Oktoberfest Food: What to Eat at an Oktoberfest Celebration
The beer might get plenty of attention, but food is just as much a part of the Oktoberfest experience.
From giant pretzels and sizzling sausages to roast pork, schnitzel and comforting potato dishes, Oktoberfest food is hearty, generous and made for sharing around a table with friends.
And while you don't need to travel all the way to Munich to try it, knowing a little about the traditional dishes can help you decide what to order when Oktoberfest celebrations arrive closer to home.
Whether you're heading to a major festival, German club, brewery or local pub, here are some of the Oktoberfest favourites worth looking out for.
Pretzels
Let's start with one of the most recognisable foods of Oktoberfest: the pretzel.
Known as a Brezn in Bavaria, these large baked pretzels have a distinctive twisted shape, deep brown crust and generous sprinkling of coarse salt.
A proper Bavarian-style pretzel is generally soft and chewy inside rather than crunchy like the smaller packaged pretzels many Australians grew up with.
They're perfect for tearing apart and sharing at the table and can be eaten on their own or alongside cheese, sausages and other dishes.
If there's one food that instantly looks at home beside a stein, this is probably it.
Bratwurst and German Sausages
Sausages are another staple of German food and an obvious favourite at Australian Oktoberfest celebrations.
Bratwurst is the name you'll probably see most often, although Germany has an enormous variety of regional sausages made with different meats, seasonings and preparation methods.
At festivals closer to home, expect bratwurst served in a roll or on a plate, often accompanied by sauerkraut, mustard or potatoes.
You might also come across other German-style sausages depending on the event.
They're simple, filling and particularly well suited to an Oktoberfest celebration where people are eating casually throughout the day.
Schnitzel
Few German-influenced dishes are more familiar to Australians than schnitzel.
While schnitzel has become a pub favourite in its own right, its European roots make it a natural fit for Oktoberfest menus.
Traditionally, Wiener Schnitzel refers to a thin piece of veal coated in breadcrumbs and fried until crisp and golden. At Australian events, you're also likely to encounter chicken or pork schnitzel.
It may arrive with potatoes, salad, sauerkraut or other sides, depending on the venue.
If you're looking for something substantial before settling in for an afternoon or evening of Oktoberfest festivities, schnitzel is hard to go past.
Roast Chicken
One of the foods most closely associated with the actual Oktoberfest in Munich is surprisingly straightforward: roast chicken.
Known locally as Hendl, whole chickens are roasted until the skin is golden and crisp, then generally served in generous portions.
It's classic beer-hall food — uncomplicated, satisfying and easy to enjoy with a cold drink.
Roast chicken may not appear on every Australian Oktoberfest menu, but if you're attending an event with a stronger focus on traditional Bavarian food, keep an eye out for it.
Pork Knuckle
If you're looking for one of the heartier options, pork knuckle certainly delivers.
Known as Schweinshaxe, this Bavarian favourite usually features a substantial pork knuckle roasted until the outside becomes crisp while the meat remains tender.
It's often accompanied by gravy, potatoes, dumplings, sauerkraut or other traditional sides.
This isn't usually a light snack between trips to the dance floor. It's a proper meal and often big enough to become something of an event in itself.
Come hungry.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut might be a side dish, but it appears alongside so many German favourites that it deserves a mention of its own.
Made from finely shredded fermented cabbage, it has a distinctive tangy flavour that works particularly well with rich meats and sausages.
You'll commonly find it served alongside bratwurst, pork and other hearty dishes.
Even if you don't normally go looking for cabbage on a day out, Oktoberfest is a pretty good occasion to give it another chance.
German Potato Salad
Potatoes appear in plenty of forms across German cuisine, and potato salad is another side worth watching for.
German potato salad can be quite different from the creamy versions familiar at Australian barbecues. Recipes vary considerably by region, but some versions use a dressing based around ingredients such as vinegar, stock, mustard and oil.
Served warm or cold, it's an excellent accompaniment to sausages, schnitzel and roast meats.
