kids encyclopedia robot

List of German dishes facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Below is a list of dishes found in German cuisine.

Famous dishes

Name Image Region Description
Aachener Printen Aachener Printen 0293.jpg Aachen A type of gingerbread that is typical for the city of Aachen.
Apfelkuchen Apfelkuchen.png Throughout Germany German pastry consisting of sliced apples
Bratkartoffeln Bratkartoffeln 1024 768.jpg Throughout Germany Fried potato slices, often with diced bacon or onions
Bratwurst 2010.08.22.143425 Nürnberger Rostbratwurst Kirwa Sulzbach-Rosenberg.jpg Throughout Germany Sausage that is usually composed of veal, pork or beef. It is a traditional German sausage. Not to be confused with curry wurst.
Currywurst Currywurst & Pommes frites.jpg Berlin, Rhine-Ruhr This large-format, fried or grilled wiener is cut into thick slices and seasoned with spicy ketchup and generous amounts of curry powder, usually served with french fries — a popular snack originating in early 1950s Berlin. Both Bockwurst-style (i.e. intended to be boiled) and Bratwurst-style (i.e. intended to be grilled or fried) sausages are used, depending on region, and the use of one or the other is a matter for much debate among Currywurst gourmets. Currywurst remains one of the most popular fast foods in Germany, especially in Berlin and the Rhine-Ruhr area, but the Döner kebab is gaining rapidly in popularity.
Fischbrötchen Fischbroetchen080604.jpg Northern Germany Sandwich made with various fish (pickled or fried) and onions, common in Northern Germany, particularly along the coast
Hendl Roast chicken.jpg Austro-Bavarian Whole grilled chicken marinated with pepper and other spices this dish is known as Brathühnchen, Brathähnchen, and in eastern Germany, also as Broiler.
Hasenpfeffer A stew made from marinated rabbit
Kartoffelsalat Kartoffelsalat.jpg Northern Germany and South Germany Potato salad, which comes in many varieties, for example in a cream or mayonnaise dressing (northern Germany) or even in meat broth (south Germany), is often served as a side dish to Bratwurst or boiled sausages).
Knödel (also known as Kloß, depending on region) Semmelknödel.jpg Throughout Germany German dumplings; many different variations:
  • Semmelknödel (dumplings made with bread crumbs)
  • Rohe Kartoffelknödel - dumplings made from potatoes not cooked prior to forming and boiling the Knödel
  • Gekochte Kartoffelknödel - dumplings made from potatoes cooked prior to forming and boiling the Knödel
  • Halb-und-halb Kartoffelknödel: half the potatoes are cooked first, the other half are not
  • Halbseidene
Königsberger Klopse Koenigsberger.jpg East-Prussian: city of Königsberg Cooked meatballs served in a white sauce with capers
Kohlroulade Sarmale.jpg Throughout Germany German-style cabbage rolls
Marzipan Lebensmittel-Marzipan1-Asio.jpg Throughout Germany E.g. Lübeck-style, widely used in Christmas specialities
Pellkartoffel [de] Kartoffeln-quark.jpg Throughout Germany Boiled or steamed potatoes before peeling (young potatoes may be eaten unpeeled), served with Quark and linseed oil, butter, or as a side dish with herring).
Pfefferpotthast Westphalia A traditional peppered beef stew of the German cuisine that belongs to the cuisine of Westphalia.
Rinderroulade Rinderroulade-zutaten-02.JPG Throughout Germany A roulade of bacon and onions wrapped in thinly sliced beef
Sauerbraten Sächsischer Sauerbraten.jpg Rhineland A beef pot roast marinated in vinegar, water, spices and seasonings
Sauerkraut Kiszona kapusta.JPG Throughout Germany Fermented shredded cabbage
Schnitzel Throughout Germany Fried, breaded thin piece of meat, typically pork or beef
Schweinshaxe Eisbein-2.jpg Pork hock served grilled and crispy with Sauerkraut or boiled as Eisbein
Spanferkel Ganzes Spanferkel.jpg Throughout Germany A grilled whole young pig, usually eaten in a large company of friends or guests
Speckpfannkuchen Large, thin pancakes with diced, fried bacon
Spätzle Spätzle mit etwas Butter.jpg Southern Germany These hand-made noodles are very popular and are an important ingredient of several dishes, such as Linsen mit Spätzle or Käsespätzle.
Stollen Rosinen-Christstollen angeschnitten.jpg Dresden A bread-like cake with dried citrus peel, dried fruit, nuts, and spices such as cardamom and cinnamon; it is usually eaten during the Christmas season as Weihnachtsstollen or Christstollen. The best-known Stollen is from Dresden and is sold at the Striezelmarkt Christmas market, which derives its name from the cake.
Weihnachtsgans Christmas-goose-(Weihnachtsgans) 1.jpg Throughout Germany A roasted goose is a popular dish on Christmas Day.

