Search locations or food
OR
Sign up

What to eat in Cologne? Where to eat in Cologne? 5 Traditional Foods You Have To Try in Cologne

The best traditional dishes in Cologne and the best authentic restaurants that make them, recommended by industry professionals.
Last update: Fri Jan 31 2025
5 Traditional Foods You Have To Try in Cologne
VIEW MORE
01

Side Dish

RHINELAND-PALATINATE, Germany
3.8
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Himmel und Erde is a traditional dish originating as far back as the 18th century. Literally translated, the name of the dish means Heaven and Earth, derived from the old word for potatoes – Erdapfel. The dish consists of mashed potatoes that are paired with apple sauce.


It is most commonly served with meat dishes, while purists insist on having a blood sausage on the side. In that case, the dish is sometimes referred to as Himmel, Erde, und Höllen (Heaven, Earth, and Hell). Today, there are numerous variations on the original recipe depending on the region, but the classic version is still the most popular in Rhineland, its place of origin.

MOST ICONIC Himmel und Erde

1
2
3
02

Pork Dish

BAVARIA, Germany
4.2
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

The term Schweinshaxe is typically used in the southern parts of Germany, predominantly in Bavaria, and it usually refers to a whole pork knuckle that is roasted for hours until it is thoroughly cooked and the skin becomes golden brown and crispy. Pork knuckles are a staple in traditional German cuisine, and they come with various names such as hachse, haxe, haxn, knöchla, hechse, hämmchen, and bötel, mainly depending on the region and a slightly different preparation process.


Eisbein is the northern version of the dish that is typically cured or pickled and then boiled. Though it is commonly found in restaurants throughout the country and the region, Schweinshaxe is a quintessential dish at the popular folk festival Oktoberfest

MOST ICONIC Schweinshaxe

1
03

Sweet Bread

SAXONY, Germany
3.7
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Stollen is one of German Christmas classics. This rich fruit bread is prepared with a buttery and sweet yeast dough that is usually spiced, lemon-flavored, and enriched with various dried fruits and marzipan. Though it may appear in different forms, it is usually oblong and covered with generous amounts of melted butter and powdered sugar.


Among the different varieties, Dresdner stollen is considered as the oldest and the most popular version, whose origins date back to the 15th century. Originally, stollen was plain and prepared only with flour, yeast, and oil, and it was only in 1490, when the Pope Innocent VIII lifted the ban on baking with butter during Advent, that the stollen started to develop into a dense and rich cake that is known today.

MOST ICONIC Stollen

1
04
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Leberwurst is a spicy German sausage consisting of a combination of ground pork liver, onions, and spices. The sausage is traditionally consumed with sauerkraut, although it can also be used in sandwiches, where leberwurst is sliced and paired with cheese, mustard, pickles, and bread.


It might be cooked, but most leberwurst varieties are spreadable and can be consumed uncooked. Apart from Germany and Austria, this sausage is popular in many other countries such as Slovenia, Serbia, and Romania, and today there are many varieties of leberwurst, with additions such as mushrooms and cowberries.

MOST ICONIC Leberwurst

1
05
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Speckpfannkuchen (lit. pancakes with bacon) is a type of savory pancake from Germany combined with cubes or strips of bacon. The bacon can either be on top of the pancake or used as a filling, but it’s always first fried before being incorporated into the dish.


Besides bacon, the pancake may be modified to include cheese or onions. It is eaten as an appetizer or a hearty breakfast complemented with pickled cucumbers or a green salad.

MOST ICONIC Speckpfannkuchen

1