The most unpopular foods in Germany from an international perspective 2026

July 11, 2025, 12:24 p.m. | Reading time: 6 minutes

Culinary creations that many of us grew up with in Germany - including one or two more "special", regional delights - can seem quite unusual for people from abroad. From fried herring to mustard: Find out at Sunnytrips how international users of an online travel guide rated various German dishes.

“Taste Atlas” specializes in traditional dishes and authentic restaurants and is also a platform on which users can rate their own culinary experiences. Accordingly, the website contains numerous objective assessments of a wide variety of dining establishments around the world and individual foods. The section “The 86 worst-rated dishes from Germany” was recently updated and Sunnytrips presents them.

The most unpopular foods in Germany

The least valued 3

I don't like the sweet Frankfurt original

25 of the worst rated dishes according to Taste Atlas

Some placements need explanation

Do you know this less unpopular dish from Germany?

The most unpopular foods in Germany

The list is based on around 13,000 of a total of 14,850 reviews that “Taste Atlas” has classified as trustworthy. Automated voices and overly patriotic assessments from the courts' home country were filtered out. The portal emphasizes that this – and this also applies to other of its rankings – should not be understood as an objective judgment on culinary quality. Rather, the aim is to put traditional dishes in the spotlight and arouse users' culinary curiosity.

The ranking is also exciting from a German perspective - bet that even many locals have never heard of some of the dishes listed? Often it depends on where you grew up or where you once lived. While the term “Sour Zipfel” alone sets off some people’s minds, others may describe the dish as their favorite dish. Solution: These are bratwursts cooked in a broth of wine and vinegar. By the way, the dish that marks the other end of the list with a comparatively high number of points - i.e. the one with the least bad rating among the negatively listed dishes - is probably relatively unknown in northeastern Germany. But first, let’s take a look at Germany’s culinary worst performers.

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The least valued 3

An entire food category ends up at the top of the ranking: the so-called smeared sausage. This includes spreadable sausages such as Mett or Leberwurst - all raw sausages that are preserved through fermentation and gentle smoking. In Germany, for many people it is a natural part of their bread. Outside the country's borders, however, there seems to be significantly less enthusiasm for it, as the reviews show.

The fried herring takes second place. For the dish, herring is first fried and then marinated in a marinade made from white wine vinegar, onions, sugar and mustard. It is usually served with fried potatoes. But this northern German delicacy is apparently not particularly well received by “Taste Atlas” users.

In third place it gets hearty - with the Bavarian stew classic Pichelsteiner. Traditionally, various types of meat and vegetables include potatoes, leeks, carrots, onions, cabbage and, if desired, celery, and it doesn't work without a generous amount of parsley sprinkled on top.

I don't like the sweet Frankfurt original

The dish in fourth place is particularly popular in and around the city on the Main whose name it bears: the Frankfurter Kranz - a must-see at every coffee and cake table. The cake is baked in a wreath mold and consists of several layers of sponge cake, butter cream and red jam in places. It is covered in a rich buttercream and crispy brittle, which provides a pleasant crunch with every bite. Sounds delicious, right? However, I cannot find the users of “Taste Atlas”.

Let's stay in the region for a moment. In 10th place comes a dish that we have already come across in the “Taste Atlas” ranking of the most unpopular cheeses in Europe - where it even took 3rd place. This is an extremely low-fat hard cheese that is traditionally served with onion stock. It is part of the typical starter selection in many Hessian restaurants - but not all foreign guests seem to be enthusiastic about it.

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The following overview is sorted in ascending order - it starts with the dishes that performed worst. Or to put it another way: First place receives the unofficial international unpopularity award

25 of the worst rated dishes according to Taste Atlas

Grease sausage

Pichelsteiner

Frankfurt wreath

Bavarian sausage salad

Gefilte fish

Snowballs

Hand cheese with music

Bremer Klaben

Slaughter plate

Baden onion soup

Men's cream

Pumpernickel

Toast Hawaii

Greaves

Westphalian pumpernickel

Anise cookies

Pepperpothast

Sour corners

As is well known, taste can be debated - you probably agree with one placement or another and want to veto another. But the dish in 6th place definitely causes surprise.

Tops and FlopsThe (un)popular dishes in Europe - including German ones among the losers

From an international perspective, the (un)popular dishes in Germany

Some placements need explanation

Gefilte fish (rank 6) is a traditional dish of Jewish cuisine. The (Yiddish) name says it all: it is fish stuffed with fish. To be more precise, carp is usually chopped up and formed into dumplings with ingredients such as matzo meal, eggs, onions and sugar - this is also how “Taste Atlas” describes it. Last but not least, the broth in which you cook the gefilte fish is essential. It cools down to a jelly and is served cold with the fish, which is also served cold. Fans love it, others probably find the idea alone takes getting used to. It's just not clear why it appears in the list. Although the traditional holiday appetizer is also served in Jewish households here, it is by no means a common German dish!

The good old Pumpernickel made it into the “Flop 20” twice (16th and 19th place). One is the compact, dark bread made from rye and sourdough that you can get everywhere in Germany, and the other is the Westphalian pumpernickel, which can only be called that if it was made in its birthplace of Westphalia.

Do you know this less unpopular dish from Germany?

Dibbelabbes received the most points from “Taste Atlas” for the dishes from Germany listed. The dish comes from Saarland and is a kind of hearty pot cake made from grated potatoes, leeks and diced bacon or cured meat.

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