# Why isn't German cuisine more popular in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848 "2008-09-09T21:23:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![KnitWit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@KnitWit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KnitWit)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/81 "2008-09-12T20:37:50Z")
I’m just surprised to find out that I “knit wrong.” I know there’s American style and Continental style knitting, but I was unaware that one way was the WRONG way. > [@MoodIndigo1](#): > > Wow, ignorance being fought here, I never knew that I use the German method of knitting! > > A sizeable German-speaking community has set up in my part of town, so that there is a wonderful German bakery nearby, as well as an excellent German restaurant. The food is a little heavy, fat, salty, so that it is not exactly in line with current food habits. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/82 "2008-09-12T21:15:16Z")
> [@eenerms](#): > > I opened a “German” restaurant in a city where there are many people of German descent. It was well received but I think it was more for the beer than food!😃 ( Alas, I don’t own it anymore and it’s still going strong) Most German restaurant I’ve seen emphasize their beer selection (hence “Hof Brau Haus”), but now that there are places serving 50 different micro-brews and nothing even remotely like German food, I wonder how the business at the German places is. The Swiss-Germans I know, at least at home for lunch, always make healthy, delicious meals with green salad, soup, and some kind of schnitzel, etc., not too often bratwurst, though. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/83 "2008-09-12T21:17:34Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > The roots of barbecue in Texas are mostly [African-American](http://http://www.houstonpress.com/2003-05-01/news/barbecue-in-black-and-white/). [Fixed link.](http://www.houstonpress.com/2003-05-01/news/barbecue-in-black-and-white/) African Americans and Europeans both learned pit barbecue techniques from the Indians. There was a long article in Smithsonian Magazine a while back about how Native Americans taught colonials about pit barbecue. It was complete with 17th Century illustrations of Native American barbecue pit construction and use. Of course, Europeans provided the pork to complete the culinary circle. Previously, Indians had been barbecuing all manner of wild game. And this was all long before Texans got their silly notions about barbecuing _cows_. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/84 "2008-09-13T04:07:19Z")
We have [Rudi Lechner’s](http://www.rudilechners.com/) here in Houston. Sehr gut!!! ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/85 "2008-09-13T04:25:26Z")
::waves at everyone, then burps:: Hi! Just back from Rolf’s at 23rd / 3rd Ave. Kinda cheesy decor (lots and lots of imitation autumn-colored oak leaves; makes you feel like you’ve entered a rather large cookoo clock). Nice food though. Dortmunder Kronen dunkesbier, platter of various wursts (last time I had the Jägerschnitzel, which was better but I hate to settle into a rut), mmm… ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/86 "2008-09-13T04:33:40Z")
I wonder how much of it has to do with socioeconomic transition in urban neighborhoods. In Buffalo, following the Great Northern Migration, African-Americans settled in ethnic German neighborhoods close to downtown; Fruit Belt, Cold Spring, and Masten Park. When the black population grew, the community expanded to other neighborhoods on Buffalo’s East Side, most of which happened to be traditionally German. In the 1980s and 1990s, when Buffalo’s black community approached the eastern city limit, most of the few remaining German restaurants in the city, now deep in black neighborhoods where suburban whites feared to tread, closed. Basically, weinerschnitzel was ousted by 'cue. One of the last remaining old-school German restaurants in the Buffalo area now is [Scharf’s](http://www.scharfsrest.com/). The neighborhood used to have a ton of German eateries up until about 10 years ago – Deutsches Haus, Huesinger’s, Strinka’s, Blendinger’s, Alpine Village – but Scharf’s is the last one standing. It’s not in a typical faux Bavarian-style building, but rather an an edifice more typical of the city’s hundreds of blue-collar gin mills. It’s in the Schiller Park neighborhood, an area that was solidly German in the 1980s, but today mostly African-American. If you’re in Buffalo, go there while it’s still open. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/87 "2008-09-13T09:17:30Z")
