Oktoberfest Food: What to Eat at Munich’s Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest food is built for beer drinking: warm pretzels, roast chicken, sausages, pork knuckle, cheese, dumplings and all the hearty Bavarian dishes that make the festival worth showing up hungry for.

But if your idea of Oktoberfest food starts and ends with bratwurst and sauerkraut, you’re missing some of the best stuff.

Munich’s Oktoberfest has everything from full beer-tent meals to things I’d order because I can eat with one hand while having a beer in the other. Think Bavarian pretzels, Obatzda and roasted almonds.

This guide is about the food you’ll actually run into at Oktoberfest and what I’d make a point of ordering.

Oktoberfest Food at a Glance

If you’re headed to Oktoberfest, these are the foods I’d know before you arrive.

What Food Is Traditional at Oktoberfest?

Oktoberfest takes place in Munich, so the food is heavily Bavarian, not a greatest-hits menu of everything eaten across Germany. It’s a good chance to try some of the foods this part of Germany is known for.

The beer tents don’t all serve the same food either. Each has its own menu, and outside the tents you’ll find food stalls selling everything from sausages and fish to sweets and snacks. You could spend a few days at Oktoberfest without eating the same thing twice.

Brezn: Bavarian Pretzels

A big Bavarian pretzel is probably where I’d start, especially if there’s beer involved.

You’ll see Brezn all over Oktoberfest, including huge versions that are much bigger than the soft pretzels most Americans are used to. Give me one with mustard and a beer and I’m already pretty happy. Add Obatzda and it gets even better.

Make them: German Soft Pretzels (Bavarian Brezen)

Obatzda

If there’s a pretzel on the table, I want Obatzda next to it. It’s basically what happens when Camembert gets invited to Oktoberfest. This Bavarian cheese spread usually starts with ripe soft cheese and butter, with paprika, onion, caraway and sometimes a splash of beer joining the party.

Make it: Obatzda (Bavarian Cheese Spread)

Hendl: Oktoberfest Roast Chicken

Once I’m ready for an actual meal, Hendl moves pretty high on the list. Half a roast chicken with crispy skin and a Maß of beer is about as Oktoberfest as it gets.

Make it: Oktoberfest Chicken (German Hendl)

Schweinshaxe: Crispy Pork Knuckle

Schweinshaxe is what I’d order when I’m seriously hungry. This isn’t an eat-on-the-go kind of meal. Pork knuckle is roasted until the meat turns tender and the outside develops a deeply crisp skin. Depending on the tent, it may arrive with dumplings, gravy, cabbage or sauerkraut.

Bratwurst and Sausages

You’ll run into sausages in plenty of forms, often grilled and served simply with bread or a roll and mustard. They’re one of the easiest things to grab when you want food without sitting down for another giant meal.

And yes, they’re worth eating even though you can easily find German sausages back home.

Bratwurst and Sauerkraut — bratwurst cooked with sauerkraut, apples and onions.

Bratwurst in Beer and Onions — bratwurst simmered with German lager and plenty of onions.

Schnitzel

After a day of pork knuckle, sausages and roast chicken, a crisp breaded cutlet sounds exactly up my alley. Depending on the version, it may be served simply with lemon or dressed up with sauce and sides.

I’ve got two versions in the Foodie & Wine kitchen:

• German Schnitzel — the classic crisp breaded cutlet.
• Jägerschnitzel — schnitzel topped with Mushroom Gravy.

Käsespätzle

Cheese, Spätzle and onions? I’m in. Käsespätzle layers soft Spätzle with plenty of cheese and usually finishes the whole thing with onions. It’s also one of the heartier meat-free options you’ll find at Oktoberfest.

Coming to the Foodie & Wine kitchen: Spätzle and Käsespätzle

German Potato Pancakes

When I want something crisp and snackable instead of another plate of meat, I reach for Kartoffelpuffer. They’re made from grated potatoes and fried until crisp outside while staying softer in the middle.

Anything made with potatoes is a winner when beer is involved.

Make them: German Potato Pancakes

Steckerlfisch

Steckerlfisch is whole fish grilled on a stick, and it’s one I’d make a point of looking for at the festival. I don’t make whole fish too often at home and I’d rather have someone else cook with fire when beer is involved.

Oktoberfest Side Dishes

The sides depend a lot on what you’ve ordered and how hungry you are.

• Kartoffelsalat — German potato salad. Styles vary, but potato salad is an easy match for sausages, schnitzel and roast meats. My German Potato Salad is the mayo-free Swabian version made with broth, onion and vinegar.
• Sauerkraut — fermented cabbage that’s especially good with rich pork and sausage.
• Rotkohl — braised red cabbage with a sweeter, tangier bite.
• Knödel — bread or potato dumplings that really come into their own when there’s roast meat and gravy involved.
• Radieschen and Radi — radishes, which are exactly the sort of crisp, fresh thing I want when most of what I’ve eaten all day is meat, cheese and bread.

Oktoberfest Sweets

With this much sausage, pork and beer around, it’s easy to forget about dessert. Don’t—the sweets are worth saving room for.

• Gebrannte Mandeln — almonds coated in a crunchy layer of caramelized sugar. They’re exactly the kind of thing I’d buy while walking around enjoying the festivities.
• Kaiserschmarrn — a torn sweet pancake usually served with fruit or fruit sauce. It’s Austrian in origin, but you’ll find it at Oktoberfest too.
• Lebkuchenherzen — the decorated gingerbread hearts you’ll see hanging from festival stalls, covered with colorful icing and piped messages. They’re half sweet, half Oktoberfest souvenir.

What to Drink With Oktoberfest Food

Obviously, beer. The beer served at the festival comes from Munich breweries and is brewed for the Wiesn. Here are my favorite pairings.

Oktoberfest Food Recipes From the Foodie & Wine Kitchen

Eating this stuff in Munich is one thing. I’ve also been working my way through some of it in the Foodie & Wine kitchen. These are the German and Oktoberfest recipes I’ve cooked and tested so far.