10 German Foods You Must Try in Munich
Are you looking for must-try foods in Munich?
In our Munich food guide, you will get all the information to help you plan what to eat while visiting the Bavarian capital.
Check out our Munich food guide for all of Munich’s must-eat foods. We cover our ten must-try foods and restaurants for sampling the best dishes in the capital city. In addition, we include other information for taking a day trip from Munich to Schwangau to see the fairytales castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.
In Munich, excellent food is plentiful, so get ready to indulge in mouth-watering German cuisine.
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Check out our Munich Food Vlog, where we visit the places mentioned in this post: 10 German Foods You Must Try in Munich.
Where is Munich?
Munich is north of the Bavarian Alps in the German state of Bavaria. It is the capital of Bavaria and is the third-largest city in Germany. Munich is famous for its German beer and Oktoberfest.
What should you eat in Munich?
These are the 10 German Foods You Must Try in Munich.
Schmalznudel (Bavarian doughnut)
Kartoffelsuppe (German potato soup)
Allgäuer käsespätzle (Bavarian mac & cheese)
Bier (German beer)
Weisswurst (Bavarian sausage)
Kartoffelsalat (German potato salad)
Brezel (pretzel)
Apfelstrudel (apple strudel)
Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle)
Leberkäsesemmel (bologna sausage sandwich)
1. Schmalznudel
Cafe Frischhut
Schmalznudel is a Bavarian-style doughnut.
You can find schmalznudel at the famous Cafe Frischhut. This cozy cafe is close to the popular Viktualienmarkt and serves freshly made pastries and coffee.
It was a rainy April morning when we went to the cafe to try the sought-after breakfast food.
At the entrance, you can see the fresh pastries. Be sure to stop by on your way in to watch the pastry chefs in action.
The interior of Cafe Frischhut feels warm and homey. It has sturdy wooden benches and tables in little nooks around the cafe. On sunny days, they also have a terrace to enjoy coffee and schmalznudel.
We ordered a schmalznudel and a pot of freshly brewed filter coffee. The coffee paired nicely with fried dough delight.
Schmalznudel reminded me more of a funnel cake than a doughnut. The dough was thin and not too greasy. We poured a little sugar over the pastry to give it a little sweetness.
Be sure to have cash because the cafe does not accept cards.
The schmalznudel and two cups of coffee were €12.10 ($12.93).
2. Kartoffelsuppe
Haxnbauer
The location to try mouth-watering food from Bavaria is Haxnbaeur. This traditional Bavarian restaurant is a short distance from Munich’s main square, Marienplatz.
Here we tried two traditional German dishes: Kartoffelsuppe (German potato soup) and Allgäuer käsespätzle (Bavarian mac & cheese). These Bavarian dishes are #2 and #3 on our list of must-try German foods in Munich.
Haxnbauer is inside one of Munich’s historical buildings, the Scholastikahaus.
The decor felt as though we had stepped back in time. The waiters wore black and white suits, and there were old photos framed and hanging on the walls.
One of the most popular soups in Germany is potato soup.
Haxnbauer’s German potato soup was creamy and flavorful. The main ingredients in the soup are potatoes, cream, spring onions, and bacon.
Since it was a rainy day, this was the perfect comfort food.
The cost of the potato soup was €7.50 ($8).
3. Allgäuer käsespätzle
Haxnbauer
Also, at Haxnbauer, we recommend trying their Bavarian mac-n-cheese.
The main ingredients in this delicious dish are homemade Spaetzle (German noodles), lots of cheese, caramelized onions, and spring onions.
This carb overload will leave you full and satisfied. It also comes with a side salad almost as good as the main dish.
The cost of the mac-n-cheese was €15.50 ($16.53).
4. Bier (German Beer)
Schneider Bräuhaus and Hofbräuhaus
Hosting Oktoberfest every year, Munich is home to some of the best breweries in Germany and the world. To try German beer, we visited Schneider Bräuhaus and Hofbräuhaus.
The first beer hall we visited was Schneider Bräuhaus. It is in Munich’s old town and has seven different wheat beers on tap.
We tried tap #1, the Helle Weiss, and tap #7 Original. The Helle Weiss is a fruity wheat beer, and the Original Schneider Weiss is a traditional Bavarian wheat beer made using a recipe from 1872.
The price for a .5 liter beer was €4.44 ($4.75).
Hofbräuhaus München
Hofbräuhaus is perhaps the most famous tavern in the world. It is a three-floor beer hall that dates back to the 16th century.
Not only is Hofbräuhaus famous for its beer, but it also serves Bavarian cuisine, which is outstanding. We loved this place so much that I can say it is one of my favorite restaurants.
Here we tried items #4 through #8 on our list.
The atmosphere inside Hofbräuhaus is one of a kind.
