Munich dining

Weißwurst with a pretzel and mustard—a classic Munich meal. (Photo by Beat von Stein)

Restaurants in Munich, Germany

Munich is not a place for someone on a diet.

The primary food groups here are sausage, beer, salted white radishes, and pretzels.

The best and würst of Bavarian sausages

Sausages are called wurstel and come in so many shapes, sizes, and stuffings that it would take a whole book just to explain them all.

The greatest hits include:

• Bratwurst - Finger-sized seasoned pork.
• Frankfurter - The forerunner of hot dogs, only way more appetizing.
• Blütwurst - Blood sausage.
• Leberwurst - Liver sausge.
• Weisswurst - A scrumptious specialty of Munich. The proper way to eat a Weisswurst is to cut it in half, dip the cut end in mustard, and suck the filling out of the casing in one fell slurp. What's it made of? (Spoiler alert! Please try one before reading this next bit, as you may not want to afterwords.) Veal, calf brains, and spleen, spiced to mild deliciousness and then boiled.

Dumplings—German starch

Any food ending in the word knödel is a dumpling, which may be made of semmel (bread), leber (liver), or kartoffel (potato).

Best bets for traditional fare

The best place to sample any of these specialties is the bräuhaus (beer hall tavern), where people sit communally and amicably at big tables.

Munich's other great contribution to the world of restaurant types is the outdoor biergarten.

Beer

No, I'm not forgetting the beer. In fact, it get's its own section.

Tips

• Book a tour: Visit the beer halls of Munich on a guided culinary tour booked at a discount via our partners Viator.com:
  
  
  • Bavarian Beer and Food Evening Tour in Munich
  • Munich Bavarian Food Walking Tour
  • Behind-the-Scenes Paulaner Brewery and Beer Tour in Munich
  • Munich Super Saver: Paulaner Brewery and Beer Tour plus Express Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
  • Munich by Night and Dinner at Hofbrauhaus
  • Munich Oktoberfest Tickets and Tour
  • Munich Segway Tour During Oktoberfest