Baden-Württemberg

Name Image Type Description
Maultaschen Maultaschensuppe.jpg Main course Noodle filled with various ingredients, such as meat, spinach, onions, spices: Maultaschen are either served with broth or cut into slices and fried with eggs.
Brenntar Musmehl.jpg Main course It is made of roasted flour called Musmehl, usually spelt flour or oat flour. It is usually cooked like a porridge with water and milk with various ingredients.
Sauerbraten Sächsischer Sauerbraten.jpg Main course A vinegar-marinated roast traditionally made of horse meat, although nowadays the majority is made of beef.
Filderkraut [de] 18-03-07-Kysané zelí z Krkonoš RRK3095.jpg Side dish A finely cut pointed white cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria.
Spätzle Spätzle.jpg Pasta A kind of soft egg noodle found in the cuisines of southern Germany and Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Moselle and South Tyrol.
Linsen mit Spätzle Linsen Spaetzle 2.jpg Main course Hearty dish that combines Spätzle with cooked lentils and Vienna sausages.
Schupfnudel Schupfnudeln mit Sauerkraut-RZ.jpg Pasta Pasta made from potatoes and flour, often served with Sauerkraut.
Flädlesuppe Frittatensuppe.jpg Entree A broth with thin strips of German-style pancakes.
Springerle Springerle with typical foot swabian Fuessle.jpg Snack Cookies made by pressing dough into intricate molds. Commonly used for dunking into a drink, as they are quite hard.
Zwiebelkuchen Zwiebelkuchen 1.JPG Main course An onion cake, a seasonal dish served around October, usually eaten while still warm and accompanied by slightly fermented red or white grape juice called Süser or (more commonly in other regions) Federweißer.
Flammkuchen Tarte flambée alsacienne 514471722.jpg Main course A pizza-like dish with thin crust and onion, bacon and crème fraîche topping.
Gaisburger Marsch Gaisburger Marsch.jpg Main course A famous stew made of meat, potatoes, Spätzle and several kinds of vegetables like potatoes and carrots.
Käsespätzle Kaesspaetzle mit Zwiebeln.jpg Main course Dish of Spätzle and fried onions gratinated with cheese.
Wibele Wibele.jpg Snack Small, sweet biscuits.
Himbeergeist Schladerer Vierkantflasche Himbeergeist.jpg Beverage A fruit-based Schnapps produced mainly in Germany and the Alsace region of France.
Kirschwasser Fuersteneck Kirschwasser.jpg Beverage A clear, colorless fruit brandy traditionally made from double distillation of morello cherries, a dark-colored cultivar of the sour cherry.

Bavaria

Name Image Type Description
Bierwurst Bierkugel 360 g.JPG Coldcuts A German cooked, smoked Brühwurst sausage originally from Bavaria, with a garlicky flavor and dark red color. It is seasoned with black peppercorns, paprika, and mustard seeds for flavor.
Blutwurst Stornoway Black Pudding.jpg Coldcuts A type of blood sausage originating in Bavaria.
Brotzeit Brotzeit mit allem.jpg Main course A traditional German savory snack native to the Bavarian cuisine and it literally means "Bread time".
Weißwurst Weißwurst-1.jpg Snack Lt.:'White sausages'; a speciality from Munich, traditionally eaten for second breakfast. Always accompanied by sweet mustard, pretzels, and wheat beer. Traditionally not served after 12 noon because in earlier days, before fridges, the sausages had to be consumed before 12 noon so that they didn't decay. But, nowadays, people also eat it for dinner or lunch.
Weizenbier Beverage A beer, usually top-fermented, which is brewed with a large proportion of wheat relative to the amount of malted barley. The two main varieties are Weissbier and Witbier; the minor types include Lambic, Berliner Weisse and Gose.
Helles Helles im Glas-Helles (pale beer).jpg Beverage A German beer style that is usually drunk in Bavaria, Germany. It has a yellow, gold color, and has 4.5-6% alcohol.
Radler Radler Pils Unterschied 01 (RaBoe).jpg Beverage A beer mixed with citrus lemonade
Kartoffelkäse Kartoffelkäse 20220206.jpg Side dish A spread from the regions of Bavaria and Austria that literally means "Potato cheese".
Münchener Bier Muenchner Reinheitsgebot.JPG Beer A protected geographical indication for beer since 1998, which is brewed within the city limits of Munich by the breweries Augustiner Bräu, Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu, Hacker-Pschorr, Paulaner, Hofbräu and Löwenbräu, which are members of the Münchner Brauereien.
Schweinsbraten [de] Schweinsbraten-1.jpg Main course Sliced pork roast with a crunchy crust that was boiled in a pot.
Schweinshaxe Schweinshaxe Chiang Mai.JPG Main course Braised pork leg with a crunchy brown crust on the outside, and a moist and juicy inside. Served with gravy and Klöße.
Leberkäse Leberkäse-1.jpg Snack A type of sausage baked in a mould and cut into slices. When eaten as a main course, it is sliced and served with an egg (must be sunny side up style), and mashed potatoes. For a quick lunch, it is usually eaten in a bread-roll with mustard, a bit like a hotdog. Some people eat the Leberkäse with hot mustard, others with sweet mustard.
Leberknödel Leberknoedelsuppe.jpg Soup A traditional dish of German, Austrian and Czech cuisines that literally means "Liver dumpling soup".
Schlachtschüssel Choucroute-p1030190.jpg Snack Lt.: Butchers plate; a combination of Blutwurst and Leberwurst (blood sausage and liver sausage), served hot on sauerkraut.
Saures Lüngerl [de] Main course A ragout from lung and sometimes heart from the veal.
Bayrisch Kraut Speckknödel auf Kraut, 2013.jpg Side dish Shredded cabbage that is cooked in beef stock with pork lard, onion, apples, and seasoned with vinegar.
Kartoffelsalat Kartoffelsalat.jpg Side dish Bavarian potato salad is usually made with broth, bacon bits and onions and may be served hot or chilled.
Pichelsteiner Pichelsteiner Eintopf.jpg Main course A stew made from various kinds of meat and vegetables.
Bayrisch Creme Bayerische Creme.JPG Dessert A very light, fluffy, and not too sweet dessert made from gelatin, milk, cream, egg yolk, and sugar.
Prinzregententorte Prinzregententorte.jpg Cake A cake that consists of seven thin cake layers with chocolate buttercream in between.
Topfenstrudel Quarkstrudel 01.jpg Cake Similar to Apfelstrudel, but filled with topfen instead, and served with vanilla sauce.
Dampfnudel CDampfnudelnWP6.jpg Main course A sort of white bread or steam noodle made of yeast dough, steamed in a pan and then served with various toppings, e.g. sugar, cinnamon, poppy seeds, jam, butter, and vanilla sauce.
Buchteln Buchteln.jpg Main course Sweet dumplings made of yeast dough, filled with jam, poppy seed paste, or curd, and baked in a large pan so that they stick together. The traditional Buchtel is filled with plum jam. Buchteln are topped with vanilla sauce, powdered sugar, or eaten plain and warm.
Obatzda Obatzter-1.jpg Side dish a Bavarian cheese delicacy that is prepared by mixing two thirds aged soft cheese, usually Camembert (Romadur or similar cheeses may be used as well), and one third butter.
Limburger Cheese limburger edit.jpg Cheese A cheese that originated during the 19th century in the historical Duchy of Limburg, which is now divided between Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. The cheese is especially known for its strong smell caused by the bacterium Brevibacterium linens.
Tafelspitz Tafelspitz.jpg Side dish A boiled veal or beef in broth, served with a mix of minced apples and horseradish. It is a classic dish of the Viennese cuisine and popular throughout Austria and the neighboring German state of Bavaria.

