In brief
A Bavarian menu mixes standard German with local dialect words, official EU-protected dish names and at least one term, Brotzeit, that names a whole category of food rather than a single dish. I have gathered 60 of them here, grouped the way a menu actually reads, bread and snacks, meat and sausages, dumplings and sides, cheese and spreads, sweets, and beer, each with what the word actually names and how Bavarians eat it. A few of the most-ordered items, including Kaiserschmarrn and Apfelstrudel, are Austrian rather than Bavarian, and I say so here rather than pretend otherwise. Two names, Bayerische Breze and Obazda/Obatzter, carry EU Protected Geographical Indication status with a written specification behind them, not just a dish a restaurant happens to call by that name. And a MaĂź is always one liter, at every tent and nearly every beer garden, whatever size you were expecting.
You are holding a menu with more compound German nouns than a legal brief, and the waiter is standing there. A Bavarian menu rewards a little homework: half its words are dialect rather than standard German, a few are legally defined down to the percentage of cheese, and at least one, Jägerschnitzel, does not mean what the English translation on the laminated page thinks it means. I have built this glossary the way the menu actually reads: bread and snacks first, then meat and sausages, dumplings and sides, cheese and spreads, sweets, and what to order to drink with all of it. It is the companion to my guide to Bavarian food, built for the exact moment the menu arrives and the words on it do not.
Bread and baked goods
Start where a Bavarian breakfast or Brotzeit board starts, with what comes in the bread basket.
| Word | What it is | How it is eaten |
|---|---|---|
| Brezn (Breze) | Bavaria’s lye pretzel, an EU-protected name with a specified recipe and shape | Torn by hand, with sweet mustard, Obatzda or a WeiĂźwurst breakfast |
| Anisbreze | A sweet, anise-seed version of the pretzel | A snack on its own, not paired with mustard the way a savory pretzel is |
| Semmel | A plain bread roll; Munich’s own “Riemische” roll has a notable rye content and is often seasoned with caraway | Split for a sandwich, or eaten plain with a Brotzeit |
| Fränkisches Holzofenbrot | Franconian bread baked in a wood-fired oven | Sliced thick and spread with Obatzda or Griebenschmalz |
| Schwarzbrot | Dense, dark rye bread | Served alongside cold cuts and cheese at a beer garden |
Meat, sausages and fish
This is the longest section on any Bavarian menu, and the one most likely to trip up a first-time reader.
| Word | What it is | How it is eaten |
|---|---|---|
| WeiĂźwurst | A poached veal-and-pork-belly sausage, traditionally eaten before noon | Sucked from the skin (zuzeln) or slit open with a knife and fork |
| Zuzeln | The verb for sucking WeiĂźwurst meat straight out of its casing | The louder, more traditional of the two ways to eat the sausage |
| Leberkäse (Leberkas) | A baked meatloaf of beef, pork and bacon; despite the name, it has no liver in it | Warm in thick slices with potato salad and mustard, or cold in a roll |
| Leberkässemmel | A cold slice of Leberkäse in a halved bread roll | Munich’s standard street-food sandwich |
| Scherzel | The crisp, well-browned end piece of a Leberkäse loaf | The piece regulars ask for specifically |
| Schweinshaxe | Roasted pork knuckle with a crackling rind | Eaten with dumplings and dark-beer gravy |
| Surhaxe | A pickled, cured version of the pork knuckle | Served the same way as Schweinshaxe, with a tangier flavor |
| Kraut und Knöchla | Franconia’s name for pork knuckle served with sauerkraut | Served with potato purĂ©e or bread rather than dumplings |
| Schweinebraten | Bavarian pork roast, cooked until the skin is crisp, with a dark-beer gravy | Served with dumplings and red cabbage, or with potato salad |
| Hendl | Spit-roasted or grilled chicken, sold by the half | Eaten by hand, with potato salad, fries or a pretzel |
| Wiesn Hendl | Oktoberfest’s own version of roast chicken | The anchor of the tents’ minimum-consumption rule: two beers and half a chicken |
| NĂĽrnberger Rostbratwurst | A finger-sized, marjoram-seasoned grilled sausage with EU protection | Three at a time in a roll (drei im Weggla), or with sauerkraut and bread |
| Drei im Weggla | “Three in a roll,” Nuremberg’s own sausage sandwich | Handed over a street stand’s counter and eaten walking |
| Presssack | A cold cut made from offal and pig’s blood | Sliced thin on a Brotzeit board |
