German Food in Chicago: Bakeries, Brats and More

German food in Chicago is a tradition older than most of the city's food scenes: bratwurst and other sausages, breaded schnitzel, pretzels, dark rye bread, potato dishes and rich cakes. The best-known neighborhood for it is Lincoln Square on the north side, where Lincoln Avenue still holds delis, bakeries and a few sit-down rooms.

Learn the dishes, and you can order with confidence and judge a plate fairly.

What counts as German food in Chicago?

Chicago had a very large German population in the nineteenth century, and many neighborhoods once had German bakeries, butchers and taverns. Some of that remains, mostly on the north side. The food is hearty: meat and potatoes, bread, cabbage and pickles, with sweet pastries and cakes to finish.

Today the label covers a mix of older family shops and newer kitchens that borrow from the tradition, along with Austrian and Swiss touches.

Where are the Lincoln Avenue German restaurants?

Along Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Square, near the Western Brown Line stop, and in the streets around it. A few blocks hold delis selling sausage and cold cuts, bakeries selling rye loaves and cakes, and dining rooms with schnitzel on the menu. The Lincoln Square guide shows the shape of the neighborhood.

Ask the person at the deli counter what they would take home. Staff in these shops know their products well.

How do you order Chicago bratwurst and schnitzel?

Bratwurst is a mild, pork-based sausage, usually grilled and served with mustard, sauerkraut and bread. There are regional varieties, so ask what the kitchen offers. Schnitzel is a thin cutlet, breaded and fried until golden, served with lemon and a side of potatoes or noodles. Veal is the classic, though pork and chicken are common.

A good schnitzel is crisp, not greasy, and the breading puffs slightly away from the meat. Squeeze lemon on it right before you eat.

What do Chicago German bakeries and pastries offer?

Rye and whole-grain breads with a dense crumb, soft rolls, pretzels, cakes and tarts filled with fruit, nuts or cream. A good bakery sells out of its best items by midday, so go early. Try something you do not recognize, and ask what it is made of.

A slice of cake and a coffee in the afternoon is a long-standing habit in German-speaking countries, and it works on a Chicago street too.

Which Chicago pretzels are worth a stop?

A good pretzel has a dark, glossy crust, a chewy inside and coarse salt. Soft pretzels are best eaten warm and fresh. Ask whether they are baked on site and when the last batch came out. A dry pretzel is a common letdown, so check the display before you buy.

Eat with mustard, or with a slice of cheese if the shop offers one. A pretzel makes a good walking snack through the neighborhood.

How do you rate German dishes so you can compare?

Dishes like these reward a specific note. In Mosey you can rate a place, then name the dish: "schnitzel, crisp, thin, good lemon" or "rye loaf, dense, sour, fresh". Tag the rating with the cuisine, such as German, and a place type such as Bakery or Deli where it fits.

If you rate five German places, you start climbing a badge for that kind of food, and the badge is yours to share. Put the best finds in a list called Lincoln Avenue and invite a friend to add theirs.

How do you read a German bakery case?

Start with the breads. Rye and mixed-grain loaves are dense and sour, with a thick crust, and are meant to be sliced thin. Rolls are lighter and often eaten with butter or cold cuts. Then look at the cakes: layered tortes, fruit tarts, poppy seed rolls and yeast cakes with streusel on top. Not everything is sweet, and a savory pastry with cheese or sausage makes a good lunch.

Ask what the staff would take home. They will usually point to the item that sells out first.

What about the holiday markets?

Chicago's German tradition is on show each winter at a holiday market in the Loop, covered in our guide to the Christkindlmarket and holiday markets. For other European food in the city, the Polish food guide is a close neighbor, and the US food guides cover more cities.

German cooking changes with the season, and so do the shops. Look for asparagus in spring, plum cakes in late summer and spiced cookies in winter, and ask what is fresh. A bakery's seasonal item is often its best.

German food is also home cooking, so ask a friend or neighbor with German roots what they eat at holidays. Their answers make a good list, and the stories behind them are often better than the recipes. Add the dishes you want to try to a Mosey list before you go, and put a note on each that says who recommended it. A list like that is a small family history of taste.

Open the Mosey app, rate your next German meal by the dish and keep a list of the bakeries worth a return visit.