Berlin

Name Image Type‡ Description
Akvavit Aquavit linie.jpg Beverage A distilled spirit that is principally produced in Scandinavia, where it has been produced since the 15th century. Akvavit is distilled from grain and potatoes, and is flavoured with a variety of herbs. Akvavit is also popular in Germany and the American Midwest.
Berliner Luft Berliner Luft mit Humboldthain auf dem Etikett, 2017 01.jpg Beverage A type of mint liqueur produced in Berlin.
Beamtenstippe [de] Gehacktesstippe.jpg Sauce A either white or brown sauce that is eaten with potatoes.
Berliner Weisse Beer A cloudy, sour beer of around 3% alcohol by volume. It is a regional variation on the white beer style from Northern Germany, dating back to at least the 16th century.
Buletten Buletten.jpg Main course or snack A kind of meatball in Berlin.
Currywurst Currywurst & Pommes frites.jpg Snack A hot pork sausage served either with curry ketchup or a tomato paste with curry powder.
Dinkelbrot [de] Dinkelbrot einfachste Herstellung 03.jpg Bread The name for a bread made in Germany from at least 90% spelled malt products or spelt.
Eierkuchen Pfannkuchen mit Zucker.jpg Main course A generally thicker pancake than a French-style crêpe and usually served with sweet or, occasionally, savory fillings.
Eisbein Eisbein-2.jpg Main course Ham hock usually served with pea purée and Sauerkraut.
Hackepeter Mettbroetchen.jpg Snack Raw ground pork or mett that is spiced with salt and pepper, garlic and caraway.
Berliner Pfannkuchen Picswiss BL-57-12.jpg Pastry Sweet dough dumplings, fried in fat or oil, filled with jam and glazed with confectioner's sugar. Also known simply as "Berliner" or, in the eastern part of Germany, including Berlin itself, "Pfannkuchen" and in Bavaria, they are called "Krapfen".

