The Oktoberfest in Munich, the biggest people pageant on the earth, just isn’t solely a spectacular occasion, but additionally a culinary spotlight. For worldwide vacationers visiting the pageant, there’s a wealth of conventional Bavarian delicacies to find.
Yep, that’s proper. There’s greater than beer to stay up for when attending Oktoberfest.
Right here’s your final culinary information on what to eat at Oktoberfest in Munich!
Associated learn: Everything You Need To Know About Attending Oktoberfest in Munich
Right here is an summary:
What to Know Concerning the Meals at Oktoberfest
The significance of Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest is excess of only a assortment of beer tents and fairground rides. It celebrates tradition, custom and, above all, foods and drinks.
Yearly, it attracts tens of millions of tourists from everywhere in the world who come collectively to have fun and benefit from the Bavarian lifestyle.
Conventional Bavarian delicacies
On the coronary heart of the culinary expertise at Oktoberfest is conventional Bavarian delicacies. That is sometimes called “Schmankerl” and contains quite a lot of hearty dishes that go completely with a freshly tapped beer.
Associated learn: A Sustainable Bavaria Travel Guide
Culinary ambiance
The Theresienwiese, the venue of the Oktoberfest, is reworked into an enormous “Oktoberfest buffet” throughout the pageant.
Right here, you may stroll from tent to tent and pattern the varied specialties on provide.
Fashionable dishes at Oktoberfest
Listed below are just a few of the favored meals you’ll discover at Oktoberfest:
- Pretzels (Brezeln): These giant, salty pretzels are a should at Oktoberfest. They’re the right “Bavarian finger meals” and go completely with any drink. They’re as tender as a recent roll on the within and crispy, tasty and big as a millstone on the skin! The coarse salt on the pretzel will make you thirsty however don’t fear—so long as there’s nonetheless beer within the glass, the following pint will keep recent.
- Leberkäse or “Leberkas”: “liver-cheese”? Sure, the time period Leberkäse can typically trigger confusion. However don’t fear, Leberkäse has nothing to do with liver or cheese! At first look, this Bavarian meat specialty could appear puzzling, however it tastes so good that you just surprise why it’s not referred to as liver ecstasy! A thick slice of Leberkäse might be loved merely on bread with mustard or on a plate with salad or a fried egg.
- Pork knuckle or “a Haxn”: Pork knuckle or “a Haxn” – this can be a actual spotlight on the plate! This juicy and tender delicacy is so huge that you’d nearly should guide a separate flight ticket for it.
- Hendl or Brathendl (roast rooster): An absolute basic on the Oktoberfest and an actual deal with from Bavaria! The crispy rooster with secret spices is so scrumptious that you just’ll surprise if the chickens secretly bathed in beer earlier than consuming it! In fact, that’s nonsense: they merely serve completely ready roast rooster.
- Bavarian dumpling dishes: In Bavaria, as in lots of alpine areas, there are dumplings in all variations! Whether or not bread dumplings, bacon dumplings, potato dumplings, spinach dumplings or stuffed dumplings: you’ll love them so spherical and fluffy, typically they’re whilst huge as a fist. Dumplings are often a scrumptious aspect dish. However these versatile all-rounders are additionally excellent as a starter or full meal, for instance as dumplings with cheese and clarified butter, dumplings with goulash or as dumpling tris.
- Käsespätzle: You prepare dinner these items of dough in a bain-marie and serve them with a number of cheese and fried onions. A culinary delight that’s not solely present in Bavaria, however tastes significantly scrumptious right here. Spaetzle plus cheese plus golden-brown fried onions equals paradise on the plate and Oktoberfest cheese spaetzle is all the time significantly tasty.
- Sausage in all its varieties: In Bavaria, there are as many scrumptious sausage varieties as there are mustard varieties! Along with every kind of bratwurst, bockwurst, meat sausages and Nuremberg sausages, there may be additionally the standard white sausage. However watch out: white sausages shouldn’t be served at lunchtime. This tasty basic is often loved as a late breakfast with wheat beer, pretzels and candy mustard. By the way, many of those different delicacies are sometimes accompanied by high-quality mustard and hearty sauerkraut.
