on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam in 1993 by Gary, an American immigrant who originally came to the Netherlands to pursue his professional ballet career. Using his own recipes, and some of his mothers, he developed a line of products (muffins, cheesecake, brownies etc.) and introduced them to the Dutch Market. The shop had a ‘California-feeling’ with bright sunny colors, natural materials with an accent on quality, freshness, and personalized service. In addition to selling directly from the shop, a modest wholesale business was begun.

Within a number of years the business had grown to include 7 shops and a bakery which produced all the baked goods under the name ‘Gary’s Home-Baked Products’. The bagels, which had been imported from New York, began also to be produced in the bakery. A ‘bagel trainer’ was flown to the Netherlands and a line of special bagel making equipment was shipped from New York. To this day the same original recipes are used and the bagels are boiled according to the Manhattan recipe, distinguishing them from the steamed bagels sold elsewhere in Holland.

In 2003 the shops were sold to different owners and the bakery sold to the bakers themselves on the condition that the quality of the products remain unchanged. The Kinkerstraat remains Gary’s own, and the menu selection and opening hours have been expanded. Reflecting Gary’s own life experience, a touch of Italy has been added. Gary’s Italian wife and her mother, Nonna Ietta have finally agreed to release the family recipes, and now a range of authentic Italian dishes including Lasagne, Cannelloni and Stufato can be found at the Kinkerstraat shop, now named Gary’s Deli.

The atmosphere of the shop itself remains friendly and casual, with managers Pepijn and Tessa, both employees of Gary’s for more than 6 years carrying on the tradition.