Bremen and Lower Saxony

Name Image Type Description
Birnen, Bohnen und Speck Birnen, Bohnen und Speck.jpg Main course A dish of pears, beans and bacon, invariably accompanied by potatoes.
Bratwurst Drei im Weggla.jpg Snack A grey sausage with veal content that has a mild flavor, is pan-fried and then eaten with a hard roll.
Braunschweiger Braunschweiger.jpg Snack An internationally known sausage that is spread on toast or used in sandwiches.
Bregenwurst Gruenkohl mit Bregenwurst und Kassler.JPG Snack A specialty sausage, usually served with Grünkohl
Bremer Kükenragout [de] Main course A ragout made from different kinds of meat and seafood as well as vegetables; may contain no chicken and if it does it's meat from very young chicken.
Brunswick Mum Braunschweig Mumme Steger 1899.jpg Beverage An ancient beer from Brunswick.
Butterkuchen Butterkuchen.jpg Cake A sheet cake made from yeast dough topped with blops of butter and sugar.
Calenberger Pfannenschlag Knipp with Apple sauce.jpg Snack Groats that are broiled and eaten with potatoes or on bread with various other side dishes, e.g. pickles or red beet; special kind of Knipp.
Gose GoseLeipzig.jpg Beverage A top-fermented beer that originated in Goslar, Germany. It is brewed with at least 50% of the grain bill being malted wheat.
Jägermeister 17-03-16-Jägermeister-Miniaturen-RR7 8310.jpg Beverage A digestive made with 56 herbs and spices at a strength of 35% alcohol by volume (61 degrees proof, or US 70 proof). It is the flagship product of Mast-Jägermeister SE, headquartered in Wolfenbüttel, south of Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Kassler Sauerkraut, Knödel, Stück Kassler.JPG Main course A slowly cooked salted pork dish that is usually served with Knödel and Sauerkraut or potato salad.
Liverwurst Leberwurst gekocht.jpg Snack A kind of sausage made from the livers of pigs or calves.
Kluntjes Brauner Kandiszucker.jpg Candy Sugar crystals that are used as sweetener for tea.
Knipp Knipp 1.JPG Snack or Main course Broiled groat sausage.
Labskaus Labskaus.jpg Snack or Main course A dish made from corned beef, herring, mashed potatoes, and beetroot, served with a fried egg and a pickled cucumber.
Mettwurst Mettwurst with sauerkraut and potatoes.jpg Snack A strongly flavored German sausage, made from raw minced pork which is preserved by curing and smoking, often with garlic.
Nordseegarnelen Nordseegarnelen.jpg Snack or Main course Prawns from the North Sea.
Pinkel mit Grünkohl Gruenkohl mit Pinkel.jpg Main course A dish made from slowly cooked kale that is served with Pinkel, a rather salty sausage.
Pottwurst Knipp auf Vollkornbrot.jpg Snack Another kind of Knipp.
Ratzeputz Beverage A type of spirit popular in Germany, which contains extracts and distillates of root ginger. The fresh ginger it contains is said to be beneficial to the stomach.
Räucheraal [de] Gerookte paling.jpeg Main course or snack Smoked eel that is used as ingredient in various dishes.
Schlachteplatte Schlachteplatte.jpg Snack A dish with a variety of meats usually eaten as second breakfast.
Spargel Spargel sauce hollandaise.jpg Side dish White asparagus that is eaten as a delicacy, commonly with potatoes and Sauce hollandaise.
Speck Fresh speck.jpg Snack An English word meaning "fat", attested since the early 17th century. This word also exists in German with the same meaning, but it normally refers to pork fat with or without some meat in it.
Steckrübeneintopf Steckrübeneintopf.JPG Main course A hearty stew made from rutabagas, carrots, and potatoes.
Welf pudding Dessert A sweet two-layer pudding invented by a royal chef with one layer of vanilla-based and one of wine-based pudding.
Wurstbrühe [de] Wurstbruehe.jpg Soup The broth, which arises in the production of brewing and cooking sausage. At the traditional slaughterhouse, the meat and liver were also cooked in the same cauldron before the sausages, which produced a strong broth, especially when later sausages burst, which formed the basis.

East Prussia

East Prussia, as Germany's easternmost province, was very often influenced by the cuisines of its surrounding neighbours: Russia and Lithuania to the northeast, and Poland to the south. The Russian borscht was adapted to the East Prussian palate, and Polish sausages were frequently found on the dinner table.

East Prussia's gastronomy also made extensive use of the abundant products from its dark, remote forests. Honey was often incorporated into recipes, and Kopskiekelwein, a fruit wine made from wild currants, was the favourite regional tipple alongside beer.

Name Image Type Description
Bärenfang Bärenjäger bottle.jpg Beverage A German honey-flavoured liqueur based on vodka. It is usually called Bärenjäger in English-speaking countries.
Beetenbartsch Borscht with cream.jpg Soup A beetroot-based soup served with sour cream (Schmand) and beef (originally from Ukraine)
Kuttelsuppe [de] Sächsische Flecke 1.jpg Soup A lightly bound soup from tripe, usually with acidified vinegar that mentions regional spots, which is common in variants in numerous countries.
Königsberger Klopse Koenigsberger.jpg Main course Meatballs served in a white sauce with capers and eaten with potatoes.
Königsberger Marzipan Königsberger Marzipan.jpg Candy Special kind of marzipan made in Königsberg.
Kopskiekelwein Opr.Forsthaus Moditten Kanthaus.jpg fruit wine A wine made from either blackcurrants or redcurrants, and usually fermented with Burgundy yeast.
Pillkaller Machandel Pillkaller.JPG Beverage A clear liqueur that is served in a drink with liver sausage and mustard.
Schwarzsauer Soup A type of blood soup with various spices cooked in vinegar-water.
Spirgel [de] Snack The East Prussian name for fried bacon or pork belly as well as for a simple dish of diced pancetta or pork belly and onions.
Tilsiter cheese Cheese 03 bg 042806.jpg Cheese A light yellow semi-hard smear-ripened cheese, created in the mid-19th century by Prussian-Swiss settlers, the Westphal family, from the Emmental valley.