- Snacks: Get pleasure from conventional snacks on the Wiesn! As an alternative of rooster, some guests desire cheese. Within the early years of the Oktoberfest, meals was much less about enjoyment and extra about satiety. Again then, cheese, bread and pretzels have been the principle meals. Fashionable particular person dishes embody pressed sausage, handmade sausage, radishes, pickles, sausage salad, chilly roast pork and Obatzter. The costs for blended snacks can fluctuate vastly relying on the tent, which is commonly mirrored within the choice.
- Fish on a stick: Sure, Bavaria doesn’t simply have meat, it additionally has fish, and also you’ll be stunned at how artistic the Bavarians are. When grilling, cooking and having fun with this scrumptious fish skewer, fish lovers will actually be in seventh heaven! The Steckerlfisch is principally a standard finger meals with a hearty, spicy taste that’s merely scrumptious.
- Desserts: The choice of desserts in most tents is often restricted to steamed dumplings, Apfelkücherl, Apfelstrudel and Kaiserschmarrn – if in any respect. Auszogne are sometimes offered immediately on the desk like pretzels. In some specialised espresso tents and stalls additionally, you will discover candy dumplings akin to yeast or apricot dumplings. These are joined by Bavesen, curd cheese strudel and the favored roasted almonds.
Meals stalls at Oktoberfest
Along with the road distributors of the small tents, that are primarily based on their menus, you’ll find delicacies akin to bratwurst rolls or pork sausages with cabbage, in addition to tent-specific specialties akin to knuckle of pork or ox rolls.
The specialised fish stands provide a bigger choice of (comparatively cheap) fish sandwiches and different fish dishes in comparison with the snack stands.
Scrumptious dishes, particularly these which might be troublesome to eat standing up, akin to rooster, duck or Steckerlfische, may also be loved within the beer gardens. Much like standard beer gardens, it’s permitted to deliver your personal meals.
By the way, all small or giant dishes are cheaper on the stands / meals stalls than within the tents.
Vegetarian and vegan meals at Oktoberfest
There’s a assorted choice of vegetarian and vegan dishes on the Oktoberfest.
You may stay up for hearty starters akin to Obatzda, Radi and an unique Wiesnbrezn, which can delight cheese lovers.
There’s additionally a wide array of vegan dishes on the Wiesn. For instance, you may take pleasure in natural sauerkraut strudel, tomatized stir-fried greens and lamb’s lettuce on kohlrabi carpaccio. Otherwise you determine to go for a vegan snack, just like the hearty “Paradeiser-Brot” (natural tomato bread from the pan) or a vegan, natural pumpkin unfold with natural wood-fired bread.
Many of the tents additionally provide scrumptious soups, from potato soup to tasty pumpkin soup with ginger and lemongrass.
Fashionable meat substitute dishes akin to quinoa (on pea and mint puree) or a soy steak (with melted onions) might be discovered within the numerous tents and are certain to please even non-vegetarians.
In fact, you don’t have to fret about going hungry as a customer with allergic reactions or intolerances. There are scrumptious gluten- and lactose-free dishes akin to coconut curries, baked potatoes with chive bitter cream, candy potato fries or specifically ready crêpes.
Oktoberfest Beer
No go to to the Oktoberfest can be full with out the well-known Bavarian beer. Freshly tapped and served in giant beer mugs (referred to as Maß = 1 liter), beer is a central a part of the pageant.
Oktoberfest beer is principally a bottom-fermented, malty lager with round 6 % alcohol. Nonetheless, many individuals are usually not used to robust beer, because the impact solely units in later—so it’s higher to drink it slowly!
Solely beer from Munich breweries could also be served on the Wiesn. Since 2022, Oktoberfest beer has carried the European Union’s “Protected Geographical Indication” seal of origin. This ensures that Oktoberfest beer is brewed completely in Munich in accordance with its specification and is the beer that’s served on the Munich Oktoberfest.
Weeks earlier than the Wiesn kicks off, the breweries current their new Wiesnbier brewed annually: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner and Spaten. Solely beer that comes from one in all these Munich breweries and meets the specs of the protected “Oktoberfestbier” model could also be served on the Oktoberfest.
