Culinary diversity in Germany: best dishes to try in Hanover

Käsespätzle is a popular dish all over Germany, but it is mainly found in the southwestern region. It consists of noodles and cheese. Spätzle, the noodle portion of the dish, is made in long thin noodles. Popular cheeses used in spätzle are Edam, Gouda, Fontina, Gruyere, Appenzeller, or Emmental.

Another large part of käsespätzle is the caramelized onions. They sit on top of the layered, cheesy spätzle as a garnish and pack a flavourful punch. This delicious dish is a perfect pair for beer and hanging out with friends.

Spatzle-Haus is a great place to get käsespätzle and great beer.

Schnitzel is a slice of meat that has been thinned and pounded with a meat tenderizer. Then it is usually breaded and fried. It can be made with veal, chicken, pork, mutton, beef, or turkey. Schnitzel is like dishes in other countries like escalope in France and tonkatsu in Japan, and it's German food at its best! 

The idea of pounding out a piece of tough meat is one of the oldest ways humans thought to make our food more enjoyable. The Romans left evidence that they used similar processes of thinning their meat, dredging, and frying it.

Das Zwiespalt is a great restaurant to find crisp and crunchy, irresistible schnitzel.

Like many of these other dishes on this list, apple strudel didn't originate in Germany. But they've crossed borders again and again due to the proximity of countries in Europe.

This sweet treat is, however, derived from the high German word for swirl or whirlpool, denoting its shape. The crust is made from a flaky, many-layered dough, while the filling consists of cooked grated apples, sugar, cinnamon, and breadcrumbs. Apple strudel is a fantastic pair for vanilla ice cream, custard, or whipped cream.

This is one dessert that can't be missed from its scrumptious filling to its swirling beauty. If you want to try some excellent apple strudel, look no further than Block House in Hanover.

Often referred to as German Ravioli, maultaschen directly translates to "mouth bags". Maultaschen consists of a layer of spiced meat, spinach, smoked meat, or onions surrounded by pasta or dumpling-like dough. They are usually served in a simple broth or fried with butter and onions and are rectangular in shape.

Maultaschen originates from the Swabian region of Germany and are associated with Lenten and commemorate Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Catholics are not allowed to eat meat during Lenten, so as a sort of joke or way of sidestepping this, they make maultaschen. The idea is, "if God can't see the meat, then it doesn't count", so they hide it behind the pasta dough. This gave them the nickname "small God-cheaters".

Bavarium Hannover is a perfect place to find maultaschen and appreciate the local city culture.

If you are looking for a staple German fast food, look no further. Currywurst is a favorite in Germany that consists of steamed or fried sausage and curry ketchup. The sausage is usually cut up into bite-sized pieces and served over fries. On the other hand, curry ketchup is precisely what it sounds like. It is simple ketchup with curry added to it.

You can find currywurst at fast food restaurants, street food stands, or even on kid food menus. It is a classic fusion of flavors from around the world that found a loving home in Germany. It is famous all over Germany, but you are most likely to find it and find it in abundance in metropolitan areas.

Choosing a place to get your currywurst can get overwhelming, but you can't go wrong with Meiers Lebenslust Restauration und Hausbrauerei.

Potato salad is almost as diverse and well-traveled as the potato itself. As you can imagine, potato salad is more of a category than a particular dish because it is loved in many places.

Potato salad originated in Germany, starting off as cooked potatoes dressed with oil, vinegar, and herbs. Then, as people began to move away from Germany toward the Americas, they took their recipes with them. The Dutch community flourished in the USA and added more creamy dressings to their potato salad. Now it is a staple at picnics and barbeques in much of the USA. However, potato salad is cooked potatoes cut into chunks and tossed in some dressing.

Reimanns Eck is a great restaurant for all things German cuisine, including potato salad.

This grilled minced meat skinless sausage originated in the Balkans and is considered a national dish in Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Serbia. They originated before the Ottoman empire and are like kofte kebab. It is common to see them served on a flatbread, with onions, in sour cream, or even on a skewer in groups of five or ten pieces.

Cevapi are customarily made with beef, lamb, pork, or a mixture of the three. Each city has its specific blend and presentation. They vary from seasoning to garnish and where you can find them. Some are sold as they come, and some are even served in a light broth. A great way to have them is with chopped onions, cottage cheese, and sour cream.

Balkan restaurant Ranko is a great place to find Mediterranean cuisine, including but not limited to cevapi.

One can hardly think of Germany without thinking of bratwurst. This famous German sausage is made from pork, beef, and veal. They are traditionally served with potatoes and sauerkraut and pair great with beer.

The name bratwurst comes from the high German words "brat", which means "finely chopped meat", and "wurst", which means sausage. The meat blends vary from region to region, and there are likely over 40 German bratwurst varieties. These versatile sausages can be eaten as a complete meal or taken as a snack.

It is often sold in German pubs or even at popular fast-food restaurants in German-speaking countries. Bavarium Hannover is also a great place to get bratwurst.

Duck breast is a sought-after delicacy. Its meat is high in fat and protein and rich in iron. Though it is more prevalent in Chinese cuisine, you can find duck breasts in Germany.

Germany has a rich food culture and pulls from many other countries, and the juicy, tender duck is an excellent example. There are many different preparations for a duck, but a simply dressed, well-cooked piece of duck is one of the best ways to go. So if you are a person who prefers dark meat when it comes to chicken and turkey, duck might just be the right choice for you.

If you are looking for a duck in Hanover, you must try Jante. This two-star Michelin restaurant will blow you away.

This traditional German Christmas bread is a great way to end this list, just like it is a great way to end the year and ring in the new one.

This fruit-packed bread contains nuts, spices, and dried or candied fruit. It is covered in powdered sugar and usually contains marzipan. Stollen can be eaten any time of the year, but it is most popular around Christmas. They are generally produced in larger 2 kg (4.4.lb) loaves but can be made smaller and even as muffins. Older recipes for stollen use oats, but that has fallen out of fashion, and most rely mainly on flour.

So ring in the new year or just enjoy a lovely stollen when you visit Germany.

Der Handbäcker – Bäckerei, Konditorei  has wonderful stollen.

Obviously, German food is more than a mix of beer and sausage. Local cuisine is of soul-satisfying richness and heartiness and packed with textures and tangy flavours. When travelling to Hanover, be sure to explore as many dishes as possible, and feel free to share your emotions in the comments below. Guten Appetit!