100+ Easy Phrases on How to Order Food in German Restaurants and Pubs (Tips & Examples)
Germany and other German-speaking countries have a rich and wonderful cuisine. So, why wouldn’t you try some German restaurants?
In this blog post, we’ll share 100+ easy phrases on how to order food in German restaurants & pubs. We’ll give you chunk, tips, and examples. Spring German (this is a project I co-founded) made a useful video that teaches you how to order anything in a restaurant like a German native:
Are you ready now? Because we’re exploring the common German phrases for food & drinks!
We know you’re here to learn how to order your food as quickly as possible in German, but if you want to go beyond the food and truly master German, we have just the thing for you: Conversation Based Chunking.
This method focuses on learning natural phrases and expressions (chunks) without worrying about grammar rules. Want to learn how to implement it?
1. How to order food in German
There are different ways to order food in German from the menu. Depending on the level of formality, you can say multiple things. Let’s explore the most common ones with words & phrases, then explore the real-life German sentences with chunks!
| German | English |
|---|---|
| I would like… | |
| Can I please see the menu? | |
| What do you recommend? | |
| Ich nehme… | I’ll take… |
| I’d like a bottle of water. | |
| A beer, please. | |
| A glass of white wine / red wine, please. | |
| Do you have vegetarian / vegan options? | |
| Can I please get a glass of tap water? | |
| I’d like a coffee. | |
| A piece of cake, please. | |
| I’ll take the dish of the day. | |
| Do you have allergy information? | |
| I’d like an appetizer. | |
| Is this dish spicy? | |
| Ich möchte das ohne… | I’d like this without… |
| Can you customize the dish? | |
| Another round, please. | |
| Can we pay, please? | |
| The bill, please. | |
| Can I pay by card? | |
| I’d like to order a dessert. | |
| Is there a wine list? | |
| A table for two, please. | |
| Do you take reservations? | |
| I’d like a table by the window. | |
| I’ll take the salad. | |
| A glass of mineral water, please. | |
| Can we see the menu again, please? | |
| Do you have gluten-free options? |
In the table above, you can see various examples for ordering food and drinks.
Effortless Answers
The most common way to order anything in a German restaurant or pub is to say: Ich hätte gerne… / Ich möchte… + saying what you want to order. This translates to ‘I would like…’ in English.
You probably also saw question on how to ask for the menu or the bill, or ordering different types of food and drinks: an appetizer, the main dish and the dessert. We’re going to explore everything in a little bit, but first, let’s see how a standard conversation could go between you and a waiter in a restaurant:
Kellner: Guten Abend, kann ich bitte Ihre Bestellung aufnehmen? (Good evening, can I please take your order?)
Gast: Ja, ich hätte gerne ein Glas Weißwein und das Tagesgericht. (Yes, I would like a glass of white wine and the dish of the day.)
Kellner: Sehr gerne. Möchten Sie noch etwas dazu? (Certainly. Would you like anything else with that?)
Gast: Nein, das ist alles. Die Rechnung, bitte. (No, that’s all. The bill, please.)
2. Learn German phrases to ask for the menu items
Before ordering, it’s essential to know WHAT you want to order. And you can only know that if you see the menu. You can most certainly fight your nervousness when speaking German, so you can order the German menu and see the menu items for yourself.
Maybe you’re only looking for the vegetables in German or the fruits in German, but if you want to have a full meal, the main dish is your go-to. Here’s everything you need to know about the menu words in German:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Appetizers | |
| Main courses | |
| Desserts | |
| Salads | |
| Soups | |
| Side dishes | |
| Beverages | |
| Fish | |
| Meat | |
| Poultry | |
| Pasta | |
| Pizza | |
| Vegetarian dishes | |
| Vegan dishes | |
| Gluten-free dishes | |
| Children’s menu |
Depending on what kind of restaurant you visit, the menu typically starts with Vorspeisen, and goes on to include the Hauptgerichte, Desserts and so on. Most of the dishes are categorized into easy-to-follow sections, so you don’t have to look for a long time.
