When I lived in Bremen in 1960/61 there were little carts everywhere with long skinny crispy bratwurst served on tiny bun in the middle and little papers of mustard. They were incredibly tasty and I have never found anything like it since. Is this still a thing in Germany? And particularly in Berlin where we will spend a week this May. If not on the street, any recs for great German food here?
But I really want to find that wonderful old street food.
In Berlin, currywurst is the thing. Stands are everywhere. Ironically, they developed their taste for this from British occupying troops.
Traditional Berliner eats at the Dicke Wirtin (the fat lady), on Carmerstrasse just off Savignyplatz on the west end.
I agree with Dicke Wirtin, Kadewe, and currywurst stands (google them)...also good donor kabab...and find a bakery selling Berliners, the famous jelly filled donuts...
ahhh bummer. I am sure I will try curry wurst but the bratwurst of my dreams alas?
You can have the bratwurst without the curry sauce. Most grills have a couple of different kinds of bratwursts as well as beef sausages. (rindswurst)
There may still be the "bratwurst of your dreams" in Berlin, but I don't recall seeing anything like you described.
But the currywurst is one of my favorite snacks. Google "Konnopkes Imbiss", a famous landmark and my favorite joint.
Just found this and I have bookmarked it for my next trip there: https://berlinpoche.de/en/currywurst-berlin
Well, the bratwurst of your dreams is here in Wisconsin and it ain't Johnsonville.
Bier's Kudamm 195
+49 30 8818942
https://maps.app.goo.gl/x6oggYHzRerrh1cs9
Currywurst in beef
EFDAL Food Corner
https://maps.app.goo.gl/DpztuJvNkUt8gtVn8
Kebab- cash only.
Rüyam Gemüse Kebab
+49 30 69564413
https://maps.app.goo.gl/y65XsK1HbUFeY5Bt9
Maybe find a Bayrisch or Thüringer resturant in Berlin?
I don’t care for currywurst but I do love a good bratwurst from an imbiss. They typically stick out about 2” on either side of a 3” brat bun. The kid version of these don’t even have a bun but have a little twisted, sturdy paper holder so a toddler in a stroller can manage to gnaw on a brat, from either end, when out for a stroll with their parent.
You can find these little carts near almost every S/U-bahn station. Since we often stay near the KeDeWe, we use the Wittenberg Platz station which has the extra bonus of a twice or more, market with even more street food choices. Our most unique brat “stand” was actually a guy with a propane tank on his back and a grill around his waist walking down the street near unter den linden one hot summer day! We took some pictures. He had an umbrella hat on his head but the sweat was pouring off of him.
Mona, the Bratwursts of my dreams were longer than that, they hung out 5 inches or so on the sides of the 2 inch bun -- but I am heartened that there are still stands with something similar and will try them out.
The Bratwursts of Wisconsin do not taste at all like the bratwursts of my dreams. I have tried every possible bratwurst including the excellent ones at Paulina in Chicago - they are all very good -- but not the same.
Janet, you are not crazy - there is such a thing but I would imagine they are only in and around Bremen. I was near there last year and had one and it was absolutely delicious! And they are very long and skinny and served with this wonderful mustard.
If you google "Bremen Bratwurst" a number of street stands and places will pop up showing them.
Janet, we found the really long thinner style bratwurst in Potsdam several years ago. We have back to Potsdam as recently as last summer I didn’t look for any carts or stands there. Sorry.
Also I recommend going to some grocery stores and bringing home some favorite tubes of Senf too. I’ll be doing this in Austria this summer.
The Imbiss in Savignyplatz near Kantstrasse I believe offers a Thüringer Bratwurst. It's different.
In SF before I went to Germany in 1971 there was a well known German restaurant that served Thüringer Bratwurst. That's all gone now, first , the menu was later changed and then by the early years of the 21st century the restaurant was sold.
I've had what you described at various fairs and markets around Hamburg and Bremen, so it is still a thing. Unfortunately I don't know that I could help you find it, especially not in Berlin.
But others have pointed out that in Berlin, it's all about the Currywurst. If you are at a festival you are more likely to get variety in your Wurst options.
Sausage styles are still pretty regional in Germany, meaning what you want is probably common in the Bremen area (still looks to be anyway), but not so much in other areas of the country. I would keep my eyes open though, Berlin is a melting pot of sorts for German food, you find other regions dishes, or even restaurants of the cuisine there (including an outpost of Hofbrau Haus). You may just stumble on a little stand selling what you are looking for.
