It is not easy to describe in a brief way the traditional Palatinian cuisine: good, wholesome, tasty and varied…no matter how it is described though, the best way to explore it is to taste it, and one thing’s for sure, there is so much more to German cuisine than ‘Wurst and Sauerkraut’!

There are many traditional dishes involving choice meats such as venison, steak, or fish such as trout or zander.  A speciality, local to both the Palatinate and Alsace, is Saumagen (pronounced ‘sow-margen’) traditionally a mixture of choice cuts of pork, potatoes, vegetables and spices, although the dish has evolved to include other meats such as beef and more exotic ingredients including truffles.  A dry and fruity Riesling makes a perfect accompaniment with Saumagen.   Such is the dishes reputation that you may even come back to The Palatinate just for the Saumagen!  Indeed, the former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, himself from the Palatinate, entertained Baroness Margaret Thatcher and Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II. at his favourite restaurant Deidesheimer Hof where they dined on the dish.

Beside the traditional specialities like Flaeschknepp with Bratkartoffel (minced meat ball with roasted potatoes, must be served with a horseradish sauce), Rumpsteak, and Zwiebelkuchen (onion quiche, perfect with the new wine called Federweisser) you can also find a wide range of vegetarian dishes.  One local delicacy is asparagus eaten during May and June, when it’s served in a variety of ways by nearly all restaurants.

But this is not the end of the story, and this is just the traditional cuisine!  You will also find many fine international dishes prepared across the region.  Throughout the region many restaurants and Wine taverns (Weinstuben) offer a wide range of foods, ranging from good and traditional to Michelin star awarded.