Are you going to Berlin to see the final? Make sure you eat currywurst on the way to the stadium.
If you are a football fan who is making a pilgrimage to Germany this summer for Euro 2024make sure to refuel on your trip with good and authentic local food.
Germany is a diverse country with a rich and strong culinary heritage, and we have selected the best local dish from each host cityso you don’t have to Google it while taking a nice train ride through the Bavarian Alps or the Westphalian lowlands.
Berlín – ‘Currywurst’
Considered as the embodiment of Berlin culture, this street food consists of fried and steamed pork sausages, cut in two and topped with a curry-flavored ketchup. It is usually accompanied with a bun or fries, and promises to be one of the most tempting culinary successes of Euro 2024.
Dortmund – ‘Pfefferpotthast’
Difficult to pronounce, but pleasing to the eye, this Westphalian stew It is a symbol of the region’s robust culinary style. It is prepared with beef, onion and served with bread or potatoes. It will spice up your days with its generous layer of pepper and can also be eaten without problems in the summers of Germany, since temperatures in Dortmund do not usually exceed 23 degrees.
Hamburg – Labskas
The port city of Hamburg has a proud maritime history. ‘Labskaus’ became popular centuries ago as a durable dish created to last during long sea voyages. Its rich combination of pickled herring, fried eggs, potatoes, beets and cornprovides a comforting and tasty meal, which has recently even made its way into gourmet kitchens.
Frankfurt – ‘Green Sauce’ (Salsa verde)
We know it’s summer and you want to stick to light meals, so instead of the usual ‘Frankfurter Würstchen’, why not try a fresher ‘Grüne Soße’? It’s about a popular dish made with sour cream and seven fresh herbs, including sorrel and chives. It is usually served with potatoes and boiled eggs.
Munich – ‘Schweinshaxe’ (cerdo codillo)
Are you in Munich if you don’t eat ‘Schweinshaxe’? It is a quintessential Bavarian roast recipe that is prepared with the meaty part of the leg below the knee of the pig, bristle codillo. A must-have treat during Oktoberfest, with a crispy, crumbly skin and a juicy, tender soul slow-cooked to perfection.
Lepizig – ‘Eierschecke’
We don’t forget the cakes. Lepizig’s signature dish is a cake with a middle layer of quark-based cheesecake and a top layer of vanilla custard. Its thick appearance is due to its icing coating made of flour, sugar, eggs and cream. It is an institution in Saxony and Thuringia and the symbol of the region’s passion for creamy, custard-filled desserts.
Stuttgart – ‘Maultaschen’
Stuggart’s ‘maultaschen’ are a kind of large Pasta dumplings filled with smoked meat, spinach, onions, minced meat and flavored with herbs and spices. Legend has it that they were created by monks who wanted to hide meat during the Lent periods, when eating meat was prohibited. They are also known as Swabian ravioli.
Colonia – ‘Rhenish Sauerbraten’
The unique flavor of this stewed roast is given by several days of marinating in wine. In Cologne, it was originally prepared with horse meat, although now it is mostly made with beef. The sweet flavor of the sauce on which the meat sits may contain sugar beet syrup, apple sauce or gingerbread.
Düsseldorf – ‘Mustard Roast’
Düsseldorf’s specialty is mustard roast, which consists of a Steak prepared with a special mustard crust, which has earned Düsseldorf its reputation as the “Mustard City”. It is a hearty meat dish that is best enjoyed with a local beer Atbier, a copper-colored Rhineland beer.
Gelsenkirchen – ‘Heaven and Earth’
‘Himmel und Erde’ – literally Heaven and Earth – is a traditional food from Germany’s industrial Ruhr region. It is prepared with applesauce (the “heaven”) and mashed potatoes (the “earth”) with a generous touch of fried onion and pudding.
