must-try food Germany
our top 10 traditional German foods you have to try
currywurst
sausage & curry ketchup
What is it?
A delicious main meal, snack, or late night choice, especially if you've had a few too many beers! At its heart, it's sliced sausage smothered in curry ketchup, commonly served with a portion of fries to soak up the remaining sauce. Extra mayo or ketchup is also an option.
What is in it?
Sausage! Many types can be used, but pork, usually bratwurst, is the most traditional and common. The sauce is made from ketchup or tomato paste spiced with curry powder, with other possible ingredients including vinegar, paprika, chilli powder, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. It’s often topped with a final sprinkle of curry powder. Fries are a classic side.
Where can I eat it?
Currywurst originated in Berlin after World War II but is now found all over Germany. It’s sold in takeaway spots, dedicated currywurst restaurants, beer gardens, and even some traditional restaurants. Two places we recommend in Munich are Bergwolf and Gute Nacht Wurst, both of which specialise in currywurst and are conveniently located on the same street. It's hotly debated which one serves the best, so why not try both and decide for yourself!
Vegetarian and Vegan versions available.
schnitzel
breaded meat cutlet
What is it?
Schnitzel is a delicious German dish consisting of a thin, breaded, and fried cutlet. While many associate it with Austria’s Wiener Schnitzel, Germany has its own popular variations using pork, chicken, or veal.
What is in it?
Most commonly made with pork (Schweineschnitzel) or chicken (Hähnchenschnitzel). Veal (Kalbsschnitzel) is less common but also found in some restaurants. The meat is coated in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, then fried until golden brown. It's often served with sides such as fries, potato salad, or other regional accompaniments.
Common Variations:
Germany offers far more than just the basic schnitzel. Some popular types include:
Jägerschnitzel – topped with a creamy mushroom sauce
Zigeunerschnitzel – served with a tangy, pepper-based tomato sauce
Cordon Bleu – stuffed with ham and cheese before breading
Schnitzel mit Spiegelei – served with a fried egg on top
Many restaurants also offer regionally inspired or seasonal versions, using different sauces, toppings, or even vegetarian schnitzel made with celery, soy, or other meat substitutes.
Where can I eat it?
Schnitzel is widely available across Germany, from traditional restaurants to beer gardens. While it isn’t tied to a specific region, it’s a consistent and popular item on menus nationwide.
Vegetarian versions available; dairy-free options also common.
käsespätzle
cheesy pasta
What is it?
Literally meaning “cheese spätzle,” (a type of egg noodles) this is Germany’s answer to mac and cheese, only with better cheese. Soft egg noodles are layered with melted cheese and topped with golden fried onions, making it the ultimate comfort food.
What is in it?
Spätzle (made from flour, eggs, and water or milk) and melted cheese. The type of cheese can vary by area, but Emmentaler, Gruyère, and Allgäuer Bergkäse (mountain cheese) are popular choices. It’s topped with crispy fried onions (Röstzwiebeln) and often accompanied by a simple green salad or potato salad.
What is it?
Käsespätzle is especially popular in southern Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Swabia, but it's available throughout the country at traditional restaurants, alpine huts, and beer gardens.
Vegetarian.
knödel
German dumplings
What is it?
Knödel (German dumplings) are a traditional staple of German and neighbouring Austrian cuisine. These soft, round dumplings are usually made from potatoes, bread, or flour-based dough and are most commonly served as a side dish, though some versions can be a meal in themselves. There are many varieties, with some of the most popular being Kartoffelknödel (potato dumplings), Semmelknödel (bread dumplings), and Spinatknödel (spinach dumplings). Many other regional versions also exist.
What is in it?
Knödel come in several main types, each with distinct ingredients and textures:
Kartoffelknödel (Potato Dumplings): Made with grated or mashed potatoes, sometimes mixed with flour or starch as a binder.
Semmelknödel (Bread Dumplings): Made from stale bread rolls (Semmeln) soaked in milk and mixed with eggs, onions, and herbs such as parsley.
Spinatknödel (Spinach Dumplings): Contain spinach mixed into the dough, often combined with bread or flour, eggs, and herbs.
Speckknödel (Bacon Dumplings): Similar to bread dumplings but with added crispy bacon bits.
Where can I eat it?
Knödel are widely available across Germany, typically served in traditional restaurants, beer gardens, and markets—most often as a side dish to roasts, stews, or saucy dishes. In Bavaria and Austria, you’ll also find them in alpine huts. If you're visiting Munich, the Hofbräukeller beer garden and restaurant offers excellent potato dumplings.
Vegetarian options available.
leberkäse
baked meat loaf
What is it?
Leberkäse, also called Fleischkäse, is a beloved specialty from Bavaria, Swabia, and Franconia. Despite its name (“liver cheese”), it usually contains neither liver nor cheese. Instead, it's a finely ground loaf of pork (often mixed with beef or bacon), baked until golden brown.
Leberkäse is enjoyed in two classic ways:
Leberkässemmel: Hot slices in a crusty bread roll, served with sweet or hot mustard — perfect for breakfast or a snack.
As a plated meal: Pan-fried (abgebräunt) and topped with a fried egg, typically accompanied by potato salad, Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes), or sauerkraut.
What is in it?
Finely minced pork (and sometimes beef or bacon), seasoned with onion, mace, nutmeg, white pepper, and coriander. Popular variations include Käseleberkäse (with cheese), Paprika-Leberkäse, and more.
