February 26, 2023
best german restaurants in the san francisco bay area
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Suppenküche
Suppenküche in SF Hayes Valley seems to be one of the best German restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area. People say that it has traditional Southern German-type dishes with a minimalist Bavarian atmosphere
[1]
, and I think its great beer selection is a bonus
[2]
[8]
. It is also one of the few restaurants that is vegan-friendly
[8]
. Furthermore, it seems to be rated quite highly by customers
[9]
.
Speissekammer
It seems Speissekammer in Alameda is a great option for German food in the San Francisco Bay Area. Source 1 mentions it has great German food, and source 6 talks about its slightly less kitschy atmosphere than Suppenküche and its hunting lodge atmosphere. Source 8 notes that the menu has been lightened-up for California clientele, with hearty appetizers such as potato pancakes with house-made applesauce and pickled herring with sour cream, onions and pickles. Meat-lovers can also go for the smoked pork chops with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes
[8]
. There's also specialty cocktails and a bounty of German beers
[8]
.
Gaumenkitzel
Gaumenkitzel, located in Berkeley, seems to have a great Northern German vibe
[6]
. It apparently prides itself on organic ingredients and has outdoor dining
[6]
, making it an ideal spot to enjoy German cuisine in the Bay Area. People say that it is a great alternative to the more traditional restaurants such as Suppenküche and Speisekammer
[7]
.
Brotzeit Lokal
Brotzeit Lokal seems to be a great option for those looking for German food in the San Francisco Bay Area. Located in Oakland, people say that it has excellent food
[6]
, right on the water
[6]
, and offers Bavarian-inspired dishes with housemade sausages, sauerkraut and mustards, freshly baked German pretzels and beers from small German and Austrian breweries
[7]
. It is also listed on OpenTable
[10]
, so it seems like a popular choice.
Bierhaus
It seems Bierhaus in Walnut Creek/outer east bay is an option for German cuisine. People say that it has decent take on German food
[7]
. It is located in the outer east bay of the San Francisco Bay Area, making it one of the further options away from the city
[6]
. I think its location is a factor to consider when choosing a restaurant.
All answers
Organic Ingredients
Gaumenkitzel prides itself on organic ingredients
[1]
while Brotzeit Lokal offers housemade sausages, sauerkraut and mustards with freshly baked German pretzels.
Traditional Dishes
Speissekammer offers traditional Southern German-type dishes like schnitzel, sauerbraten and sausages as well as vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free options. Wursthall also has 8 different kinds of sausages crafted by Los Altos' Dittmer's. The Kebab Shop is supposed to have good Döner. Ludwig’s German Table serves schnitzels, Jaeger Pommes and sausages from Dittmer’s. And finally, Europa Cafe has some excellent German standards with homemade sauerkraut.
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Research
Source: "German restaurants besides Schroeder's?" (from reddit, r/AskSF)
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Suppenkuche
- Good recommendation
- Good beer selection
-
Biergarten
- German snacks and beers outdoors
-
Speisekammer
- Located in Alameda
-
Brotzeit Lokal
- Located in Oakland
- Right on the water
- Excellent food
-
Leopold’s
- Austrian food
- Great beers
-
Steins
- Inner Richmond
- Great beer and goulash with spaetzel
-
Gaumenktzel
- Located in Berkeley
-
Berliner Berliner
- Formerly Rosemund Sausage
- Located in Lower Haight
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Europa Cafe
- Inner Richmond
- Has some excellent German standards
- Homemade sauerkraut
- Wilkomen
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Hofkuche
- Located in Oakland
- Yummy spatzel, pretzels and beer
Source: "Speisekammer Menu Alameda San Francisco/Bay Are..." (from web, www.gayot.com)
-
Speisekammer Restaurant
- The team behind Suppenküche in San Francisco has brought a similarly soulful German menu and atmosphere to Alameda.
- Classic German dishes have been lightened-up for California clientele.
- Hearty appetizers such as potato pancakes with house-made applesauce and pickled herring with sour cream, onions and pickles.