Franconia

Name Image Type Description
Fränkische Bratwurst Drei im Weggla.jpg Snack Fränkische Bratwurst is composed of beef, pork or veal and is traditionally served with sauerkraut or potato salad or simply in a breadroll. They vary greatly in size and seasoning from region to region but are often considerably thinner than the equivalents elsewhere in Germany. The best-known sausages are from Nuremberg (Nürnberg) and are recognisable by their small size and clearly visible herb seasoning. They are traditionally served as three sausages in a roll ("Drei in 'a Weckla") or six sausages on sauerkraut ("Sechs auf Kraut").
Drei im Weggla Nuernberg Drei im Weckla 001.JPG Sandwich A sandwich that has three items in a roll, typically three sausages or sausage pieces.
Extrawurst Extrawurst.JPG Snack A type of Austrian scalded cold cut that is moist, light colored, fine textured and made from a well-spiced mixture of beef, pork and bacon fat. In Austria, it is the most popular type of cold cut.
Kartoffelklöße [de] Knoedeltopf.jpg Main course Large klöße made from a dough consisting of raw or a combination of raw and cooked potatoes. The exact recipe is a matter of regional differences and personal belief. The best friend of pot-roasted meats or mushroom ragout.
Pressack mit Musik SaurerPresssack.jpg Main condiment a cold cut that originated in Europe that literally means head cheese with music.
Saure Zipfel Blaue Zipfel.jpg Main course A typical dish of the cuisine of Franconia and Upper Palatinate that consists of Bratwurst and sliced onion cooked in vinegar and usually eaten with Bavarian pretzels.
Schäufele Schaeufele 01.jpg Main course An entire pork (or, in some cases, Lamb) shoulder roasted in a fairly cool oven over long period so that the meat is extremely tender with a crunchy crust. Seasoning is usually simple using salt, pepper and caraway and traditionally it is served in a dark sauce, made from the roast stock, meat broth, and often dark beer and Lebkuchen spices. Accompanied by a side salad, dumplings and red cabbage or less commonly sauerkraut.
Stadtwurst Stadtwurst.jpg Snack A type of sausage consisting of pork in a casing that may be white or red. Stadtwurst is a regional variety in Franconia and Upper Palatinate (Oberpfalz) and usually unknown and not available in other parts of Germany.
Hochzeitssuppe Bramstedt Hochzeitssuppe 01 (RaBoe).jpg Soup A spicy wedding soup with bread dumplings, liver dumplings and finely sliced pancakes.
Lebkuchen Lebkuchenscan.jpg Pastry/Cookie German kind of gingerbread of which the most famous originates in Nuremberg and is traditionally only available at Christmas, although tourist demand means that Lebkuchen are available in some form practically all year round.
Regensburger Wurst Regensburger.jpg Snack A boiled sausage with a fine or coarse pork filling that comes in a compact shape with a length of about 10 cm (4 in) and a diameter of about 4 cm. It was invented in Regensburg in the second half of the 19th century and only sausages that are produced in the inner city ring may be called "Regensburger".
Weihnachtskarpfen [de] Vánoce, smažený kapr.jpg Main course A traditional dish with breaded and fried carp for Christmas Eve in Central Europe.
Wickelklöße [de] Snack A variant of the potato dumpling of the Erzgebirge cuisine and Thuringian cuisine filled with breadcrumbs.
Wurstsalat Wurstsalat-1.jpg Main course A tart sausage salad prepared with distilled white vinegar, oil and onions.[1][2] A variation of the recipe adds strips of pickled gherkin.

Frankfurt am Main and Hessen

Name Image Type Description
Nürnberger Rostbratwurst Nürnberger Rostbratwürste.JPG Snack The small, thin bratwurst from Franconia's largest city, Nuremberg, was first documented in 1567; it is 7 to 9 cm (2.8 to 3.5 in) long, and weighs between 20 and 25 g.
Green Sauce Grune Sosse (Nordhessisch).JPG Dip A bright sauce made from an abundant amount of seven fresh minced herbs namely borage, sorrel, cress, chervil, chives, parsley, and burnet. Served with boiled potatoes and hardboiled eggs. Called "Grüne Soße" in German or "Griee Sooß" in the Hessian dialect.
Frankfurter sausage Frankfurter wuerstchen.jpg Snack A smoked sausage made from pure pork, which is eaten hot and usually accompanied by bread and mustard. Not to be confused with the American hot dog "Frankfurter".
Fischmilch [de] Fugu-no-Shirako.JPG Main course Milt that is fresh or preserved with salt as food and is used for flavoring sauces or used in whole fish dishes.
Apfelwein Apfelwein Geripptes Bembel.jpg Beverage A wine made of apples, somewhat comparable to Cider and French Cidre though dryer and more sour-tasting. Best enjoyed in traditional "Äbbelwoi-Lokalen". Served from a special jug (the "Bembel"), drunk with a special glass (the "Gerippte").
Schorle Apfelschorle.jpg Beverage A refreshing drink that combines apple juice with sparkling water. It is usually served during summer.
Handkäse Handkaese 20060117.jpg Cheese A German regional sour milk cheese and a culinary speciality of Frankfurt am Main, Offenbach am Main, Darmstadt, Langen, and other parts of southern Hesse. It gets its name from the traditional way of producing it: forming it with one's own hands.
Harzer Harzer Käse.jpg Cheese A German sour milk cheese made from low fat curd cheese, which contains only about one percent fat and originates in the Harz mountain region south of Braunschweig.
Mainzer Kaese [de] Mainzer Kaese.jpg Snack A sour milk cheese, similar to the Harzer or hand cheese. It was invented in 1813 by a farmer's wife named Kaul in Groß-Gerau and sold at the weekly market in Mainz.