> [@BrassyPhrase](#): > > You want a fun odd fusion? Mexican lyrics to oompahpah german music. Ahhh..I do love Texas. (but it’s awful if you hate accordians). > And there are large German heritage communities in Texas still. Google Fredicksburg. > > 🙂 Wanted to mention both, but you beat me to it. Ranchera has the world’s best horn sections, too, the fuzz pedal of brass sections. I don’t understand Spanish, and my Mexican-American friends think I am insane when they scan through my radio presets. Truly one of the more strange and wonderful collisions. It’s not German, but an eastern European treat is the [Czech Stop](http://www.czechstop.net/home.php) off I-35. Their pastries are still delicious after being in a car for hours. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/88 "2008-09-13T18:41:36Z")
> [@Spavined\_Gelding](#): > > Huhner Hugo, by God. Good old “Chicken Hugo.” There use to be one across the street from every railroad station in West Germany. Oh, the smell! Oh, the sound of broiling chicken skin! Take me back. Actually, **devilsknew** might have been thinking of the Wienerwald chain of restaurants…they used to be everywhere in Germany in the 80’s and their specialty was grilled chicken. There used to be a Wienerwald in NYC on Broadway - don’t know if it is still there, as they have closed most of them in Germany. ---
**Author:** ![dog\_of\_shadows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@dog\_of\_shadows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dog_of_shadows)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/89 "2008-09-13T23:53:12Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > In Sacramento there is [this restaurant](http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/_LXcbWoy4ml7yE-KQiO-Iw?select=RAv7HY-v9qJKgYw9j12zJg) that I’ve always sort of wondered whether I should try it, but I’m a little frightened of the place. SacDopers may be able to weigh in on this one. Not worth it. My father-in-law loves it, so we’re forced to go there every Father’s Day, but the food is your basic mediocre buffet. You won’t get food poisoning, but you won’t be looking forward to your next visit. ---
**Author:** ![dog\_of\_shadows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@dog\_of\_shadows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dog_of_shadows)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/90 "2008-09-14T00:03:25Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > 25 years ago Japanese food was impossible to find, unless you count Benihana. Any reference to sushi was of the “ugh” variety. Somehow it became a fad, and the restaurants spread. If German food becomes a fad, we’ll see more of those also, though I agree on the prevalence of German food in the US disguised as American food. That may depend on where you grew up, and how big the Japanese community in that town was. 40 years ago there was no shortage of Japanese restaurants in my town, but they were all in the Japanese section of town. My father brought back a love of Japanese food from his time in Japan during the Korean War – I thought all kids grew up eating sashimi and tempura. Miso soup is still a comfort food for me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elinore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@Elinore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elinore)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/91 "2008-09-14T04:32:24Z")
> [@Interrobang](#): > > I visited Milwaukee, where I grew up, a few weeks ago. One thing I’d never thought about much: There are German restaurants there. But there aren’t many German restaurants throughout the country. > > At least, German restaurants don’t seem nearly as common or widespread as Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Greek, or Japanese places. Even English cuisine represents, what with the popularity of pub grub. Taco Bell yes, Schitzel Haus not so much. > > Why is this? Why is sauerkraut possibly less common than kimchee, unless you’re at a hot dog stand? What is it about German (and possibly Eastern European) cuisine that has left it a rarity, often served in places that require their waitstaff to dress in lederhosen or serving-wench costumes? > > The National Restaurant Association [seems to back up my impression](http://www.restaurant.org/rusa/magArticle.cfm?ArticleID=398). And suggests a few ideas, but I’m really curious about the long-term trends. German Americans make up the largest ancestry group in the US, so why doesn’t Tombstone make a pumpernickel-crust pizza? Does the hamburger count as German food? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/92 "2008-09-14T05:00:56Z")
