List of German dishes facts for kids

German food is super tasty and has lots of different dishes! From yummy sausages to sweet cakes, there's something for everyone. German cooking often uses ingredients like potatoes, cabbage, and different kinds of meat. Let's explore some of the most famous and delicious foods you can find across Germany and in its different regions!

Popular German Dishes

Germany is famous for many dishes that people enjoy all over the country. Here are some of the most well-known:

Name	Picture	Where it's from	What it is
Aachener Printen	Aachener Printen	Aachen	A special type of gingerbread cookie from the city of Aachen.
Apfelkuchen	Apfelkuchen	All over Germany	A delicious German cake made with sliced apples.
Bratkartoffeln	Bratkartoffeln	All over Germany	Fried potato slices, often mixed with small pieces of bacon or onions.
Bratwurst	Bratwurst	All over Germany	A traditional German sausage, usually made from veal, pork, or beef.
Currywurst	Currywurst with fries	Berlin, Rhine-Ruhr	A popular fast food snack! It's a fried or grilled sausage cut into slices, topped with spicy ketchup and lots of curry powder. It usually comes with french fries.
Fischbrötchen	Fischbrötchen	Northern Germany	A sandwich with different kinds of fish (like pickled or fried fish) and onions. It's very common along the coast.
Hendl	Hendl	Austro-Bavarian	A whole grilled chicken seasoned with pepper and other spices. It's also called Brathühnchen or Brathähnchen.
Kartoffelsalat	Kartoffelsalat	Northern and Southern Germany	Potato salad comes in many styles! In the north, it might have a cream or mayonnaise dressing. In the south, it can be made with meat broth. It's often served with sausages.
Knödel (or Kloß)	Semmelknödel	All over Germany	These are German dumplings! There are many types, like Semmelknödel (made with bread crumbs) or Kartoffelknödel (made from potatoes).
Königsberger Klopse	Königsberger Klopse	East-Prussian	Cooked meatballs served in a creamy white sauce with capers.
Kohlroulade	Kohlroulade	All over Germany	German-style cabbage rolls, often filled with meat.
Marzipan	Marzipan	All over Germany	A sweet treat made from ground almonds and sugar. It's used a lot in Christmas sweets.
Pfefferpotthast		Westphalia	A traditional beef stew from Westphalia, seasoned with lots of pepper.
Rinderroulade	Rinderroulade	All over Germany	Thin slices of beef wrapped around bacon and onions, then cooked.
Sauerbraten	Sauerbraten	Rhineland	A beef pot roast that's marinated for a long time in vinegar, water, and spices.
Sauerkraut	Sauerkraut	All over Germany	Fermented shredded cabbage, a classic German side dish.
Schnitzel		All over Germany	A thin piece of meat (usually pork or beef) that is fried after being coated in breadcrumbs.
Schweinshaxe	Schweinshaxe		A pork hock (part of the pig's leg) that is grilled until crispy or boiled as Eisbein. Often served with Sauerkraut.
Spanferkel	Spanferkel	All over Germany	A whole young pig, grilled and usually enjoyed by a large group of people.
Spätzle	Spätzle	Southern Germany	These are hand-made noodles, very popular and used in many dishes like Linsen mit Spätzle (lentils with Spätzle) or Käsespätzle (cheese Spätzle).
Stollen	Stollen	Dresden	A bread-like cake with dried fruit, nuts, and spices. It's a special Christmas treat, especially famous from Dresden.
Weihnachtsgans	Weihnachtsgans	All over Germany	A roasted goose is a popular dish eaten on Christmas Day.

Dishes from German Regions

Germany has many different regions, and each one has its own special foods!

Baden-Württemberg

This region in the southwest of Germany has some unique and delicious dishes.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Maultaschen	Maultaschen	Main course	These are like large ravioli, filled with ingredients like meat, spinach, and onions. They can be served in broth or fried with eggs.
Schupfnudel	Schupfnudel	Pasta	Pasta made from potatoes and flour, often served with Sauerkraut.
Zwiebelkuchen	Zwiebelkuchen	Main course	An onion cake, often eaten in autumn with a slightly fermented grape juice called Süser.
Flammkuchen	Flammkuchen	Main course	A pizza-like dish with a very thin crust, topped with onion, bacon, and a creamy sauce.
Käsespätzle	Käsespätzle	Main course	A yummy dish of Spätzle noodles baked with cheese and fried onions.