Hamburg

Name Image Type Description
Knackwurst Knackwurst in Hamburg.jpg Snack A sausage type of northern German origin from the mid-16th century. The manifold available varieties depend on the geographical region of their production.
Hamburger Speck Hamburger Speck.ajb.jpg Dessert A type of candy made out of foamed sugar with various coatings. The colors of the candy are often the same as the colors of Hamburg's flag (red and white), with a white central square and two red outer squares.
Labskaus LabskausBC.jpg Main course or snack A dish made from corned beef, herring, mashed potatoes, and beetroot, served with a fried egg and a pickled cucumber. See also under Bremen and Lower Saxony.
Marmorkuchen Marmorkuchen.jpg Cake A cake with a streaked or mottled appearance (like marble) achieved by very lightly blending light and dark batter.
Birnen, Bohnen und Speck Birnen, Bohnen und Speck.jpg Main course A dish composed of pears, beans, and bacon, invariably accompanied by potatoes.
Hamburger Aalsuppe [de] Hamburger Aalsuppe bei Hamburger Fischerstuben.jpg Soup A sweet and sour soup of eel, meat broth, dried fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Franzbrötchen Franzbroetchen.wmt.jpg Pastry A pastry made from Phyllo dough, covered with sugar and powdered cinnamon that is usually eaten for breakfast. It literally means "Frenchman's roll" and is only rarely found outside of Hamburg, Germany.
Frikadelle Buletten.jpg Main course or snack A type of flat meatball composed of pork, beef and onions commonly eaten with pasta salad, potatoes or simply in a bread roll with mustard or other condiments.
Hamburger Hummersuppe Hummersuppe Sahne.jpg Soup A creamy lobster soup served with a small amount of whipped cream and garnished with dill.
Hamburger Krabbensuppe Soup A creamy shrimp soup served with a small amount of whipped cream and garnished with dill.
Heißewecken [de] Nakrajeny mazanec (4).JPG Main course or snack A traditional pastry that has been proven in German-speaking since the late Middle Ages and was eaten in north and northwest Germany before the beginning of the pre-Easter Lent, especially from Rose Monday to Ash Wednesday.
Krabbentoast [de] Krabbentoast mit Dill Hamburger Snack (retuschiert).jpg Main course or snack A bread dish that is made with vegetables and shrimp.
Rote Grütze Rote Grütze mit Vanillesoße.JPG Dessert A jelly/jam-like dessert or summer dish made from berries especially currants that can be eaten pure, but is often accompanied by milk or vanilla sauce.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Name Image Type Description
Mecklenburger Rippenbraten [de] Mecklenburger-Rippenbraten-Carsten-R (retuschiert).jpg Main course Rib roast, made from belly of pork including meat of the upper rib, stuffed with Boskoop apples, prunes, cinnamon, rum and zwieback, usually served with Klöße and red cabbage.
Tüffel un Plum Main course A potato stew made with smoked ham, prunes, potatoes and spiced with clove and bay leaves.
Fliederbeersuppe [de] Fliederbeersuppe.JPG Dessert Dessert soup made from elderberry, served with semolina dumplings
Sahnehering [de] Herring with sour cream and onion and fried potato.jpg Main course Young herring marinated in cream, with onions and sometimes pears or apples and served with Bratkartoffeln or Pellkartoffeln.
Schwedeneisbecher [de] Schwedeneis MB.jpg Dessert A Swedish ice cup with vanilla ice, served with apple sauce, whipped cream and a waffle, optionally with advocaat liquor.

Palatinate

Name Image Type Description
Gequellde mit weißem Kees [de] Main course A dish of cooked potatoes with curd cheese.
Pälzer Lewwerworschd [de] Pfälzer-Leberwurst.JPG Main course A dried sausage in the curry and the palate, the cheese is made from cereals, as well as the shrub, salt, garments, and croissants, of the marginal downy marrow, which is breeding - a lot of peasants are typical and bred.
Saumagen Saumagen mit Sauerkraut.JPG Main course A pork's stomach that serves as casing for a filling of pork, sausage meat and potatoes. Sometimes the filling also contains eggs and carrots. The dish is usually served with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut, bread or Bratkartoffeln.
Weck, Worscht, un Woi [de] WeckWorschtWoi1.jpg Snack A widespread meal with a bread roll, a sausage, and wine in the wine-growing regions of Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Hessische Bergstraße, and Rheingau, where the sausage is always enjoyed cold.
Grumbeersupp un Quetschekuche Grumbeersupp un Quetschekuche.jpg Main course Potato soup and plum tart
Kirschenmichel Kirschenmichel mit Vanillesauce.jpg Dessert Kind of cherry cake or bread pudding made with cherries and usually served hot with vanilla sauce.
Zwiebelkuchen Zwiebelkuchen 1.JPG Main course An onion pie usually served with Federweisser.
Federweisser Federweisser im Glas (Baden 2007).jpg Beverage Young white wine.
Kuemmerling Kuemmerling flaeschen.jpg Beverage A type of Kräuterlikör (herb liqueur) from Germany, belonging to the group of Halbbitter (semi bitters).
Chestnuts Castagne secche dried chestnut italy.JPG Side dish Cooked chestnuts served with meat or other things.

Rhineland

Name Image Type Description
Rheinischer Sauerbraten Sauerbraten-mariniert.jpg Main course Large pieces of beef or more traditionally horse meat, marinated in a spicy water-vinegar mixture for a long time before baking.
Reibekuchen Kartoffelpuffer.jpg Side dish Potato fritter with black bread, apple syrup, sugar beet syrup, or stewed apples.
Blutwurst Blutwurst.jpg Snack Blood sausage either cured or fried.
Himmel und Erde Himmel-und-Erde-01.jpg Main course A dish with mashed potatoes with stewed apples and fried blood pudding (Cologne) that literally means, "Heaven/Sky and Earth". Potatoes are also called 'Erdäpfel', what means 'ground apples', so it is a meal prepared out of 'apples' which grow above and under the earth.
Halve Hahn [de] Halvenhahn.jpg Snack A dish that literally means, "Half Cockerel", but does not actually contain rooster at all. It is a cheese sandwich with a thick slice of extra matured Gouda cheese, onions and mustard on a Röggelchen. The name is based on a wordplay (Köln).
Muscheln Rheinischer Art Rheinische Muscheln.jpg Main course Mussels cooked in wine with vegetables and served with whole wheat bread and some butter.
Killepitsch Killepitsch flasche.jpg Beverage A herb liqueur from Düsseldorf, Germany. It is a blood red colour and is flavoured with fruits, berries, herbs, and spices. Its alcohol content is 42% by volume.
Korn Korn in Nordhausen.JPG Beverage A German colourless distilled beverage produced from fermented cereal grain seed.
Marillenschnaps Marillenschnapsreklame.jpg Beverage A fruit brandy made from apricots. It is mostly produced in the Wachau region of Austria, but similar apricot brandies are produced elsewhere
Underberg Underberg 4442963885 e200c994e2 t.jpg Beverage A digestive bitter produced at Rheinberg, Germany by Underberg AG, made from aromatic herbs from 43 countries, which undergo inspections and are based on a secret Underberg family recipe whose members are personally responsible for the production of the drink.
Zwetschgenwasser [de] Zwetschge.JPG Beverage A plum brandy obtained by distilling fermented plums.

