Know Thine Enemy – Germany

So England came through against Slovenia and are now set to face Germany for a place in the quarter finals. As part of our Know Thine Enemy feature, we will be detailing the best aspects of the opponent’s cuisine and where to find it in London.

Much like the other features on Slovenia and the United States, the label of `German food’ is a little misleading. The sheer size of the country means that it is impossible to lump all German cuisine together, and we’ll be picking apart the regional specialities rather than just talking about hamburgers and Black Forest gateaux.

Swabia and Bavaria are two of the powerhouses in German cuisine. These southern regions provide some of Germany’s most recognisable products in the form of beers in enormous glasses, and wurst – sausages that put a lot of English bangers to shame.

There are two places in London that try to re-create the experience of young mädchen in regional costume serving up frothy steins. The Bavarian Beerhouse on City Road provides a good combination of food and drink as well as a lively atmosphere. If you are looking for something a bit more sedate, head down to Stein’s Bavarian Beergarden in Richmond. Not only can you find a range of wurst but there are a variety of Bavarian specialities such as Tageseintopf, a thick Bavarian soup and Kaesespaetzle, which is Swabian pasta mixed with cheese and onions.

One venue that is an acquired taste is The Fest in Fulham. Some people might find a pub that promises to recapture the feel of Oktoberfest – the 16-day beer festival that is held in Munich every October. Others might not. My advice is that if you go, throw yourself into it and try not to think too much about what is going on.

A venue that is more sedate is the Zeitgeist at the Jolly Gardeners pub in Vauxhall. This is a popular place with German fans wanting to watch the football, so is the ideal place if your loyalties lie with the Vaterland. In addition to serving a great selection of beers, there are some tantalising dishes such as Frikadellen, which are essentially meatballs and currywurst.

The game today looks to be a cracker and even more enticing are the possibilities of the next installment if England progress to the next round. If they do win, they’ll face either Argentina or Mexico. I’m already licking my lips.

Bavarian Beerhouse
190 City Road
Finsbury
EC1V 2QH

Tel: 0844 330 2005

Stein’s Bavarian Beergarden
55 Petersham Road
Richmond
TW106UT

Tel: 020 8948 8189

The Fest
678 Fulham Road
Fulham
SW6 5SA

Tel: 020 7736 5293

Zeitgeist at The Jolly Gardeners
49-51 Black Prince Road
Lambeth
SE11 6AB

Tel: 020 7840 0426