There are musicians playing live Bavarian music and people singing and dancing. If you prefer a quiet dinner, this is not the place to go. The whole restaurant is buzzing with excitement.
The dining area consists of large wooden tables and benches.
Typically at most beer taverns in Germany, strangers join one another for beer and food. We love this dining concept because we met people and had great conversations.
The main beers served at Hofbräuhaus are Hofbräu Dark Beer, Hofbräu Original, and Münchner Weisse. Hofbräu makes one of our favorite beers, so we were so excited to drink it straight from the source.
We tried the Hofbräu Original and Münchner Weisse.
The beers come in .5 liter or 1-liter steins. We had to get the giant one-liter steins but later realized that the beers stay colder if you order the .5 liter steins.
The 1-liter beer costs €9.20 ($9.81).
5. Weisswurst
Hofbräuhaus München
The first dish that we highly recommend trying is Weisswurst. It is a traditional Bavarian sausage that may not look appetizing, but trust us, it is yummy.
The name translates to white sausage, and it is made from minced veal and accompanied by Bavarian sweet mustard sauce for dipping.
The sausages come in a large bowl with water, so the dish looks a little intimidating for first-timers. We had to remove the casing from the Weisswurst before eating.
Most Germans eat Weisswurst as a snack between breakfast and lunch. The sausages are a breakfast food because they do not have preservatives, so they spoil fast.
The sausage was so flavorful and delicate that it melted in my mouth. The sweet mustard sauce adds a nice additional flavor.
An order of Weisswurst comes with two sausages for €5.90 ($6.29).
6. Kartoffelsalat
Hofbräuhaus München
Another exceptional Bavarian dish to try at Hofbräuhaus is the German potato salad.
This popular dish has potatoes, vinegar, mustard, and green onions. It is served warm and is the perfect side dish.
The price of the potato salad was €3.90 ($4.15).
7. Brezel
Hofbräuhaus München
Nothing goes better with German beer than pretzels. Pretzels are the perfect bar snack, and when you’re in Munich, you have to order one.
You have two options for pretzels at Hofbräuhaus.
You can order a regular soft pretzel from the menu from your waiter (which is what we did), or you can get a gigantic pretzel from one of the pretzel vendors that constantly walks around the restaurant.
The pretzel is lightly salted and comes with mustard as a dipping sauce.
A pretzel costs €1.40 ($1.49).
8. Apfelstrudel
Hofbräuhaus München
For dessert, the Hofbräuhaus bakery makes a fantastic apple strudel.
This apple dessert has a flaky crust and comes with a sweet vanilla sauce, powdered sugar, and whipped cream. It is the best way to end your visit to Hofbräuhaus.
The cost of the apple strudel was €6.50 ($6.94).
9. Schweinshaxe
Hofbräuhaus München, Haxnbauer
We couldn’t leave pork knuckle off of our list of German foods to eat in Munich even though we didn’t eat pork knuckle while filming our Munich vlog.
I did have pork knuckle at Hofbräuhaus before, and I’m happy to report that it was super delicious.
Schweinshaxe or pork knuckle is the upper part of the pig’s leg. During the roasting process, the outside because crispy.
I’ve never tried the pork knuckle at Haxnbauer, but they are famous for their pork knuckles, which you can see and smell roasting in the window.
The roasted pork knuckle at Hofbräuhaus costs €15.50 ($16.52).
10. Leberkäsesemmel
Victuals Market (Viktualienmarkt)
The Viktualienmarkt is in the center of Munich, and it is the go-to place for fresh foods and delicacies. Viktualienmarkt is also a great place to buy souvenirs and enjoy a beer garden.
It is also one of the best places to pick up a snack while sightseeing.
The market is where we tried the most popular fast food item Leberkäse.
Leberkäse is a sausage made using corned beef, pork, and bacon. If it comes in a roll with Bavarian sweet mustard, it is called Leberkäsesemmel.
The sandwich reminded me of a thicker version of a bologna sandwich. It was cheap and pretty tasty.
The Leberkäsesemmel costs €2.70 ($2.88).
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What is the best day trip from Munich?
Schwangau is about an hour and 40-minute drive from Munich, so it is perfect for a day trip.
In our German Castle vlog, we take you on a walking tour of two of Germany’s famous fairytale castles.
Neuschwanstein Castle (Schloss Neuschwanstein) was the home of King Ludwig II, and Hohenschwangau Castle was King Ludwig II of Bavaria's childhood home.
Fun Fact, Neuschwanstein Castle was the inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle.
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Check out our Vlogging Gear Blog or Vlog to find out what cameras and equipment we use.
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Have you been to Munich? What was your favorite restaurant or must-try food in Munich? We’d love to hear about your experience. Let us know in the comments.