There is a lot more to German cuisine than bratwurst and sauerkraut. There are wonderful regional dishes such as
Hendl, roast chicken, often accompanied with beer and pretzels,
Kartoffelsalat, a German style potato salad with bacon,
Sauerbraten, a German style pot roast,
Knödel, German style dumplings make with bread or potato,
Flädle, a broth with savoury German style pancakes,
Weisswurst, a white sausage made with veal and pork and Labskaus, a dish made with corned beef.
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German style sweets and desserts are also a delight, perhaps the most well known is the distinctive
Stollen, which is a type of fruit cake,
Prinzregententorte, a gorgeous layered sponge cake,
Apple Strudel,
Berliner, a German style doughnut and
Rote Grütze, which is a dish composed of fruit (usually berries), jelly and milk.
Local versions of these classic German style dishes are available in various German bars, cafes and restaurants located in and around Melbourne. One of the most well known German establishments in Melbourne is
Muttis in Carlton. Known for home style cooking, the menu at Muttis includes a range of Eastern European dishes; the German dishes include Räucherfleisch Knödel, Brettl Jause (a selection of smoked house goods and cold cuts), Glühwein (mulled wine) braised Mutton Shank, Pretzel and Gingerbread Gugelhupf and Apple Strudel.
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Hofbräuhaus located in the Melbourne CBD is another great spot to sample German cuisine The menu includes all the expected German dishes; Weisswurst (Barvarian Veal sausages), Knuspriger Schweinebauch (oven roasted crispy pork belly), Frikadellen (pork and beef rissoles) and a range of sausage dishes, including Kase Krainer (cheese filled pork kransky sausages), Schweizer Bratwurst (pork sausages) and Kassler (grilled smoked pork loin). There are also German style sweets and desserts on the menu, including Apfel Strudel (apple strudel) and Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte (Black Forest cake).
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The
German Club Tivoli, located in Prahran also has a specialised German menu. Highlights include the Green spilt pea soup, Weisswurst served with sauerkraut and mash potatoes, Bratwurst served with sauerkraut and mash potatoes,
Kassler (smoked pork loin), Sauerbraten (beef pot roast) and cabbage rolls. Sweets and desserts include Apple Strudel, Black Forest cake and local variations of the Berliner and Rote Grütze.
However if you have a hankering for a true Bratwurst, with sauerkraut of course, check out the
Melbourne Bratwurst Shop in the Deli Hall section of the Queen Victoria Market.
If you know of a great German bar, cafe or restaurant located in or around Melbourne, please let us know about it by leaving a comment.
We look forward to your feedback.