If you have questions about the menu, you should check the following examples:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| What is the dish of the day? | |
| Are there any vegetarian dishes? | |
| Is this dish spicy? | |
| What side dishes are available? | |
| Do you have vegan options? | |
| Is there a soup of the day? | |
| What desserts do you have? | |
| Can you give a recommendation? | |
| Do you have children’s meals? | |
| Are there gluten-free dishes? | |
| Can you customize the dish? | |
| What fish dishes do you have? | |
| Is there a salad bar? | |
| Do you have any specials? | |
| Is the meat well-cooked? | |
| What drinks do you offer? | |
| What wines do you have on offer? | |
| Can I order a half portion? | |
| Are there lactose-free options? |
Because sometimes it’s enough to order a half portion, or maybe you’re with your kids and want a children’s menu. We’ve got you covered!
3. Different phrases for ordering food: appetizers, main dishes, salads, desserts
Once you’ve chosen the best meal of the day, it’s time to order it. You already know how to use Ich möchte gern…, and now, it’s time to get familiar with the different categories: appetizers, main dishes, salads, desserts and so on.
An all-in-one comprehensive table:
| Category | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| Appetizers | Appetizers | |
| Grilled sausage | ||
| Chicken soup | ||
| Potato salad | ||
| Cucumber salad | ||
| Main Dishes | Main dishes | |
| Viennese schnitzel | ||
| Roast beef | ||
| Pork knuckle | ||
| Egg noodles | ||
| Dumplings | ||
| Salads | Salads | |
| Potato salad | ||
| Cucumber salad | ||
| Red cabbage | ||
| Desserts | Desserts | |
| Apple strudel | ||
| Black Forest cake |
4. Making special requests at a German restaurant
Nowadays, you can customize your dish basically any way you want it. Making special requests in German restaurants isn’t considered rude, so you can freely pick anything you’d want. You can order a bigger portion, a smaller one, ask for a custom dish with or without some special ingredients.
Wondering how all of this could sound in German? Here it is:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Can you customize the dish? | |
| I’d like this without… | |
| Do you have vegetarian / vegan options? | |
| Can you make the dish gluten-free? | |
| Ich hätte gerne eine extra Portion… | I’d like an extra portion of… |
| Is it possible to cook the meat well-done? | |
| Can you serve the sauce separately? | |
| I’d like less salt in the dish. | |
| Can you make this without onions? | |
| Are there lactose-free options? | |
| I’m allergic to… | |
| Can you make the dish milder? | |
| Can I get the dressing on the side? | |
| Is it possible to substitute the vegetables? | |
| Can you make the dish without garlic? | |
| I’d like a smaller portion. |
With these common phrases, you can order an extra portion, or ask for the main dish without an ingredient you dislike.
5. Drink order at a restaurant
Pairing the traditional German food with some good beer in German regions is a great addition. Or pair it with a great wine.
In these examples, you can find everything related to drink orders at German restaurants
| German | English |
|---|---|
| A beer, please. | |
| A glass of white wine / red wine, please. | |
| I’d like a bottle of water. | |
| A glass of mineral water, please. | |
| Can I please get a glass of tap water? | |
| I’d like a coffee. | |
| A tea, please. | |
| An apple juice, please. | |
| An orange juice, please. | |
| Do you have a wine list? | |
| What drinks do you offer? | |
| Another round, please. | |
| Can you recommend a wine? | |
| Do you have non-alcoholic drinks? | |
| A cocktail, please. | |
| A glass of sparkling wine, please. | |
| A shandy, please. | |
| A cappuccino, please. | |
| An espresso, please. | |
| A hot chocolate, please. |
6. German tipping culture (das Trinkgeld)
Tipping in Germany (das Trinkgeld) is customary in restaurants. It’s not as obligatory as it is in some other countries.
You have to know that in Germany, a service charge is often included in the bill – the waitstaff are paid a regular wage. Still, a common practice is to leave a tip as a gesture of appreciation for good service. Usually, you can just round up to the nearest euro or add around 5-10% to the total amount paid.
Let’s say, you have to pay €27.50, and you can round this up to €30. For smaller services, like a cup of coffee or a drink at a bar, you can leave a smaller tip, too.
7. Practice how to order food in German with our worksheets
Fill in the blanks with the correct phrases!
8. Learn how to order food in German with a special language learning method: Conversation Based Chunking
If you read this article, you already know the basics on how to order food in a German restaurant. But if you want to learn more effectively, and want to get to know the German culture, we advise you to check out the German Conversation Based Chunking Guide.
In this guide, you’ll find an essential German chunking list – with the most common phrases used by native German speakers, my favourite resources to learn German, and you’ll even get access to our Full Practice Worksheet Library.