Saarland

Name Image Type Description
Dibbelabbes [de] Schales mit Apfelkompott fcm.jpg Main course A potato hash prepared from raw grated potatoes, bacon and leeks, and baked in a Dibbe, or pot, usually eaten with apple sauce.
Schwenker Schwenker nah.jpg Main course Pork steaks, marinated in spices and onions and broiled on a grill that hangs on a chain over a wood fire).
Geheirate GeheirateL1150604 (3).jpg Main course Married potatoes and dumplings made of flour served with a creamy bacon sauce.

Saxony

Name Image Type Description
Eierschecke Dresdner eierschecke.JPG Cake A cake consisting of three layers: The bottom one is either a yeast dough (Hefeteig) or one made with baking soda (Rührteig), the middle layer is a cream made of quark, vanilla and some butter, egg, sugar and milk, and the top layer is mainly made from eggs (Eier), which are beaten with butter, sugar and "Vanillepudding"-powder (starchy substance normally used to cook a dessert similar to semolina pudding).
Leipziger Allerlei Side dish A vegetable dish consisting of peas, baby carrots, white asparagus and morels. It may also, but not necessarily, contain broccoli, cauliflower, green beans or corn, even small prawns.
Quarkkeulchen Quarkkeulchen.jpg Main course or dessert A sweet main dish made from quark, mashed boiled potatoes, a little flour, an egg and some grated lemon peel. The ensuing dough is baked as small, less than palm-sized pancakes and eaten hot with sugar and cinnamon, or with fruit, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream etc.
Schälklöße Soup A soup that consists of filled pasta and various vegetables.
Stollen StollenSide.jpg Cake German Christmas cake of which there are two important centers in Saxony: Dresden and the Ore Mountains.
Teichelmauke [de] Friedersdorf Teichelmauke Mike Krüger 080603 1.jpg Main course A dish that consists of mashed potatoes with bouillon and cooked beef.

Note: The cuisine of the Saxon part of the Ore Mountains is more a relative of the cuisine of Franconia than a relative of the other parts of Saxony. The cuisine of Upper Lusatia also differs from central Saxony and is more related to the (former) cuisines of Lower Silesia and Northern Bohemia.

Saxony-Anhalt

Typical for very traditional dishes from Saxony-Anhalt is the combination of bitter or hearty meat dish with sweet. Sweet pancakes in Green bean soup for example are the cause of many jokes.

Name Image Type Description
Baumkuchen Baumkuchen.jpg Cake A cake typical for Christmas that is very difficult to prepare.
Magdeburger Schmalzkuchen [de] Fasnet 4914.jpg Pastry Fried pastry made from yeast dough, topped with confectioner's sugar and usually consumed for carneval.
Eisbein Eisbein-2.jpg Main course Ham hock that is usually served with mashed potatoes or bread and sauerkraut.
Schierker Feuerstein Schierker Feuerstein 2011 Werbetraeger.JPG Beverage A herb liqueur.
Rotkäppchen Sektkellerei [de] Rotkäppchen Sekt.jpg Beverage A brand of sparkling wine.

Schleswig-Holstein

Name Image Type Description
Buttermilchsuppe Soup Buttermilk soup with flour dumplings
Gruenkohlgericht Gruenkohlgericht.jpg Side dish Cooked kale usually served with potatoes and Kasseler or other foods.
Kieler Sprotten KielerSprotten P8290009.JPG Main course Smoked Baltic sprats.
Labskaus Labskaus in Friedrichstadt.jpg Main course or snack A dish made from corned beef, herring, mashed potatoes, and beetroot, served with a fried egg and a pickled cucumber.
Mehlbeutel [de] Dithmarscher Mehlbeutel.jpg Main course A large flour dumpling served with bacon and a sweet sauce.
Schnüüsch [de] Main course A stew made of ham, potatoes and vegetables cooked in roux.
Schwarzsauer Soup A sort of black pudding made with vinegar.
Snuten un Poten [de] Main course Cured pig snouts and trotters that are cooked in vinegar together with several spices. Traditionally served with sauerkraut, erbspüree, and hot mustard.

Silesia

When Silesia was German, the influence of neighboring countries was clear in Silesian cooking; Polish carp and cheeses, Bohemian goulash, Austrian sausage and Pfefferkuchen (pepper cakes). Schnapps was very commonly drunk with beer in Silesia. There was an old saying that went "Silesia has two principal rivers, Schnapps and the river Oder".

