One of the many great things about Germany is the diversity, and deliciousness, of their street food! If you visit Germany, I recommend that you try the street food. It’s delicious! You can buy hot, pretzels with cheese on them at almost any time of day.
Whether it’s the roasted chestnuts (yes, on an open fire) during Christmas time or the various other foods you can find throughout the year, you’re bound to find a variety of foods you’ll absolutely fall in love with!
Tasting food of all types is one of the great things to do in Leipzig. German street foods are sold from stalls or stand found on the side of German streets and at markets, fairs, and other gatherings. German street foods can be either savory or sweet, hot or cold.
The most common type of street food is sausage which comes in many varieties such as bratwurst, weisswurst, bockwurst, and so on.
Other types of German Street Foods include currywurst (a spicy sausage), döner kebab (a Turkish-style sandwich with fried meat), and frankfurters with ketchup and mustard.
List of the Best German Street Food to Try
Here are a few of the best German foods to try…
1. Brezel (Pretzels)
Pretzels are a great German street food because they’re so easy to eat! Pretzels are absolutely delicious, and you can get them at almost any time of day. German pretzels often come with cheese on them or mustard for dipping on the side, but it’s also really common for German pretzels to just be plain.
German pretzels are delicious, and I highly recommend that you try some while you’re in Germany!
2. Currywurst
Currywurst is another German street food that you should definitely try! Currywurst is made with German sausage (usually bratwurst), ketchup, curry powder, and Worcestershire sauce.
The spices give the German sausage a nice flavor while still being able to taste its authentic German roots. German currywurst is amazing, so be sure to try one when you’re in Germany!
Currywurst is a dish made from fried Bratwursts that are first fried before being served in pieces with a tomato sauce on top. Many curry sauces on the market come in a variety of tastes. It’s then served as a common street meal, available on a disposable cardboard plate for consumption.
Herta Heuwer, a woman from Berlin and Northern Germany, created the recipe by combining ketchup and curry powder at a modest Schnellimbiss (snack stand).
See Related: Germany Currency: Everything You Need to Know
3. Roasted chestnuts
If you love chestnuts, roasted chestnuts are the best German street food for you! You can roast them over an open fire or in an oven at home.
Roasted chestnuts are actually incredibly easy to prepare — just remove the outer shell of the chestnut with a sharp knife, and you’re all good to go! Roasted German chestnuts are a great snack that you can enjoy even when it’s cold outside.
Roasted chestnuts are one of the most popular German street foods, particularly during winter Christmas markets. Roasted chestnuts are a German delicacy.
4. German Cookies
Another food to try from fast-food stands is German cookies! German cookies have incredible flavors, and they’re so much better than the American version of cookies.
German cookies often have different kinds of nuts in them, which gives them an amazing flavor that can’t be replicated by any other type of cookie. German cookies are absolutely delicious, and you’ll definitely want to try some the next time you visit Germany!
5. Weisswurst
Weisswurst is another food served by street vendors that you should try while you’re in Germany! German weisswurst consists of German veal sausage links. The links are encased in a white, German, fine wheat flour (farina) casing. German weisswurst is usually served with a top Wiener (bun). Weisswurst also contains mace and salt.
Why is German Weisswurst a great German snack? German weisswurst offers a unique flavor that most other German foods don’t have. It’s typically very light and fluffy, which makes it the perfect choice for breakfast or lunch.
If you like German sausages, you’ll love German weisswurst because it has the same German flavors with a unique twist that sets it apart from all the other German foods on this list.
6. Döner Kebab
German food is diverse and delicious, making it one of the many reasons to visit Germany! German Döner kebabs are no exception to this rule. German Döner kebabs offer a versatile German flavor that you’re sure to fall in love with.
German Döner kebab meat is typically lamb or chicken that has been marinated with a mixture of garlic, salt, pepper, spiced, etc. before being rotisserie cooked atop a flatbread which can be tomato seasoned or multigrain pita bread depending on individual preference.
Some regions have their own particular style for this dish – for example, Germany’s variation comes with additional tomato-based condiments such as vegetables and sauces, whereas the Turkish variant will come loaded with fries, sauces, onions, and tomatoes.
See Related: Best Restaurants in Germany
7. Schnitzel mit Pommes Frites
You may know schnitzel as more of traditional German food, but schnitzel can come in more of a to-go form and as street food. German schnitzels in street food form come with either Pommes Frites (French fries or fried potatoes), German potato salad (a German dish typically consisting of boiled potatoes in a dressing), or German vegetables.
German schnitzels are so good! There’s a reason why schnitzel is so widely known.
8. Hähnchenschenkel mit Kartoffelsalat
Another German street food that you should try is German Hähnchenschenkel mit Kartoffelsalat. German Hähnchenschenkel mit Kartoffelsalat is a German dish that’s typically made with German fried potatoes and German fried chicken leg, which has been boiled in a broth consisting of garlic, onion, parsley, butter and milk.
German Hähnchenschenkel mit Kartoffelsalat offers a great German flavor that can’t be replicated by any other type of German food.
