20 Best Places to Eat in Germany: The Ultimate Culinary & Dining Guide

Germany's culinary landscape is an enticing blend of hearty medieval traditions, regional comfort specialties, and creative contemporary fine dining. From legendary Bavarian beer halls and busy urban food markets to multi-Michelin-starred institutions, dining in Germany reflects a rich cultural heritage centered around exceptional quality and local flavors.

Must-Try Traditional Dishes

When exploring Germany's food culture, make sure to sample these authentic regional specialties:

Sauerbraten: Pot roast usually made of beef, marinated for days in wine and vinegar and served with red cabbage and potato dumplings.
Currywurst: Steamed and fried pork sausage cut into slices and smothered in spiced curry ketchup, a beloved street food staple.
Schweinshaxe: Crispy roasted pork knuckle with crackling skin, served alongside sauerkraut and knödel.
Spätzle: Soft egg noodles from Swabia, often baked with abundant cheese and crispy onions (Kässpätzle).
Schnitzel Wiener Art: Tender breaded cutlet pan-fried to golden perfection and served with fresh lemon slices.

20 Best Places to Eat in Germany

1. Hofbräuhaus München

Cuisine: Traditional Bavarian
Location: Munich, Bavaria
Must-Try Dish: Roasted Pork Knuckle (Schweinshaxe) with Potato Dumplings
About the Place: Hofbräuhaus is Munich's most famous historic beer hall dating back to 1589. With brass bands playing, long wooden tables, and waiters in traditional Lederhosen, it delivers the ultimate authentic Bavarian dining and beer hall atmosphere.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Hofbräuhaus München

2. Markthalle Neun

Cuisine: International Street Food & German Artisan
Location: Kreuzberg, Berlin
Must-Try Dish: Artisanal Currywurst & Street Food Market Bites
About the Place: Markthalle Neun is a vibrant restored 19th-century market hall in Berlin. Famous for its weekly "Street Food Thursday," it brings together local producers, craft bakeries, and international food artisans under one roof.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Markthalle Neun

3. Ratskeller München

Cuisine: Classic German & Franconian
Location: Marienplatz, Munich
Must-Try Dish: Sauerbraten with Red Cabbage
About the Place: Set beneath Munich's iconic Neo-Gothic Town Hall, Ratskeller offers expansive vaulted dining rooms filled with stained glass and historic murals, serving classic, refined Bavarian comfort food.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Ratskeller München

4. Restaurant Bareiss

Cuisine: High Fine Dining / French-German
Location: Baiersbronn, Black Forest
Must-Try Dish: Multi-course Tasting Menu with Black Forest Venison
About the Place: Holding three Michelin stars, Restaurant Bareiss in the Black Forest represents the pinnacle of German haute cuisine, offering world-class service and exquisite culinary craft.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Restaurant Bareiss

5. Curry 36

Cuisine: German Street Food
Location: Mehringdamm, Berlin
Must-Try Dish: Classic Currywurst with Fries (mit Mayonnaise)
About the Place: An iconic Berlin institution, Curry 36 has been serving city locals, late-night revelers, and international visitors authentic, delicious currywurst for over 30 years.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Curry 36

6. Früh am Dom

Cuisine: Traditional Rhenish / Brauhaus
Location: Cologne
Must-Try Dish: Himmel un Äd (Heaven and Earth: Blood Sausage with Apples & Potatoes)
About the Place: Located steps from Cologne Cathedral, this traditional brewery restaurant serves crisp Kölsch beer poured directly from wooden casks alongside robust, traditional local dishes.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Früh am Dom

7. Auerbachs Keller

Cuisine: Traditional Saxon
Location: Leipzig, Saxony
Must-Try Dish: Leipziger Allerlei (Vegetable dish with crayfish and dumplings)
About the Place: Operating since 1525, Auerbachs Keller is one of Germany's oldest restaurants. Famed for its mention in Goethe's Faust, it serves historic Saxon meals in vaulted wine cellars.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Auerbachs Keller

8. Fischereihafen Restaurant

Cuisine: Seafood fine dining
Location: Hamburg
Must-Try Dish: Fresh North Sea Turbot or Pan-Fried Sole
About the Place: Situated along the Elbe River harbor, this elegant seafood restaurant offers panoramic harbor views and the freshest maritime delicacies in northern Germany.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Fischereihafen Restaurant

9. Zum Franziskaner

Cuisine: Traditional Bavarian / German
Location: Munich, Bavaria
Must-Try Dish: Weisswurst (Bavarian White Sausages with Sweet Mustard)
About the Place: An upscale Munich institution near the Residenz, famous for serving Munich's best morning Weisswurst, pristine draft beers, and excellent roast meats.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Zum Franziskaner