Bavaria

Bavaria, in the south, is known for its hearty food and famous sausages.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Brotzeit	Brotzeit	Main course	This means "Bread time" and is a traditional German snack from Bavaria. It's usually a plate with different breads, cheeses, and cold meats.
Weißwurst	Weißwurst	Snack	These "White sausages" are a specialty from Munich. They are traditionally eaten with sweet mustard, pretzels, and a special wheat beer.
Leberkäse	Leberkäse	Snack	A type of sausage baked in a mold and cut into slices. It's often eaten in a bread roll with mustard, like a hotdog.
Leberknödel	Leberknödel	Soup	A traditional soup with "liver dumplings."
Bayrisch Creme	Bayrisch Creme	Dessert	A very light and fluffy dessert made with milk, cream, and sugar.
Prinzregententorte	Prinzregententorte	Cake	A fancy cake with seven thin layers of cake and chocolate buttercream in between.
Dampfnudel	Dampfnudel	Main course	A steamed yeast dough dumpling, often served with sweet toppings like sugar, cinnamon, or vanilla sauce.
Obatzda	Obatzda	Side dish	A Bavarian cheese spread made by mixing soft cheese (like Camembert) with butter and spices.

Berlin

The capital city, Berlin, has its own famous foods, especially its street food.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Buletten	Buletten	Main course or snack	A type of meatball popular in Berlin.
Currywurst	Currywurst	Snack	A hot pork sausage served with curry ketchup or a tomato paste with curry powder. (Also listed in "Popular German Dishes" because it's so famous!)
Eisbein	Eisbein	Main course	A ham hock (part of the pig's leg) usually served with pea purée and Sauerkraut.
Berliner Pfannkuchen	Berliner Pfannkuchen	Pastry	Sweet, fried dough dumplings filled with jam and topped with powdered sugar. In Berlin, they are simply called "Pfannkuchen."

Bremen and Lower Saxony

These northern regions have dishes influenced by their coastal location and farming traditions.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Birnen, Bohnen und Speck	Birnen, Bohnen und Speck	Main course	A dish made of pears, beans, and bacon, always served with potatoes.
Butterkuchen	Butterkuchen	Cake	A flat cake made from yeast dough, topped with butter and sugar.
Labskaus	Labskaus	Snack or Main course	A dish made from corned beef, herring, mashed potatoes, and beetroot, served with a fried egg and a pickled cucumber.
Pinkel mit Grünkohl	Grünkohl mit Pinkel	Main course	A dish of slowly cooked kale served with Pinkel, a salty sausage.
Spargel	Spargel	Side dish	White asparagus is a delicacy, often eaten with potatoes and a creamy sauce.

East Prussia

This former German province had food influenced by its neighbors, like Russia and Poland.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Beetenbartsch	Beetenbartsch	Soup	A beetroot-based soup served with sour cream and beef, originally from Ukraine.
Königsberger Klopse	Königsberger Klopse	Main course	Meatballs served in a white sauce with capers and eaten with potatoes. (Also listed in "Popular German Dishes".)
Königsberger Marzipan	Königsberger Marzipan	Candy	A special kind of marzipan made in Königsberg.

Franconia

Franconia, in northern Bavaria, is famous for its unique sausages and dumplings.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Fränkische Bratwurst	Fränkische Bratwurst	Snack	Franconian sausages are often thinner than others and vary in size. The small ones from Nuremberg are very famous, often served as three in a roll ("Drei in 'a Weckla").
Saure Zipfel	Saure Zipfel	Main course	A dish of Bratwurst and sliced onion cooked in vinegar, usually eaten with Bavarian pretzels.
Schäufele	Schäufele	Main course	A pork shoulder roasted slowly until the meat is super tender with a crispy crust. It's usually served with a dark sauce and dumplings.
Lebkuchen	Lebkuchen	Pastry/Cookie	A German kind of gingerbread, most famous from Nuremberg. It's a traditional Christmas treat.