- Vegetarians will appreciate the savory vegetable strudel and the baked spätzle with Emmental cheese and caramelized onions.
- Meat-lovers go for the smoked pork chops with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes.
- Menu handily identifies which items are vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.
- Specialty cocktails are rivaled by a bounty of German beers, Alsatian wines and a long list of liqueurs and schnapps.
Source: "The Bay Area’s 5 best German restaurants and be..." (from reddit, r/bayarea)
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Gourmet Haus Staudt
- Mentioned by a Reddit user
-
Suppenkuche in Hayes Valley
- Mentioned by a Reddit user
-
Teske’s
- Mentioned by a Reddit user
- Better food than Ludwig’s according to a Reddit user
-
Schroeder’s
- Mentioned by a Reddit user
- Laughed at by a Reddit user
-
Esther’s German Bakery
- Mentioned by a Reddit user
💭 Looking into
Are there any traditional German beer gardens in the San Francisco Bay Area?
💭 Looking into
What are the most common ingredients used in German food in the San Francisco Bay Area?
💭 Looking into
What type of atmosphere can I expect at Speisekammer in Alameda?
💭 Looking into
What type of atmosphere can I expect at Suppenküche in SF Hayes Valley?
💭 Looking into
What type of German food does Speissekammer in Alameda specialize in?
Source: "5 best Bay Area German beer gardens and restaur..." (from web, www.mercurynews.com)
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Schroeder’s, San Francisco
- Opened its doors in 1893, but had a $1 million redo
- Retains its Bavarian charm
- Celebrating its 125th birthday with a “BrewHaHa” ($49) on May 19
- Located at 240 Front St., San Francisco
-
Wursthall, San Mateo
- Silicon Valley meets German beer hall in this airy space
- Strings of Edison-style lights hang above the long beer-hall tables
- 8 different kinds of sausages, handcrafted to Wursthall’s specs by Los Altos’ Dittmer’s
- Located at 310 Baldwin Ave., San Mateo
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Speisekammer, Alameda
- Cozy German restaurant
- Transforms Alameda’s Lincoln Avenue into an expansive Oktoberfest biergarten
- Offers schnitzel, sauerbraten and sausages
- Located at 2424 Lincoln Ave., Alameda
-
Ludwig’s German Table, San Jose
- Reinvigorated Germania Hall, an 1890s Victorian and longtime home for the Germania Verein social club
- Intimate dining area and vibrant and social biergarten
- Schnitzels, Jaeger Pommes and sausages from Dittmer’s
- Located at 261 N. Second St., San Jose
-
Brotzeit Lokal Boathaus & Biergarten, Oakland
- Bavarian-inspired biergarten with housemade sausages, sauerkraut and mustards, freshly baked German pretzels and beers from small German and Austrian breweries
- Located at 1000 Embarcadero, Oakland
Source: "Best German food in the Bay?" (from reddit, r/bayarea)
-
Speissekammer in Alameda
- Has great German food
-
Suppenküche in SF Hayes Valley
- Traditional Southern German-type dishes
- Minimalist Bavarian atmosphere
-
Speisekammer in Alameda
- Slightly less kitschy than Suppenküche
- Hunting lodge atmosphere
-
Gaumenkitzel in Berkeley
- Northern German (Hamburg) vibe
- Prides itself on organic ingredients
- Outdoor dining
-
Brotzeit Lokal in Oakland
- Nice location on the water
-
Bierhaus in Walnut Creek/outer east bay
- Decent take on German food
-
Naschtmark in Campbell
- Always amazing food
-
The Kebab Shop
- Locations in Fremont and South Bay
- Supposed to have good Döner
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Wursthall in San Mateo
- Not traditional German at all
- Great food
-
Teske Germania in SJ
- Dittmers in Mountain View (deli, not restaurant)
-
Gourmet Haus Staudt in RWC
- German import goods in front
- Beer garden/kitchen in back
-
DJ’s Bistro in Concord
- German-Czech-Hungarian mix
- Big portions and good food
💭 Looking into
What are the best German restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area?