Nuremberg Food
Discover Nuremberg's hearty Franconian cooking, famous sausages, regional beer, and traditional dishes shaped by the city's history
FOOD CULTURE
A Taste of the City
Nuremberg’s food culture is deeply Franconian, and some of its most memorable meals come with a setting that feels almost as important as the food. Inside the Old Town, traditional restaurants occupy timbered houses, vaulted rooms and centuries-old buildings where dark wood, closely packed tables and the smell of grilled bratwurst create an atmosphere that is difficult to reproduce elsewhere.
Places such as Bratwursthäusle and Zum Gulden Stern preserve this old Nuremberg character particularly well. Expect regional staples such as Nürnberger Bratwürste, Schäufele and sauerbraten, accompanied by Franconian beer or wine. For me, these historic restaurants are less about chasing the latest culinary trend and more about experiencing a piece of the city itself.
Grilled Nürnberger Rostbratwürste on sauerkraut with horseradish and salad
Nuremberg’s food scene is also changing. When I lived here for several months in 2017, I loved the city but found the restaurant choices less varied than in Munich. We often cooked at home or went out for pizza, kebab, gelato or Kaffee and Kuchen.
Returning today, the difference is noticeable: international restaurants and newer concepts are adding variety while the traditional Franconian establishments remain part of the city’s identity. Some of my favorite food experiences are simpler still: buying olives, Mediterranean dips and cheese from vendors along Königstraße, taking coffee and a pastry up toward the Kaiserburg, or eating my way through a local festival.
At Christmas, the markets turn food into part of the celebration, with bratwurst, lebkuchen, roasted nuts, sweets and hot drinks filling the streets. Local fairs bring their own mix of hearty festival foods. Nuremberg may not have Munich’s scale or restaurant scene, but increasingly it doesn’t need to imitate it. The combination of old Franconian traditions and a more diverse modern city is becoming interesting in its own right.
TRADITIONAL FOODS
Local Specialties to Try
Franconian cooking is hearty, practical and closely connected to the region’s farms, breweries, vineyards and festive traditions. Nuremberg contributes some specialties known throughout Germany, particularly its small grilled bratwursts and Lebkuchen, but the wider Franconian kitchen offers much more.
Dishes such as roast-pork Schäufele and beef sauerbraten sit alongside sausages prepared in several ways, seasonal carp, distinctive baked goods and a strong tradition of both beer and wine. Many of these foods are at their best in an old inn, beer garden, Christmas market or local fair rather than a formal restaurant.
The nine specialties below provide a good introduction to what to look for while exploring Nuremberg and the surrounding Franconian region.
Franconian Beer
Franconia’s varied beer culture is shaped by small breweries, village inns and beer cellars. Kellerbier, Landbier, dark lagers and wheat beer are among the regional styles worth trying, preferably close to where they are brewed.
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Franconian beer flight with pale, amber and dark beers on a wooden table
Schäufele
A Franconian classic made from pork shoulder roasted with the blade bone until the meat is tender and the rind becomes crisp. Schäufele is usually served with dark gravy, a potato dumpling and often sauerkraut or cabbage.
Roasted Franconian Schäufele with crispy rind, potato dumpling and gravy
Blaue Zipfel
Nuremberg bratwursts are gently poached in a tangy broth of vinegar, onions, wine and spices instead of being grilled. Known as Blaue Zipfel, they arrive pale in color with plenty of onions, broth and bread for dipping.
Blaue Zipfel sausages in vinegar broth with onions and bread
Nürnberger Lebkuchen
Nuremberg’s famous gingerbread combines nuts, candied citrus peel and warming spices, often on a thin wafer and finished with sugar glaze or chocolate. The especially nut-rich Elisenlebkuchen are the city’s prized version.
Assorted Nürnberger Lebkuchen with sugar glaze and chocolate coating
Pfefferbrezen
Popular in bakeries around Nuremberg and Franconia, Pfefferbrezen are crisp pretzels coated with a savory mixture of black pepper and salt. The peppery crust gives the familiar lye pretzel a sharper, more aromatic flavor.
Pfefferbreze coated with black pepper and salt on a bakery counter
Franconian Sauerbraten
Sauerbraten is beef marinated for several days in vinegar, wine, vegetables and spices, then slowly braised until tender. The sweet-and-sour gravy is traditionally accompanied by potato dumplings and red cabbage.
Sliced Sauerbraten with dark gravy, potato dumpling and red cabbage
Nürnberger Rostbratwürste
These finger-sized pork sausages are seasoned with marjoram and traditionally grilled over beechwood. Order three in a crusty roll as Drei im Weggla, or enjoy a larger portion on a plate with sauerkraut and mustard.
Nürnberger Rostbratwürste grilled with sauerkraut and mustard
Franconian Carp
Carp from Franconia’s pond districts is traditionally eaten during the cooler months. It may be split, coated in flour and fried as Karpfen gebacken or gently poached as Karpfen blau, usually with salad or boiled potatoes.
Fried Franconian carp served with potato salad and lemon
Franconian Wine
Franconia is known for dry, mineral-driven white wines, particularly Silvaner, along with Müller-Thurgau and Bacchus. Many are sold in the distinctive flattened Bocksbeutel bottle and pair naturally with regional food.
Franconian Silvaner in a Bocksbeutel bottle beside a wine glass