10. Henssler & Henssler

Cuisine: Japanese / Asian Fusion
Location: Hamburg
Must-Try Dish: Modern Pan-Asian Sushi Rolls & Grilled Seafood
About the Place: Created by celebrity chef Steffen Henssler, this trendy restaurant located at Hamburg's docks serves inventive, high-end sushi and seafood in an industrial chic setting.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Henssler & Henssler

11. Restaurant Tim Raue

Cuisine: Modern Asian Fine Dining
Location: Berlin
Must-Try Dish: Peking Duck Interpretation Tasting Menu
About the Place: Boasting two Michelin stars and world fame, Tim Raue offers bold, vibrant Asian-inspired tasting menus with German precision near Checkpoint Charlie.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Restaurant Tim Raue

12. Historische Wurstküche

Cuisine: Historic Bavarian Sausages
Location: Regensburg, Bavaria
Must-Try Dish: Charcoal-Grilled Charcoal Sausages with Sweet Mustard and Sauerkraut
About the Place: Operating beside the Danube's Stone Bridge for nearly 900 years, this is widely considered the world's oldest continuously open sausage kitchen.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Historische Wurstküche

13. Adolf Wagner

Cuisine: Traditional Hessian Cider Tavern
Location: Frankfurt am Main
Must-Try Dish: Frankfurt Green Sauce (Grüne Soße) & Apfelwein (Apple Wine)
About the Place: A lively, traditional cider tavern in Sachsenhausen where guests sit along communal wooden benches enjoying tangy Hessian apple wine and classic local specialties.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Adolf Wagner

14. Bratwurst Röslein

Cuisine: Franconian
Location: Nuremberg, Bavaria
Must-Try Dish: Original Nürnberger Rostbratwürste (Pork Sausages grilled over beechwood)
About the Place: As the largest bratwurst restaurant in the world, this historic dining destination serves small, aromatic Franconian sausages grilled over open beechwood fires.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Bratwurst Röslein

15. Carlsburg

Cuisine: Regional Northern German
Location: Bremerhaven / Bremen Coast
Must-Try Dish: Bremer Klaben & Fresh Fish Stew
About the Place: Offering scenic views of the river and maritime ports, Carlsburg specializes in coastal regional fish dishes, fresh crabs, and hearty classic maritime stews.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Carlsburg

16. Haus Unkelbach

Cuisine: Rhenish Pub Dining
Location: Kintore / Sülz, Cologne
Must-Try Dish: Rheinischer Sauerbraten with Potato Fritters
About the Place: A beloved neighborhood brewery restaurant in Cologne that offers genuine local community vibes, ice-cold Kölsch beer, and authentic, generous home-cooked meals.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Haus Unkelbach

17. Schwarzer Bock

Cuisine: Traditional Franconian & German
Location: Ansbach, Bavaria
Must-Try Dish: Venison Roast & Wild Game Stew
About the Place: Housed in a historic 16th-century building, this restaurant serves elevated seasonal game dishes, fresh river trout, and regional wines from local Franconian vineyards.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Schwarzer Bock

18. Weinstube Kachelofen

Cuisine: Franconian Wine Tavern
Location: Würzburg, Bavaria
Must-Try Dish: Franconian Sauerbraten accompanied by local Silvaner wine
About the Place: A charming historic wine tavern in central Würzburg featuring traditional tile stoves, cozy wooden booths, and an outstanding selection of dry Franconian white wines.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Weinstube Kachelofen

19. Sansibar

Cuisine: Upscale Seaside & Gourmet German
Location: Rantum, Sylt Island
Must-Try Dish: North Sea Currywurst with Truffle Fries or Fresh Oysters
About the Place: Nestled among the sand dunes on Sylt, Sansibar is Germany's premier luxury beach bar and restaurant, renowned for its legendary wine cellar and high-end dining.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Sansibar

20. Schneider Bräuhaus

Cuisine: Traditional Bavarian Wheat Beer House
Location: Munich, Bavaria
Must-Try Dish: Kronfleisch (Bavarian Beef Flank Steak) with Weissbier
About the Place: Renowned as the home of Schneider Weisse wheat beer, this classic brewery eatery serves traditional, hearty nose-to-tail Bavarian dishes in an unpretentious atmosphere.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Schneider Bräuhaus

Featured Image

Traditional Bavarian Pork Knuckle & Beer