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Food trends in Munich 2024

You are what you eat, as the saying goes, and if you look at the development of the city of Munich over the past decade, you might think there is some truth to the proverb. The city and its people have become noticeably more sustainable, as has what they eat - even at the Oktoberfest there is now a considerable selection of vegetarian options. Our culinary director Alexander Raddatz-Bianco explains what other trends are on the horizon for the current year.

Alex, the first quarter is over. Have you already identified THE Munich food trend for 2024?

The new year started as the old one ended - with a penchant for brunch. What became established here in Germany around 20 years ago is currently experiencing a renaissance. 

Why is that? As you say, brunch is almost old hat.

I have the suspicion that people like to have breakfast together again on Sundays and forget about the time around them. Perhaps the increased desire for this sense of community is an after-effect of coronavirus, or perhaps it's simply in Munich's DNA. We were already brunching here before the term had even been invented (laughs).

I'm sure you mean the traditional Weißwurst breakfast. Is that just coming back too?

The veal sausage breakfast never went away, I would say. However, there are now new developments in this area, such as vegan Weißwurst, which we also offer. In general, the Bavarian breakfast can do so much more, as our guests can experience first-hand in our Ayinger Wirtshäuser. We serve creative versions of traditional dishes such as our “Strammen Poldi” - a reinterpretation of “Strammen Max”, refined with mountain cheese and juicy ham. We also serve the “Armen Ritter” in a slightly different way, with brioche and a wonderful vanilla sauce.

You just mentioned the vegan veal sausage. So the vegan trend is also continuing?

I probably wouldn't even call it a trend anymore. The vegan or at least vegetarian triumph is actually unstoppable. Vegetarian menus are also becoming increasingly popular in the fine dining sector. We can see this first-hand with our guests at the Pfistermühle. 

Will meat consumption disappear in the long term?

I wouldn't go quite that far: In addition to pure vegetarians, there are more people today who eat meat in principle, but very selectively and rather rarely. More often than a decade ago, people are interested in where the meat comes from and how the animals were kept. A trend that is often referred to as “meat good”. 

How do you generally deal with a trend like “meat good” in the Platzl hotels and restaurants? A sense of tradition is very important at the Platzl and traditional Bavarian cuisine is known to be rather meat-heavy. How can this be reconciled?

We strive for a certain balance here, which is certainly not easy. However, you shouldn't forget that people didn't eat that much meat in the past. In many Bavarian families, it took a Sunday or a feast day for meat to even make it onto the table. The respect for meat is therefore traditionally very high - it came from the region, it was prepared in harmony with seasonal foods and it was also completely avoided in many meals. We take up this idea of sustainability and implement it in a very similar way. 

As a truly cosmopolitan city, Munich attracts people from all over the world. What do international guests tend to prefer today - traditional meat dishes or vegetarian alternatives?

Of course, many international guests come to our restaurants precisely to enjoy classics such as roast pork or schnitzel. However, these guests are also increasingly choosing our creative vegetarian dishes. Our kitchen team really comes up with a lot of ideas. Our stuffed pasta pockets with radicchio, goat's cheese and pear are currently very popular. Even the “Brotzeitbrettl” is now available in a vegetarian version. The “angekaasten Ayinger” version is all about the delicious cheese specialties from the region, which go perfectly with the Platzl bread. 

What about the drinks? Are there any trends worth mentioning here?

Non-alcoholic wine pairings are becoming increasingly popular. This trend has been visible for a few years now and I think it will continue to accompany us in 2024 and beyond. It certainly has to do with people's increased health awareness. They want to enjoy themselves, but they also want to do something good for their bodies. 

Finally, a personal question: What will be your favorite dish in 2024? Something trendy or something tried and tested?

This year, I'll also be going for a wonderfully prepared fish, which is delivered to us by the Birnbaum fish farm in Landsberg am Lech, for example. Fresh, regional fish is always at the top of my list of favorites.