[QUOTE=Quizot] The Swiss-Germans I know, at least at home for lunch, always make healthy, delicious meals with green salad, soup, and some kind of schnitzel, etc., not too often bratwurst, though. [/QUOTE] I had some really good Schnitzel last year at a small first generation German Restaurant. Very much that typical lineup of menu items… typical everyday speisen of very fine soups, simple salads, and German specialties. Some wurst, but not wurst-centric as most American-German restaurants tend towards. I think a lot of German Restaurants in America tend to give people a very stereotypical spectrum of what Americans expect or presuppose of German food . But this Restaurant was very good, owned by a German couple , they prepared very typical fresh, German, homestyle cuisine cooked by the wife, whose specialty is a very nice Schnitzel with truly sublime ad fresh sauces in a homestyle. Best shnitzel I’ve had since a tiny Restaurant in the Alps of Austria. The Meal and her cooking style were very reminiscent of some of the everyday meals that my Exchange Mother cooked. I’m not sure **DMark** , it might have been a Wienerwald? That does sound familiar… The chicken was very tasty and there was also a big pile of very good Pommes Frites along with it. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/93 "2008-09-14T05:17:38Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I don’t think there are a lot of German restaurants anywhere. Other than various beers, krauts, wursts and sausages, what are they known for? Menus of America’s finest German restaurants: [Mader’s](http://www.maders.com/) [Karl Ratzsch’s](http://www.karlratzsch.com/) ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/94 "2008-09-14T07:05:24Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I had some really good Schnitzel last year at a small first generation German Restaurant. Very much that typical lineup of menu items… typical everyday speisen of very fine soups, simple salads, and German specialties. I guess I should mention them… If you’re on Anna Maria Island, FL it is worth a visit: [The Old Hamburg Schnitzelhaus](http://tampabay.metromix.com/restaurants/german/old-hamburg-schnitzelhaus-holmes-beach/355361/content) ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/95 "2008-09-14T12:28:49Z")
I dunno about anyone else, but I have always wanted to hang out at **Der Waffle Housen** with George, Rube, Mason, Roxy, and Daisy. Especially Daisy. ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/96 "2008-09-14T17:29:37Z")
German restaurants used to be plentiful in my area. I’ve often wondered if it has something to do with the proximity to military installations. I live near and work for a large Army post. There is a quite large German population here. For now, the German restaurants seemed to have whittled down. The last (and very best one) finally closed it’s doors. That place was awesome. The owner was from Germany and his mother did ALL the cooking. The game menu was absolutely outstanding. I enjoyed most every meal there. I think I enjoyed it because it was exactly like the food I grew up eating. My mother is from Germany and I lived there myself for a few years. I grew up eating rouladen, sauerbraten, schnitzel, various wursts, etc. There are still some German restaurants around here, but I haven’t searched too hard for them. Frankly, if I want German food, I’m capable of cooking it myself. There’s a German deli not far from where I live and I can obtain some of the required ingredients with ease. If I want, I can ask one of my co-workers to go to the commissary and obtain the cuts of meat needed to make rouladen. I haven’t, because I feel weird doing so. A lot of the butchers at our local supermarkets don’t always understand what I’m saying when I ask for the cut of meat, so I’ve given up for now. I’ve eaten some very poor German restaurants as well. It’s obvious they didn’t take pride in the preparation, authenticity, or service. They closed, not suprisingly. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/97 "2008-09-14T18:24:12Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > One word…Sauerkraut. horrible ,stinky waste of cabbage. Now you can enjoy the wonders of sauerkraut without the smells and kitchen mess! [Behold!](http://www.rapunzel.com/products/biotta/biotta_juice_sauerkraut.html) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/98 "2008-09-14T19:01:17Z")
Just recalling a pretty good German place in Libertyville, IL (I spent a week there one night) called Ann’s Bavaria Haus. The front room was a grocery and deli, and in back they served 3 meals a day (breakfast was especially good), with Dortmunder beer on tap. You got German attitude along with the food, however. My friend the carbo-loading skinnymalink asked for a cinnamon roll _and_ potato pancakes one morning, and I tell you, he couldn’t have gotten a nastier look from the old gal if he’d pulled a .38 and told her to empty the till. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/99 "2008-09-14T21:27:43Z")
Some of the best food I ever had was in Munich and Vienna. Both the traditional stuff and the regional specialities (Spargel in season, pumpkin seeds from the Styrian tradition, cow lungs (!!)). ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848/100 "2008-09-14T21:37:46Z")
For those of you without a German restaurant nearby, here’s a great [site for German recipes](http://www.sheries-kitchen.com/recipes/german/german1.htm). I haven’t looked over them all,of course, but the ones I’ve looked at seem authentic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-german-cuisine-more-popular-in-the-us/462848.md?page=6)