Traveling to Germany? Essential Dishes for First-Time Visitors
Germany does not always get the credit it deserves as a food destination. Most people think of sausages and beer, which is fair, but barely scratches the surface of what is actually waiting for you on the plate.
From slow-braised roasts that take days to prepare to a humble street food snack with its own dedicated museum, German cuisine is hearty, historical, and quietly addictive. Here is what to order before you even think about leaving.
Bratwurst With Mustard and a Bread Roll
If there is one food that will follow you across every city, market, and train station in Germany, it is the bratwurst. Germany produces more sausages than any other country in the world, with each region developing its own distinct flavors and preparation methods passed down through generations of butchers and cooks.
Bratwurst is often served as a snack with a white bread roll and sharp mustard, or in traditional restaurants alongside sauerkraut and dark rye bread. Eating one from a street stand while wandering a Christmas market or cobbled old town is, genuinely, one of the great simple pleasures of travel.
Schnitzel
Schnitzel is so deeply embedded in German food culture that you will find it in almost every restaurant across the country, from casual bars to fine dining. Thin, breadcrumbed, and pan-fried until golden, it is the kind of dish that looks simple and tastes like it has been perfected over generations, because it has.
It is made with breadcrumbs, flour, and eggs, and typically served with a wedge of lemon and a side of potato salad or cucumber. Order it once and you will probably order it again before the trip is over.
Currywurst
On a rainy September night in 1949, a snack-bar owner named Herta Heuwer in Berlin’s Charlottenburg neighborhood invented currywurst more or less by accident, blending curry powder and ketchup into a sauce and pouring it over sliced pork sausage. The dish went on to become one of the most beloved street foods in the country.
Berlin alone consumes over 70 million currywursts annually, and the city even has a dedicated museum honoring the dish. It is eaten at any hour, at any occasion, and there is absolutely nothing pretentious about it. That is the whole point.
Sauerbraten
Sauerbraten is widely considered Germany’s national dish, a slow-cooked pot roast that is marinated in vinegar and spices for anywhere between three and seven days before it is braised until deeply tender and rich. The result is something that tastes like patience made edible.
It is typically served with rotkohl, which is slow-cooked red cabbage flavored with apples, vinegar, and cloves, and kartoffelklöße, which are traditional potato dumplings. Order it at a traditional restaurant and take your time with it.
Käsespätzle
Think of Käsespätzle as Germany’s answer to macaroni and cheese, and then accept that it is better. Spätzle are soft egg noodles originating from the Swabian region in southwest Germany, and when they are layered with melted cheese and topped with crispy caramelized onions, the result is the kind of comfort food that makes you want to stay.
It is particularly common in the south of Germany, especially around Stuttgart and the Black Forest region, but good versions can be found across the country at any traditional German restaurant worth visiting.
The Pretzel
The German pretzel is a completely different creature from the dry, salty snack most people know from bags and sports stadiums. In Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, you will find large, dark brown Brezeln with a glossy, chewy crust, coarse salt, and a soft, pillowy interior that pairs perfectly with a cold beer or a smear of butter.
UNESCO has recognized German bread traditions as Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the pretzel sits at the heart of that culture. Walking into a bakery in the morning and ordering one fresh from the oven is, quietly, one of the best things you can do in this country.
Black Forest Cake
Germany takes its cakes and desserts seriously, and no dessert is more famous than the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, a showstopper of chocolate sponge, whipped cream, and cherries soaked in Kirsch cherry brandy. It comes from the Black Forest region in the southwest and has been delighting visitors for generations.
Bakeries are everywhere in Germany, and an afternoon coffee with a slice of cake is a cherished daily ritual that visitors are warmly welcome to join. Do not skip dessert in this country. The cake alone is worth the trip.