Frankfurt am Main and Hessen

This central German region is known for its green sauce and apple wine.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Green Sauce	Green Sauce	Dip	A bright green sauce made from seven fresh herbs: borage, sorrel, cress, chervil, chives, parsley, and burnet. It's served with boiled potatoes and hard-boiled eggs.
Frankfurter sausage	Frankfurter sausage	Snack	A smoked sausage made from pure pork, eaten hot with bread and mustard.
Apfelwein	Apfelwein	Beverage	A traditional apple wine, similar to cider but usually drier and more sour. It's served in a special jug called a "Bembel."
Handkäse	Handkäse	Cheese	A German sour milk cheese, named because it was traditionally formed by hand.

Hamburg

Hamburg, a big port city, has dishes influenced by its connection to the sea.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Labskaus	Labskaus	Main course or snack	A dish made from corned beef, herring, mashed potatoes, and beetroot, served with a fried egg and a pickled cucumber. (Also listed in "Bremen and Lower Saxony".)
Marmorkuchen	Marmorkuchen	Cake	A cake with a swirled, marble-like look, made by mixing light and dark batter.
Franzbrötchen	Franzbrötchen	Pastry	A pastry made from flaky dough, covered with sugar and cinnamon. It's usually eaten for breakfast and is mostly found in Hamburg.
Frikadelle	Frikadelle	Main course or snack	A flat meatball made of pork, beef, and onions, often eaten with pasta salad or potatoes.
Rote Grütze	Rote Grütze	Dessert	A jelly-like dessert made from berries, especially currants. It can be eaten plain or with milk or vanilla sauce.

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

This northeastern region has dishes that often include apples, prunes, and herring.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Mecklenburger Rippenbraten [de]	Mecklenburger Rippenbraten	Main course	A rib roast made from pork belly, stuffed with apples, prunes, cinnamon, and rum. It's usually served with dumplings and red cabbage.
Sahnehering [de]	Heringsstipp	Main course	Young herring marinated in cream with onions, sometimes pears or apples. Served with fried or boiled potatoes.

Palatinate

The Palatinate region is known for its hearty dishes and connection to wine.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Saumagen	Saumagen	Main course	A pork stomach used as a casing for a filling of pork, sausage meat, and potatoes. It's usually served with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut.
Weck, Worscht, un Woi [de]	Weck, Worscht, un Woi	Snack	A popular meal in wine regions: a bread roll, a cold sausage, and wine.
Kirschenmichel	Kirschenmichel	Dessert	A type of cherry cake or bread pudding made with cherries, usually served hot with vanilla sauce.
Federweisser	Federweisser	Beverage	Young white wine that is still fermenting.

Rhineland

The Rhineland, along the Rhine River, has its own specialities, including a famous version of Sauerbraten.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Rheinischer Sauerbraten	Rheinischer Sauerbraten	Main course	Large pieces of beef (or traditionally horse meat) marinated for a long time in a spicy vinegar mixture before being cooked.
Reibekuchen	Reibekuchen	Side dish	Potato fritters, often served with dark bread, apple syrup, or stewed apples.
Himmel und Erde	Himmel und Erde	Main course	This dish means "Heaven and Earth." It's made with mashed potatoes (earth apples) and stewed apples (from the sky), often with fried blood pudding.
Halve Hahn [de]	Halve Hahn	Snack	This means "Half Cockerel," but it's actually a cheese sandwich! It's a thick slice of Gouda cheese with onions and mustard on a special roll.

Saarland

Saarland, on the border with France, has a mix of German and French influences in its food.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Dibbelabbes [de]	Dibbelabbes	Main course	A potato hash made from raw grated potatoes, bacon, and leeks, baked in a pot. It's usually eaten with apple sauce.
Schwenker	Schwenker	Main course	Pork steaks marinated in spices and onions, then grilled on a special swinging grill over a wood fire.
Geheirate	Geheirate	Main course	This dish means "Married." It's a mix of potatoes and flour dumplings served with a creamy bacon sauce.