Where can I eat it?
Fast-food stalls and bakeries serve Leberkäse hot in a crusty roll, known as a Leberkässemmel, which is ubiquitous in Southern Germany .It’s also a popular festival snack (like at Oktoberfest). Beer gardens and restaurants offer it pan-fried (“abgebräunt”) with a fried egg and potato salad or Bratkartoffeln .
Dairy & gluten free.
döner
Turkish-style kebab
What is it?
Originating from Turkish immigrants in 1970s West Berlin, the Döner is one of Germany’s most popular street foods. It features seasoned slices of lamb, beef, chicken, or mixed meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, shaved off, and wrapped in flatbread (Fladenbrot) or a thin durum wrap (Dürüm). It can also be served on a plate as a “Döner Teller” with rice or fries While Döner exists elsewhere in the world, nothing compares to the German version.
What is in it?
Rotisserie‑cooked lamb, chicken, beef, or a mix of meats, tucked into pita, Fladenbrot, or Dürüm wrap. It’s filled with a wide selection of vegetables — lettuce, white or red cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions — and drizzled with sauces like garlic-yogurt, chili, or herb-based sauces.
Where can I eat it?
At kebab shops, there are around 16,000 outlets across Germany, making Döner even more common than currywurst. Berlin, the Döner’s birthplace, is especially famous for it, with hotspots in districts like Kreuzberg and Neukölln.
kartoffelsalat
German potato salad
What is it?
Kartoffelsalat is a classic German potato salad, a common side dish enjoyed throughout Germany. Unlike many other potato salads in the West that use mayonnaise, the traditional German version is typically made with a tangy vinaigrette or broth-based dressing, giving it a distinctly sour flavour. It’s commonly served cold or at room temperature
What is in it?
The ingredients can vary regionally, but the basics usually include:
Potatoes! with a mixture of vinegar, oil, and sometimes a bit of mustard or sugar. finely chopped onions or chives, fresh herbs like parsley, and occasionally broth (vegetable or meat-based) to moisten the salad. Some versions also include bacon bits.
Where can I eat it?
German Kartoffelsalat is widely available across Germany, found in traditional German restaurants and beer gardens as a side dish. It's also sold in bakeries, markets, and supermarkets.
Usually vegan, gluten and dairy free.
sauerkraut
fermented cabbage
What is it?
Sauerkraut is finely shredded white cabbage that has been naturally fermented with salt. Its name literally means “sour cabbage” in German. A staple of German cuisine, it’s prized for its tangy, sour flavour and is traditionally served as a side dish. Thanks to the fermentation process, sauerkraut is rich in probiotics, vitamins, and fibre, and is known to support digestion and gut health. The cabbage is tightly packed and left to ferment for several weeks, during which natural lactic acid bacteria develop its signature sourness.
What is in it?
Just shredded white cabbage and salt. The salt draws out moisture, kick-starts fermentation, and naturally preserves the cabbage.
Where can I eat it?
Sauerkraut is widely available throughout Germany, commonly served as a side dish at traditional restaurants, beer halls, and food stalls. You’ll also find it in supermarkets, often freshly packed or in jars, ready to heat and serve.
Vegan, dairy & gluten free.
spezi
cola orange drink
What is it?
The world's best soft drink? On the surface, it's just a cola and orange mix, but it's so much more than that, it's all about the ratio. Mixing Coke with Fanta at home never quite achieves the same balance. Germans tend to keep this glorious elixir to themselves, making it difficult to find outside German-speaking countries. While many brands exist (some simply listed as “cola mixes”), the original is the best. Pauliner-brand Spezi is also very good.
What is in it?
Carbonated water, cola flavouring, orange juice, lemon juice, and sugar.
Where can I drink it?
Everywhere in Germany, from supermarkets and corner shops to restaurants and takeaways, you’ll be able to find some kind of beautiful Spezi.
Vegan and gluten free.
pretzels
knot bread
What is it?
Pretzels, known in German as Brezel, Brezn, or Bretzel depending on the region, are iconic German baked goods, especially popular in Bavaria and Swabia. Recognisable by their distinctive knot-like shape, they have a soft, chewy interior and a crisp, glossy brown crust, achieved by dipping the dough in a lye (alkaline) or baking soda bath before baking. Traditionally topped with coarse salt, there are many variations, some sprinkled with cheese or pepper, others sliced and buttered (Butterbreze), or used as sandwich-style rolls with savoury fillings.
What is in it?
A simple dough of wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and sugar or malt, often enriched with a little fat. The signature dark crust and flavour come from a quick dip in food-grade lye or baking soda. Traditionally topped with coarse salt, but regional toppings include poppy seeds, sesame, pumpkin seeds, pepper, or melted cheese.
Where can I eat it?
Nearly every bakery in Germany, especially in the south, stocks fresh, hand-twisted or machine-made pretzels daily. You'll also find them at food stalls, beer gardens, and traditional restaurants. In Munich, the classic Weißwurstfrühstück (white sausage breakfast) includes one or two Brezn, sweet mustard, and a morning beer.
Vegetarian. Traditionally dairy free.
Ingredients listed reflect common or typical components of this dish as served in restaurants or street‑food vendors. Variations by region, season, or vendor are common. This information is provided for general reference only. If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, please verify ingredient details independently. We assume no liability for accuracy or outcomes.