The best way to order your Maß / beer
If you order, do it appropriately… You will need to know that every one nouns in German have a gender. They are often both masculine (der), female (die), or neuter (das). So when ordering “a Maß” (beer), it’s not referred to as “der Maß” or “das Maß”, however “DIE Maß” (female)!
Nevertheless it’s referred to as “das Bier” (neuter). Sure, we all know, German is hard to be taught. 😉
And pronounce “Maß” with a brief “a” and a pointy “S.” By the way, the plural is 2 Maß.
This glass jug holds one liter and is appropriately held by the deal with.
Enjoyable truth
You typically notice how heavy a Maß is the following day – some individuals really uncover a bruise on their hand.
Due to this fact, being a Wiesn waiter is an actual back-breaking job. She carries between 7 and 12 measures per course from morning to nighttime, 16 days in a row. Nevertheless it ought to be price it: Rumor has it that she earns round 10,000 euros in two weeks.
Wiesnbier all the time contains the unique gravity along with the alcohol content material, however what is that this all about?
It refers back to the nutrient content material of the beer earlier than fermentation. The unique wort is created by the malt grain, whose starch is transformed into sugar throughout the mashing course of. Proteins, amino acids and nutritional vitamins are additionally a part of it.
They function vitamins for the yeast: the upper the unique wort, the extra the yeast can ferment, which in flip is mirrored in the next alcohol content material.
The strongest Wiesnbier is that of Hofbräu, with 13.7% unique gravity and 6.3% alcohol.
BTW, it’s not all in regards to the beer. There are additionally non-alcoholic choices and different conventional drinks akin to apple spritzer.
Foodie finances tip
Consuming scrumptious meals at Oktoberfest doesn’t want to interrupt the financial institution. Get pleasure from scrumptious dishes of the day at an reasonably priced worth throughout the week.
The tents provide day by day altering lunch dishes which might be something however boring. Hearty residence cooking and light-weight vegetarian dishes await you right here. Pay specific consideration on Fridays, as not all tents provide a reduced lunch menu.
So deal with your self to a tasty meal on the Mittagswiesn throughout the week!
Beer and meals costs at Oktoberfest
Drinks
- Beer (Maß 1 liter): €12-16
- Water, Coke, Lemonade, Spezi (Coke & lemonade) and so forth. (0,5l): €5-10
Meals
- Half rooster (1/2 Hendl): €13-25
- Grilled pork knuckle: €20-28
- Roast pork with dumplings: €23
- Sausage platter: €17
- Cheese spaetzle: €20
- Kaiserschmarn: €14-20
Cultural context
Consuming and consuming at Oktoberfest is greater than only a meal—it’s a part of the tradition. Simply because the lederhosen with suspenders or the beer with foam are a part of the pageant, so are the standard dishes.
The phrase “O’ zapft is” marks the beginning of the pageant and heralds the festivities.
Good to know when attending Oktoberfest
Give a tip
Even when the costs on the Oktoberfest embody the service cost – tipping is a part of it. Wiesn waiters work very exhausting (at peak instances, as much as 12 Maß [around 20 kilos] or meals on giant trays is transported by way of a (typically drunken) crowd each 3-5 minutes. This ought to be rewarded.
Nevertheless it’s not the US, so to spherical up (5-10%) is ok.
Don’t deliver your personal drinks into the tent
Sure, beer is kind of costly on the Wiesn (round €15 per beer). However consuming your personal beer (or every other drink) within the tent is firstly no enjoyable, and secondly, you’ll be kicked out in a short time… and that’s it for a seat.
Don’t eat nothing
Many individuals don’t eat something on the Wiesn – particularly not within the tent. Nevertheless it’s good to have base in your abdomen, as a result of very often (often) 😉 individuals drink an excessive amount of alcohol.
And it’s best to undoubtedly attempt one of many many culinary delicacies and conventional dishes. You received’t remorse it!
On weekdays at lunchtime, the Wiesn just isn’t so busy, so you may order and eat in peace.
The Oktoberfest in Munich provides worldwide vacationers a novel alternative to immerse themselves in Bavarian tradition and luxuriate in a number of the finest conventional foods and drinks. From pretzels to Leberkäse and pork knuckles, there’s one thing to swimsuit everybody’s style.
And with a freshly tapped beer in hand, each chew turns into an unforgettable expertise.
