“Why is it so hard to find good store bought pita bread?” That’s the question I asked myself numerous times throughout this journey to find the best pita bread. The obvious answer is that no matter how many preservatives they seem to put in it, store bought pita bread only tastes fresh for a few days. Some are dry and crumbly from the start. Others have too much chew and taste too dang sour. With odds like that, you have to buy the stuff that’s actually worth the money and hassle. But never fear, fellow pita pessimists. I did the hard work so you don’t have to and found some genuinely good options.
How I sourced the pita bread brands
I stuck to pita bread available at major grocery stores, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, and a few national chains. Online chatter seemed to suggest that the best store bought pita was hiding at Whole Foods, so I definitely wanted to test that theory. As a disclaimer, I will say: There are regional pita bread brands I’ve seen people mention online that I’m not easily able to pick up here in California. Comment below if you have a favorite that I wasn’t able to try, and we can try to locate them for next time! (You better believe we’re hitting up the Publix bakery for pita bread the next time a Sporked writer visits the East Coast.)
What I looked for in the best pita bread
Pita bread comes in different styles. Some are fluffier and more pocket-y, ideal for stuffing with falafel or shawarma. Others are thinner and a little more flexible. Greek-style pita bread is thicker and pocketless, closer to a flatbread. Regardless of type, the best pita bread should be soft, slightly chewy, and taste fresh, even if it came from a plastic bag. A good pita should bend without cracking too much and reheat to a beautiful, bendy, sturdy softness. I tried them all—from shelf-stable options to bakery contenders—to find the ones actually worth buying. Here’s what I recommend.
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- Joseph’s Original
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Am I head over heels in love with Joseph’s Original Pita? No, but I still think it’s the best pita bread you can find at the shelf stable section at Walmart. (And among the best store bought pita you can find in the bread aisle and not the bakery.) It’s a thinner, more traditional-style pita that puffs up nicely when heated. Whether you warm it or eat it straight from the bag, it holds together well when folded and doesn’t get too brittle, even after sitting on your counter for a few days. It’s a perfectly acceptable choice for salad wraps and gyros—but it’s not the best pita bread out there by any means.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Joseph’s Greek Style Pocketless Pita
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Okay, I’m actually a little more in love with Joseph’s Pocketless Pita. I’m not “Team Joseph” just yet, but this is some good-looking pita bread, I’ll give him that much. If you asked AI to design the perfect pocketless pita bread, you’d get this pale, cloudlike flatbread with a symmetrical docking pattern and neat grill lines. The dough is super soft, bendy, and squishy. It doesn’t taste as rich or fresh as our top three best pita breads, but I’m just happy it isn’t stiff or too sour. Plus, it will last in your cabinet for more than three days.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Goglanian Bakeries Greca Pita
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Okay, now we’re getting to the best pita bread. You can tell by the warmer golden coloring on this Greek pita that the flavor is going to be deeper and yeastier. As I wrote in my notes: “This is like a Sister Schubert yeast roll as a flatbread.” (If you’re not familiar, they’re among our favorite dinner rolls.) It’s incredibly soft and almost a little moist, with a rich, comforting flavor that really sets it apart. The only downside here is that it’s tricky to find—I picked this up at Sprouts, and I’m sad to say it looks like a regional brand available only on the West Coast. If you’re able to find it, definitely give it a shot! If not, well, that’s why we have multiple recs.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Angel Bakeries Whole Wheat Pita
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Alright, internet. I see you. I hear you. Apparently, Angel Bakeries Pita Bread from Whole Foods (and Amazon) is the best pita bread on the market, so I did my darndest to pick it up. Sadly (and with a sea of apologies), I have to be transparent and tell you I could only find the whole wheat version. Their white pita bread seems to be perpetually sold out at my local Whole Foods. But guess what: I don’t think it matters, because this whole wheat pita is so tasty, I didn’t feel like I was missing out at all. This barely tastes like whole wheat; it only has a touch of earthiness. The flavor is smoother than most of the other white pitas I tried. This is an Israeli-style pita bread, making it one of the thickest pitas you can find, with a big, sturdy pocket. It’s the best pita bread to really stuff to the brim with shawarma, veggies, and literally whatever you have in your fridge. That said, the size of it is pretty small, so just keep that in mind. Angel Bakeries pitas are preservative-free (they flash freeze these to keep them fresh), so they really have a homemade quality that you can’t find anywhere else.
Credit: Merc / Whole Foods
- Turlock Pita Bread
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“If it helps, Turlock pita bread is really, really good! It’s the brand I always buy,” said the Whole Foods employee after he checked the back, confirmed Angel Bakeries White Pita was fully out of stock, and saw my look of despair. In the moment, I chalked up his response to being a good salesman (and kind person), but after trying Turlock’s white pita for myself, I can honestly say he wasn’t lying. This is a near-perfect traditional pita and the true fast-casual gyro dupe I’ve been looking for all along. It isn’t too thin or thick, with a satisfying elastic chew. The flavor is so pleasantly neutral, and it still tastes so fresh and bready. As it turns out, the best pita bread is at Whole Foods—but it’s also at Albertsons, Gelsons, and other stores, too.
Credit: Merc / Albertsons
Best Shelf Stable
Runner Up, Best Greek
Best Greek-Style Pita
Runner Up
Best of the Best
Other pita breads we tried:
Sam’s Choice White Greek Style Pita, Sam’s Choice Greek Style Pita, Joseph’s Heart Friendly Pita Bread, Joseph’s Flax Pita Bread, Sara Lee Mr. Pita 100% Whole Wheat Pita Bread, Sprouts Wheat Pita Bread, Sprouts Flax And Oat Bran Pita Bread, Papa Pita Flat Bread White Greek Pita, Papa Pita Flat Bread Whole Wheat Greek Style Pita, Pita Pit Bakery Small Authentic Pita Bread, Roman’s Bakehouse Pita Bread Original
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!