| Wurstsalat | Sliced sausage tossed with onion, vinegar and oil | A cold beer-garden dish, sometimes with strips of cheese |
| Griebenschmalz | Pork lard spread flecked with crisp cracklings | Spread thick on bread, usually the first thing on a Brotzeit board |
| Kassler | Smoked, cured pork loin or chop | Served hot with sauerkraut and dumplings |
| Gselchtes | The Bavarian and Austrian word for smoked, cured meat | Named on menus the way “Kassler” is elsewhere |
| Wiener Schnitzel | A breaded, pan-fried veal cutlet; Austria’s own food code defines the name that narrowly | Eaten plain, without a sauce; my FAQ covers the rest |
| Schweinsschnitzel | A schnitzel made from pork; Austria’s code requires the animal be named when it is not veal | Breaded and fried the same way as its veal counterpart |
| Jägerschnitzel | A cutlet in mushroom “hunter’s” gravy, traditionally venison or wild boar | Breaded in most restaurants today, unbreaded in some regions; see my comparison |
| Rouladen | Beef rolled around bacon, onion, mustard and pickle, then braised | Sliced at the table, with the braising gravy spooned over |
| Sauerbraten | Beef marinated for days in vinegar or sour wine, then braised | Served with dumplings; Franconia’s version is thickened with gingerbread |
| Steckerlfisch | A whole fish, skewered and grilled over an open flame | Eaten off the stick, with a pretzel or bread roll |
| Renke | A whitefish from Bavaria’s Alpine lakes, often the fish on that stick | Delicate enough to eat with just a fork |
| Forelle | Trout, another common choice for Steckerlfisch | Ordered whole, off the grill |
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Resi says If a menu lists plain “Schnitzel” with nothing else attached, ask what animal it is before you order, the same way you would for “Wiener Schnitzel” a few lines above it. Of the sixty words on this page, it is the only one I would not order on trust.
Dumplings, noodles and sides
Order almost anything from the section above and one of these arrives with it, invited or not.
| Word | What it is | How it is eaten |
|---|---|---|
| Semmelknödel | A bread dumpling made from stale rolls, egg, onion and milk | The standard side for a roast; leftovers get sliced and pan-fried |
| Fränkische rohe Klöße (Kniedla) | Franconia’s raw-potato dumpling | Torn apart rather than cut, so the sauce clings to the ragged edges |
| Gwichste | A hard, glassy rye-flour dumpling, nearly forgotten outside Lower Bavaria | Speared with a fork from a bowl of hot water, eaten with smoked pork |
| Kässpatzen (Kasspätzle) | Allgäu egg noodles baked with mountain cheese and onions | Topped with crisp fried onions, eaten with a spoon |
| Spätzle | Swabian egg noodles, EU-protected in Baden-WĂĽrttemberg and Bavaria’s own Allgäu district | A side dish on its own, or the base of Kässpatzen |
| Allgäuer Bergkäse | An Alpine mountain cheese melted into Kässpatzen | Rarely eaten on its own here; it is a cooking cheese in this dish |
| Allgäuer Weißlacker | A pungent, washed-rind cheese, also melted into Kässpatzen | Used sparingly; it is strong enough to dominate the dish |
| Röstzwiebeln | Crisp fried onions | Scattered over Kässpatzen, potatoes or a Wurstsalat |
| Zwiebelringen | Onion rings, thinner than the American kind | A garnish, not a side dish on its own |
Cheese, spreads and Brotzeit
This is the cold half of a Bavarian meal, most of it built to eat before, or instead of, anything that comes out of the kitchen hot.
| Word | What it is | How it is eaten |
|---|---|---|
| Obatzda (Obazda, Obatzter) | A soft-cheese spread with butter and paprika, an EU-protected name | Spread thick on a pretzel or bread, with radishes alongside |
| Radi (Radieserl) | A white radish, sliced or fanned and salted | Eaten by hand with beer and Obatzda |
| Schnittlauch | Chives | The garnish on Obatzda and on dozens of other Bavarian plates |
| Romadur | A pungent, semi-soft cheese sometimes stirred into Obatzda | Adds sharpness where Camembert alone would be mild |
| Limburger | The well-known washed-rind cheese, another optional Obatzda ingredient | Used for the same reason as Romadur |
| Brotzeit | Literally “bread time”: a cold snack or light meal, not a single dish | Ordered as a shared plate, at almost any hour |
| Brotzeitplatte | A cold board of sausage, ham, cheese, radish and pickle | Meant for the table, not for one person |
Sweets
Two of the best-loved items in this section are not actually Bavarian, and I would rather tell you now than let the menu surprise you.
