My Favorite German Meals

I already told you all about my favorite dishes in Portugal, but how did I fare in the land of bratwurst, pretzels and sauerkraut? My favorite German meals were of the traditional variety and a few that reminded me of home. So without further adieu, I present you with some food porn.

Potatoes at Schwabinger Kartoffelhaus, Munich

After day drinking on my first day in Munich, Christine and I sought out Schwabinger Kartoffelhaus for dinner. I ordered potatoes three ways, one with smoked salmon, one with garlic butter and one with sour cream, with salad. Christine had a giant schnitzel with this frying pan full of crispy potatoes. It’s certainly not diet-friendly but God, was it good.

Sausage and Potatoes in Englischer Garten, Munich

During my ride with Mike’s Bike Tours, the sun came out in time for us to go to the Chinese Tower (“Chinesischer Turm”) in Englischer Garten. It’s the biggest beer garden in town, outside of Oktoberfest, and has some of the best views. A sausage, side of potatoes and Hofbrau Hefeweizen was an obvious choice. But don’t forget to bring cash!

Potato Soup and Half Chicken, Oktoberfest, Munich

I was obviously a bit distracted at Oktoberfest and didn’t get a chance to take a picture of my food as I usually might. We arrived at the Paulaner tent at 9 a.m., but they couldn’t serve beer until 12 pm. I ordered potato soup to prepare my stomach for the giant beers.

It was the tastiest potato soup I’ve ever had, rich and buttery. After we left the tents, I had a half chicken at the Augustiner brewery in town. They are two quintessential dishes to order at Oktoberfest!

Flammkuchen, Schlappen, Freiburg

When I stayed with my friends Ali and Andy in Freiburg, they took me to Schlappen, a well known student joint in town. I had this pizza-like flatbread, covered in cheese and bacon. It was too much food for me, but it sure was tasty.

Rigatoni Carbonara, PLUS Hostel, Berlin

After a tough first day in Berlin, I knew I needed something good to eat. Thankfully, my hostel, PLUS Berlin, had it’s own restaurant, Opera, which serves up cheap, authentic Italian food. I ordered a big plate of rigatoni carbonara and a glass of red wine for the low price of 9 euro. I ate every single bite!

Chicken Doner Kebab, Rosenthaler Cafe, Berlin

I tried in vain to find a recommended kebab place in Rosenthaler Platz, but I settled into another cafe and ordered my very first chicken kebab. It was huge with shredded chicken tucked into a pocket of bread.

Currywurst, Curry 36, Berlin

Currywurst shops in Berlin are a dime a dozen, but Curry 36 is the most well-known, located in Mehringdamm. If you’ve never heard of this city’s delicacy, it’s a sausage smothered in curry sauce and powdered in seasoning salt. It’s definitely odd, but I’m glad I gave it a try.

Greek taco and Jasmine rice, Dirty South, Berlin

On my last night in Berlin, I was desperate for a taste of home. I was perusing Foursquare and found an American/Tex-Mex restaurant and bar a few blocks away from my hostel. Dirty South is a small space with fusion tacos, cocktails, 5 euro Pabst Blue Ribbon and all the bourbons I knew from back home. The Greek taco had grilled chicken, feta, lettuce and tzatziki sauce and was fantastic.

Almond Crusted Fish, Watzke Restaurant, Dresden

On a rainy day trip to Dresden, all I wanted was to splurge on a dish I knew I would enjoy. This fish, with the head still on, was coated with butter toasted almonds and was stuffed with herbs. I washed it down with a beer from Watzke, a local brewery-restaurant.

Which dish looks the best to you?