9. Leberwurst or Leberkäse
Leberwurst is a type of German sausage and is another popular street food in Germany that you should try! German leberwurst consists of pork liver and bacon.
Most German leberwurst has a German, coarse ground texture. German leberwurst is usually served with German soft buns. German leberwurst also contains salt and spices such as pepper.
Why is German Leberwurst a great German snack? German leberwurst offers a unique, porky flavor that most German foods don’t have. German leberwurst is typically very rich and fatty, which makes it the perfect choice for lunch or dinner.
If you like German sausages, you’ll love German leberwurst because it has the same German flavors with a unique twist that sets it apart from all the other German foods on this list.
10. Glühwein
Glühwein is a German drink that’s been around for over 1,000 years. German Glühwein can be made from any fruit or red wine, and thematically German Glühwein is typically served during winter and is served hot.
German Glühwein is a German staple drink that you should try when you visit Germany! This is a must-have and must-try while touring around one of Germany’s legendary Christmas markets.
11. Kartoffelpuffer
A nice, simple potato pancake is the Kartoffelpuffer (also known as Reibekuchen). The plain potato pancakes are recognized for their love of potatoes and wit. German potato pancakes is a dish that’s been around since the 18th century.
German Kartoffelpuffer is traditionally eaten with apple sauce and/or sour cream. German potatoes can be made from mashed or grated potatoes. German Kartoffelpuffer is the perfect blend of German flavors!
See Related: Famous Mountains in Germany
12. Schaschlikspieß (Meat skewers)
Schaschlikspieß is the ultimate hidden gem of German foods! Schaschlikspieß is usually composed of vegetables, meat, and German spices. Schaschlikspieß is great for portion control because they provide a well-rounded meal that contains all the nutrients you need. This dish can be served with German rice or German potatoes.
Schaschlikspieß also contains olive oil and lemon juice which give an added flavor to this German street food favorite. Why is German Schaschlikspieß terrific? German Schaschlikspieß offers protein to make it more filling, as well as vegetables for fiber content, and also provides German spices to the dish.
German Schaschlikspieß is a great choice to try if you’re looking for something new and unique!
See Related: Kartoffelklose Recipe
13. Frikadellen
Frikadellen are German street food that can be found virtually anywhere in Germany. German frikadelle is a German specialty dish that consists of German minced grilled meat, optionally with onion or garlic, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs.
In German restaurants, German frikadelle is usually served with German curry sauce and/or a spiced tomato sauce. German Frikadellen are great quick snacks because they’re so versatile. German Frikadellen can be served hot or cold, with either cheese or without, or with other vegetables to make a more filling meal that’s perfect for lunch or dinner.
Frikadellen are also very affordable, which means you can get great German tastes without having to spend an arm and a leg! Pair this with a bread roll and melted butter and you’ll be in pure bliss.
14. Schneeball
The Schneeball is a trendy shortbread pastry from Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Southern Germany. The conventional design is white sugar, although it may be found in a variety of tastes and designs these days.
When you bite into them for the first time, they taste crispy, owing to the sugar or sauce that has been added throughout the entire meal. They are wonderful snacks to take during tours and especially during holidays.
See Related: Types of Traditional German Christmas Food
15. Flammkuchen (Alsatian pizza)
Flammkuchen is a thin-crust pizza dish from Germany. Traditionally, pizzas are round in shape. They’re either oval or square. It packs a wallop because it fills yet remains comfy throughout the entire meal.
The Alsace Region is actually in France and the Alsation Pizza could be considered both French and German. The largest city in Alsace, Strasbourg, has been under both German and French rule. If you visit there, you’ll notice street signs in both German and French!
It works excellently with German beer so give it a try by pairing it with your local brew. This is a specialty of Alsace and may contain almost all kinds of toppings.
Watch the video below for a walkthrough, and taste, of some of these street foods in Germany.
Final Thoughts
German street food is a German specialty and is at the core of the culture of Germany. You’ll find it all over the country and in many other German-speaking countries as well, such as Austria and Switzerland.
It has been around for centuries but was particularly popular during World War II because of its low cost and high nutritional value – something that people were always hungry for after rationing took effect throughout Europe.
German fast food comes in many forms: you can get fresh pretzels, wurst (sausages), potato pancakes, or bratwurst with sauerkraut; there are various types of dumplings like schupfnudeln (potato flour noodles) or goulash soup; freshly squeezed German apple juice might be to your liking too!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the most popular street food in Germany?
German Frikadellen and Brezel (Pretzels) are the most popular street foods in Germany.
What is German street food made of?
German street food is typically made of German sausages, German apple juice, and German potato pancakes. German street food may also be made of bratwurst with sauerkraut and German fried potatoes.
Can I make German street foods at home?
Yes, many street foods are easy to make at home as long as you have German ingredients. German street foods made from sausages and German apple juice, for example, can be purchased from German stores or German online stores. German street food made from potato pancakes is easy to make at home with German ingredients.
What are traditional foods in Germany?
Traditional foods in Germany include fried potatoes, schnitzel, bratwurst, sauerkraut, potato pancakes, and apple juice.
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