Name Image Type Description
Schlesisches Himmelreich [de] Schläsches Himmelreich.jpg Main course A dish of pork belly with dried fruits and cinnamon that literally means, "Silesian Heaven".
Kartoffelsuppe [de] Potato soup with Spicy sausage, 2011.jpg Soup A potato soup of the traditional German and Austrian cuisine that has the main ingredient of potatoes. If the consistency is relatively viscous, then it is called a potato stew.
Weihnachtsgans [de] Christmas-goose-(Weihnachtsgans) 1.jpg Main course Roasted goose traditionally served with potatoes 3or Klöße with gravy and vegetables.
Schlesische Kartoffelklöße [de] Surowe kluski śląskie.jpg Main course Silesian potato dumplings.
Schlesische Küche [de] Schläscher Sträselkucha.JPG Cake A flat Silesian cake of fine yeast dough with a topping of crumbles, a crumbly mixture of sugar, fat, and flour.
Mohnkuchen [de] Makowiec.jpg Cake A generic term for various types of cakes, which have in common that they contain poppy seeds or the seeds of blue or gray grapes, either in the dough or in the form of a pad or filling.
Streuselkuchen Streuselkuchen7.jpg Cake A German specialty that is traditionally made of a yeast dough and covered with a sweet crumb topping referred to as streusel.
Liegnitzer Bombe [de] Liegnitzer Bombe 2, whole.jpg Cake A gingerbread specialty from Liegnitz in Lower Silesia that is a small round cake made of brown gingerbread dough with a fruit and marzipan filling.
Stonsdorfer [de] Echt Stonsdorfer.mit 3.JPG Beverage A type of herb liqueur, originally made in Staniszów (Stonsdorf).

Thuringia

Name Image Type Description
Thuringian sausage Rostbrater.JPG Snack Red to grey, stuffed in a natural casing of pig intestine, unlike the white Franconian variety.
Thüringer Rostbrätel Thuringian roast.jpg Main course A pork neck steak marinated together with onions in beer and mustard.
Thüringer Klöße Thueringer Kloesse.jpg Main course Dumplings made of raw or cooked potatoes with pan-fried toasted bread inside.
Mutzbraten [de] Mutzbratenstand.jpg Main course or snack A pound of mutton, roasted on open birchwood fire, served with sauerkraut.
Rinderroulade Rinderroulade-zutaten-02.JPG Main course Beef roulades: Spread with mustard and filled with bacon, onions and (in some areas) pickled cucumber.
Käsekuchen Käsekuchen.JPG Cake Cheesecake made from quark (cheese) either with or without pie crust (usually shortcrust pastry).
Schmandkuchen [de] Mandarinen-Schmandkuchen mit Kokosstreuseln 001.jpg Cake A sheet cake that consists of yeast dough and a layer of fruit or quark, which in turn is covered by a layer of sour cream, pudding, or porridge. The top layer is a made of cinnamon on the sour cream cake.
Prophetenkuchen [de] Prophetenkuchen.jpg Cake A speciality cake from Altenburg that consists of eggs, sugar, oil, flour, and alcohol (usually rum).
Zwiebelkuchen Zwiebelkuchen 1.JPG Cake (savoury) A sheet cake made in Weimar from yeast dough with onions, sour cream, bacon bits and eggs.

Westphalia

Name Image Type Description
Blindhuhn Westfälisches Blindhuhn mit Mettenden und Schweinespeck-6650.jpg Stew A stew of the Westphalian cuisine prepared with beans, vegetables and bacon
Kassler Kassler.jpg Side dish The name given to a salted (cured) and slightly smoked cut of pork similar to British gammon. It can be either hotly or coldly smoked.
Knieperkohl Kniepergericht.jpg Main course A pickled cabbage dish similar to sauerkraut. It contains not only white cabbage but also collard greens (or leaves of red cabbage) and kale, as well as grape leaf and cherry leaf.
Pickert LippPickert.jpg Main course Potato pancakes
Kohlwurst Lungenwurst aus Schwerin.jpg Main course A simple, fresh, strongly smoked sausage (Rohwurst) made of lights, pork and fat, which is mostly eaten cooked with kale (cabbage) dishes.
Westphalian ham Knochenschinken.jpg Snack A hearty and smoked ham from Westfalen that is very aromatic.
Möpkenbrot Moeppkenbrot benecke wiki sept 2008.jpg Snack A kind of blood sausage that contains rye bread, pig-blood, milk, eggs, fat, salt, and pepper.

Pfefferpotthast

Main Course A meat dish consisting of beef, lard, onions, and spices, cooked in a pot; and served with boiled potatoes and salad in the summer, and pickled cucumbers and beetroot in the winter.
Rump steak Rumpsteak.jpg Main course Roast beef served with various sides such as potato wedges and vegetables.
Pumpernickel Pumpernickel.jpg Bread A hearty bread; it goes black because the sugar in the bread goes to caramel.
Herrencreme Herrencreme.JPG Dessert A gentleman's creme that consists of vanilla jelly with cream and rum.
Spanish fricco Stew A hearty Westphalian stew prepared primarily using diced beef, potatoes and onions, typically in a cream soup base
Stippgrütze Stippgruetze2c.jpg Snack Barley groats cooked in sausage juices (Wurstbrühe), which are enriched with pieces of meat, offal, such as heart, kidney or liver and seasoned with spices and salt. The cooked ingredients are minced after the juices have been poured off and a crumbly cake is left which is held together with fat and which sets on cooling.
kids search engine
List of German dishes Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.