If you're a football fan on a pilgrimage to Germany for Euro 2024 this summer, make sure to fuel up your journey with some good, authentic local food.
Germany is a diverse country with a rich and robust culinary heritage, and we've selected the best local plate for each host city, so you don't have to Google it while you're taking a nice train trip across the Bavarian Alps or the Westphalian lowlands.
Berlin - Currywurst
Considered as the embodiment of Berlin's culture, this street food consists of steamed and fried pork sausage, sliced in two and topped with a curry-flavoured ketchup. It usually goes with a bread roll or French fries on the side and it promises to be one of the most tantalising culinary hits of Euro 2024.
Dortmund - Pfefferpotthast
Hard to pronounce, but easy on the eye, this Westphalian stew is a symbol of the region's sturdy food style. It's prepared with beef, onions and served with a bread or potato side. It will spice up your days with its generous pepper coat and it can be easily eaten in Germany's summers too, as Dortmund temperatures usually don't cross 23 degrees.
Hamburg - Labskaus
The port city of Hamburg has a proud maritime history. Labskaus became popular centuries ago as a sturdy plate created to last during lengthy sea crossings. Its rich combination of pickled herring, fried eggs, potatoes, beetroot and corn, provides a comforting and savoury meal, which recently even found a way into gourmet kitchens.
Frankfurt - Grüne Soße (Green Sauce)
We know it's summer and you want to stick to the light meals, so instead of the usual Frankfurter Würstchen (Frankfurt sausage), why not to try a fresher Grüne Soße? It's a popular plate consisting of sour cream and seven fresh herbs - including sorrel, chives and barnet. It's often served with potatoes and boiled eggs.
Munich - Schweinshaxe (Pork knuckle)
Are you even in Munich if you don't have Schweinshaxe? It's a quintessential Bavarian roasted recipe made with the meaty part of the leg below the pork's knee. A must-have treat during Oktoberfest with a crispy, cracking skin and a juicy, tender soul slow-cooked to perfection.
Lepizig - Eierschecke
We didn't forget about the pastry! Lepizig's signature item is a cake with a middle layer of quark-based cheesecake and a top side of vanilla custard. Its thick appearance is due to its glaze cover made of flour, sugar, eggs and cream. It's an institution across Saxony and Thuringia and the symbol of the region's passion for creamy, custard-filled desserts.
Stuttgart - Maultaschen
Stuggart's mouth-bags are a kind of large dumpling pasta filled with smoked meat, spinach, onions, minced meat, and flavoured with herbs and spices. The legend goes that they were created by monks who wanted to conceal meat during Lent periods when eating meat was forbidden. They're also known as the Swabian ravioli.
Cologne - Rheinischer Sauerbraten
This braised roast's unique flavour is given by several days of marination in wine. In Cologne, it was originally prepared with horse meat, however now it's mostly made of beef. The sauce's sweet taste on which the meat lays can contain either sugar beet syrup, apple sauce or gingerbread.
Düsseldorf - Senfrostbraten
Düsseldorf's specialty is a mustard roast consisting of a rump steak prepared with a special mustard crust, which owned Düsseldorf its reputation as the "Mustard City". It's a hearty meat dish best had with a local Atbier beer, a copper-coloured Rhineland brew.
Gelsenkirchen - Himmel und Erde
Himmel und Erde - literally Heaven and Earth \- is a traditional meal from Germany's industrial Ruhr region. It's prepared with applesauce (the "heaven") and mashed potatoes (the "earth") with an abundant touch of fried onions and pudding.