| Word | What it is | How it is eaten |
|---|---|---|
| Kaiserschmarrn | A torn, caramelized pancake, Austrian rather than Bavarian | Served with applesauce, pulled apart at the table |
| Dampfnudel | A yeast dumpling steamed in milk | Eaten with vanilla sauce or a fruit compote |
| Germknödel | A steamed yeast dumpling | Served with melted butter and poppy seed |
| Apfelstrudel | Apple strudel, Austrian rather than Bavarian, in dough stretched paper-thin | Served warm, often with vanilla sauce |
| Prinzregententorte | An eight-layer (seven today, since one region left Bavaria) chocolate sponge cake | Cut in thin wedges; it is rich enough to need them |
| Zwetschgendatschi | An Augsburg plum sheet cake, made only in late summer, when the right plums ripen | Served lukewarm with cinnamon and a little whipped cream |
| Schmalznudel (Auszogne) | Fried dough stretched paper-thin and deep-fried in lard | Eaten warm, dusted with sugar, ideally fresh from the fryer |
| Bayerische Creme | A Bavarian cream dessert of milk, egg yolk and gelatin | Served chilled, often with fruit |
Resi says I will defend Kaiserschmarrn and Apfelstrudel on a Bavarian menu, Austrian passport and all, and so will most Bavarians the moment the plate lands in front of them. Being from somewhere else has never once kept a good dessert off a Munich table, and it is not going to start now.
Beer and drinks
None of the words in this section are as complicated as the drink they describe.
| Word | What it is | How it is eaten (or ordered) |
|---|---|---|
| MaĂź | The one-liter beer measure used at every beer garden and at Oktoberfest | Ordered by the MaĂź, not the pint or the glass |
| MĂĽnchener Oktoberfestbier | The beer style brewed specifically for the Wiesn, listed among Bavaria’s own registered specialties | Ordered by the MaĂź like any other Oktoberfest beer |
| Bamberger Rauchbier | Bamberg’s traditional smoked beer | An acquired taste; order a small glass first if you are unsure |
| Fränkischer Grünkern | A green grain from Franconia | Used in soups more often than eaten on its own |
| FrĂĽhschoppen | The late-morning ritual of WeiĂźwurst, pretzel, mustard and wheat beer | A Sunday tradition as much as a menu item |
Resi says If you want to know what I would actually order first: a Leberkäs Semmel, sweet mustard on top, because it was always my heavenly, original Bavarian fast food whenever hunger caught me mid-errand. After that, the Schmankerl, the little delicacies I loved most: warm potato salad, Obatzda, and a fresh Brezn to pull apart with my hands. For the grill, Rostbratwürstl or Wienerle beat anything else on this list. And to drink, a Radler, not a Maß; I was never much of a beer drinker, and a Radler is half beer and half lemon soda, which looks the part and hits far less hard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between "Obazda" and "Obatzter"?
Nothing. The EU registration for the spread’s protected name lists both “Obazda” and “Obatzter” as valid official names for the same dish.
Is Kaiserschmarrn a Bavarian dish or an Austrian one?
Austrian, by Munich’s own account. The city’s official guide describes it as originally Austrian but common enough on Bavarian menus that most visitors never learn otherwise.
What does "drei im Weggla" mean?
“Three in a roll,” the standard way Nuremberg sells its small, marjoram-seasoned Rostbratwurst: three sausages in a bread roll, handed over the counter.
Is Spätzle a protected name, and does it cover Bavaria?
It is protected, but as a Swabian name, not a Bavarian one. The registration covers all of Baden-Württemberg plus the Schwaben district of Bavaria, where the Allgäu sits, not the rest of Bavaria.
Why is Zwetschgendatschi only on menus in late summer?
Because it needs Zwetschgen, a late-ripening plum variety, and the cake is only made when they are in season.
Is Rouladen a Bavarian dish?
No. Rolled, braised beef of this kind is found nationwide in Germany, with its own named regional versions outside Bavaria as well as within it.
Related Articles
Sources
- Obatzda — GenussErbe Bayern, Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Bavarian cuisine: these dishes have tradition — muenchen.de, City of Munich. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Austria’s Apfelstrudel — 196 Flavors. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1002 — EUR-Lex, entering “Obazda”/”Obatzter” as a Protected Geographical Indication. Accessed 2026-09-24.
- Bayerische Breze specification — EUR-Lex. Accessed 2026-09-24.
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