German cuisine

The cuisine of Germany consists of many different local or regional cuisines, reflecting the country's federal history. Germany itself is part of the larger cultural region of Central Europe, sharing many culinary traditions with neighbouring countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic (and Slovakia as well). In Northern Europe, in Denmark more specifically, the traditional Danish cuisine had also been influenced by German cuisine in the past, hence several dishes being common between the two countries (e.g. potato salad).

At the same time, German cuisine also shares many similar characteristics with Western European cuisine, as is reflected by some common traditional dishes served in the Low Countries (i.e. Netherlands, Belgium, and, most notably, Luxembourg). Southern German regions, such as Bavaria and Swabia, share dishes with Austrian cuisine and parts of Swiss cuisine as well. The German cuisine has also influenced other European cuisines from Central-Eastern Europe such as those of Hungary or Romania, both countries sharing past and current German heritage in general, through their ethnic German minorities (see also, for example in this regard, the Transylvanian Saxon cuisine).

The Michelin Guide of 2025 awarded a three-star ranking (the highest designation) to 10 restaurants in Germany, while 46 more received two-star rankings and 265 one-star rankings. , Germany had the fourth-highest number of Michelin three-star restaurants in the world, after Japan, France, and the United States.

Hot dishes

Meat

The average annual meat consumption is per person. The most common varieties are pork, poultry, and beef. Other varieties of meat are widely available, but are considered to be insignificant.

Meat is usually braised; fried dishes also exist, but these recipes usually originate from France and Austria. Several cooking methods used to soften tough cuts have evolved into national specialties, including ''Sauerbraten'' (sour roast), involving marinating beef, horse meat or venison in a vinegar or wine vinegar mixture over several days.

A long tradition of sausage-making exists in Germany; more than 1,500 different types of sausage () are made. Most ''Wurst'' is made with natural casings of pork, sheep or lamb intestines. Among the most popular and most common are ''Bratwurst'', usually made of ground pork and spices, the ''Wiener'' (Viennese), which may be pork or beef and is smoked and fully cooked in a water bath, and ''Blutwurst'' ( blood sausage) or ''Schwarzwurst'' (black sausage) made from blood (often of pigs or geese). Thousands of types of cold cuts also are available which are also called "Wurst" in German. There are many regional specialties, such as the '' Münchner Weißwurst'' (Munich white sausage) popular in Bavaria or the '' Currywurst'' (depending on region, either a steamed pork sausage or a version of the ''Bratwurst'', sliced and spiced with curry ketchup) popular in the metropolitan areas of Berlin, Hamburg and the Ruhr Area. Strict regulations governing what may and may not be put into them have been in force in Germany since the 13th century. In the market ordinance of Landshut in 1236, it was set down that only top-quality meat could be made into sausages. Different types of sausages include also: Bierschinken, Bockwurst, Frankfurter Würstchen, Jagdwurst, Knackwurst, Liverwurst, Mettwurst, Nürnberger Bratwürste, Nürnberger Rostbratwurst, Regensburger Wurst, Saumagen, Teewurst, Thuringian sausage, Weisswurst, Westfälische Rinderwurst and Wollwurst.

Fish

Of saltwater fish, whitefish such as Alaska pollock, Atlantic herring, Atlantic cod