You may also encounter roast potatoes, potato pancakes, fries and other variations depending on how traditional — or creative — the event menu gets.
Spätzle
Keep an eye out for Spätzle if you want to venture beyond the most familiar Oktoberfest dishes.
These small, soft egg noodles or dumplings are a speciality of southern Germany and neighbouring regions.
They're often served as an accompaniment to meat dishes, but one particularly comforting variation is Käsespätzle, where Spätzle is combined with cheese and often topped with fried or caramelised onions.
Think of it as a wonderfully hearty Alpine relative of macaroni and cheese.
It can also be a good option to look for if you're skipping the sausages and roast meats.
Obatzda
Here's another Bavarian speciality that may be less familiar to Australian Oktoberfest-goers.
Obatzda is a rich cheese spread traditionally made using soft cheese such as Camembert, combined with butter and seasonings.
It's commonly eaten with pretzels or bread, making it ideal for sharing over drinks.
You won't necessarily find Obatzda at every Australian Oktoberfest event, but its appearance on a menu is usually a good sign that someone has gone beyond simply serving sausages and calling it German.
Apple Strudel
Save some room for dessert.
Apfelstrudel, or apple strudel, combines spiced apple filling with thin pastry and is one of the German-speaking world's most recognisable sweet dishes.
Served warm, perhaps with vanilla sauce, cream or ice cream, it's an excellent way to finish a hearty Oktoberfest meal.
It's also one of those dishes that feels particularly appropriate when an Australian spring afternoon turns into a cool evening.
What About Gingerbread Hearts?
If you've seen photographs from Oktoberfest in Munich, you may have noticed colourful heart-shaped gingerbread biscuits hanging from ribbons.
Known as Lebkuchenherzen, they're decorated with icing and often carry affectionate or playful messages.
They're as much a souvenir as they are a snack, with festival-goers sometimes wearing them around their necks.
They aren't as common at Australian Oktoberfest celebrations, but they're another fun piece of the food tradition to look out for.
What Will You Find at Oktoberfest in Australia?
Australian Oktoberfest menus can range from very traditional to very relaxed.
A German club or dedicated cultural festival might offer an extensive selection of regional dishes, while a pub or brewery celebration could concentrate on crowd favourites such as bratwurst, pretzels and schnitzel.
You'll also find plenty of local interpretation.
That might mean German-inspired burgers, loaded fries, pretzel sandwiches, sausage platters or contemporary dishes borrowing flavours and ingredients from traditional recipes.
There's nothing wrong with that. Oktoberfest in Australia has developed its own personality, and the food is part of it.
If authenticity matters to you, take a look at the menu before choosing where to celebrate.
Don't Forget to Eat
It sounds obvious, but there's a practical reason Oktoberfest has such a strong food tradition.
If you're planning on enjoying a few beers over a long afternoon or evening, make time for a proper meal, drink water regularly and pace yourself.
Oktoberfest isn't a race through the drinks list.
Some of the best parts of the celebration happen around the table, so order something substantial and make the food part of the occasion rather than an afterthought.
Our Oktoberfest Food Hit List
If you're heading to an Oktoberfest celebration and want a quick starting point, keep an eye out for:
- Giant Bavarian-style pretzels
- Bratwurst and other German sausages
- Schnitzel
- Roast chicken
- Pork knuckle
- Sauerkraut
- German potato salad
- Spätzle or Käsespätzle
- Obatzda and pretzels
- Apple strudel
You certainly don't need to try them all in one sitting.
Although we wouldn't judge you for trying.
Come Hungry
Great Oktoberfest food isn't supposed to be delicate.
It's hearty, comforting food designed for long lunches, busy beer halls and tables filled with friends.
You might arrive dreaming about the beer, but a warm pretzel, sizzling bratwurst or enormous plate of schnitzel can quickly become one of the highlights of the day.
So when Oktoberfest comes around in Australia, don't just ask what's on tap.
Take a look at what's coming out of the kitchen as well.
Prost — and guten Appetit!