Saxony

Saxony, in eastern Germany, is known for its cakes and vegetable dishes.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Eierschecke	Eierschecke	Cake	A cake with three layers: a bottom crust, a middle layer of creamy quark cheese, and a top layer mainly made from eggs, butter, and sugar.
Leipziger Allerlei		Side dish	A vegetable dish with peas, baby carrots, white asparagus, and mushrooms. It can also include other vegetables or small prawns.
Quarkkeulchen	Quarkkeulchen	Main course or dessert	Sweet pancakes made from quark cheese, mashed potatoes, and a little flour. They are eaten hot with sugar and cinnamon, or with fruit.
Stollen	Stollen	Cake	A German Christmas cake, very important in Saxony, especially from Dresden. (Also listed in "Popular German Dishes".)

Saxony-Anhalt

This region often combines sweet and savory flavors in its traditional dishes.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Baumkuchen	Baumkuchen	Cake	A special Christmas cake that is made in layers, looking like tree rings. It's quite tricky to prepare!
Magdeburger Schmalzkuchen [de]	Schmalzgreben	Pastry	Fried pastry made from yeast dough, topped with powdered sugar. It's often eaten during Carnival.
Eisbein	Eisbein	Main course	A ham hock usually served with mashed potatoes or bread and sauerkraut. (Also listed in "Berlin".)

Schleswig-Holstein

The northernmost state, Schleswig-Holstein, has many dishes influenced by the sea and its cold climate.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Gruenkohlgericht	Gruenkohlgericht	Side dish	Cooked kale usually served with potatoes and smoked pork or other meats.
Kieler Sprotten	Kieler Sprotten	Main course	Smoked small fish called Baltic sprats, famous from the city of Kiel.
Labskaus	Labskaus	Main course or snack	A dish made from corned beef, herring, mashed potatoes, and beetroot, served with a fried egg and a pickled cucumber. (Also listed in "Bremen and Lower Saxony" and "Hamburg".)

Silesia

Silesia, a historical region, had food influenced by its Polish, Bohemian, and Austrian neighbors.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Schlesisches Himmelreich [de]	Schlesisches Himmelreich	Main course	This dish means "Silesian Heaven." It's made of pork belly with dried fruits and cinnamon.
Weihnachtsgans [de]	Weihnachtsgans	Main course	Roasted goose traditionally served with potatoes or dumplings and vegetables. (Also listed in "Popular German Dishes".)
Streuselkuchen	Streuselkuchen	Cake	A German specialty cake made of yeast dough and covered with a sweet crumb topping called streusel.

Thuringia

Thuringia is famous for its sausages and dumplings.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Thuringian sausage	Thuringian sausage	Snack	A very famous grilled sausage from Thuringia, often served in a bun with mustard.
Thüringer Rostbrätel	Thüringer Rostbrätel	Main course	A pork neck steak marinated in beer and mustard with onions, then grilled.
Thüringer Klöße	Thüringer Klöße	Main course	Dumplings made from raw or cooked potatoes, often with toasted bread pieces inside.
Mutzbraten [de]	Mutzbraten	Main course or snack	A pound of mutton, roasted over an open birchwood fire, served with sauerkraut.
Käsekuchen	Käsekuchen	Cake	Cheesecake made from quark (cheese), sometimes with a pie crust.

Westphalia

Westphalia, in western Germany, has hearty stews and famous hams.

Name	Picture	Type	What it is
Blindhuhn	Blindhuhn	Stew	A stew from Westphalia made with beans, vegetables, and bacon.
Kassler	Kassler	Side dish	Salted and lightly smoked pork, similar to gammon.
Pickert	Pickert	Main course	Potato pancakes.
Westphalian ham	Westphalian ham	Snack	A flavorful and smoked ham from Westphalia.
Pumpernickel	Pumpernickel	Bread	A dark, hearty bread that gets its color from the sugar caramelizing during baking.
Herrencreme	Herrencreme	Dessert	A creamy dessert made with vanilla pudding, cream, and a touch of rum flavor.