For centuries, Leipzig and the surrounding region have been culinary specialties enjoyed − from the “Scheelchen Heeßen” (cup of coffee) to the vegetable dish “Leipziger Allerlei” to top-fermented beer delicacies "Gose". But also fresh fish and finest chocolate are as tasty as in Norway or Belgium. Gourmets will get their money's worth here, because of these regional delicacies − whether savory or sweet − you just can’t get enough.
Regional Specialities
from Leipzig and the region
Leipzig specialty highlights
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Leipzig pastries
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chocolate creations
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beer and liqueur specialties
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Leipziger Allerlei
Bachtaler and Bachtorte
The Bachtaler consists of one Chocolate shell filled with a ganache cream − a harmonious combination of cream and buttercream. The distinctive pastries was created by Leipzig confectioner René Kandler on the 250th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach's death. The core of the coin is a coffee bean enclosed in hazelnut shortcrust pastry. Bachtaler-Original is made exclusively by the confectioners of the Café Kandler produced.
The delicious Bach cake, which is filled with a light mocha coffee cream, was created here. Served with a hot chocolate or the specially prepared Bachstadt Leipzig developed Bach coffee, the "Bach enjoyment" is perfect. The stomach-friendly, low-irritation and yet very aromatic Bach coffee was created in cooperation between GANOS Kaffee-Kontor & Rösterei AG and the Café Kandler.
Leipziger Allerlei
Leipzig's most famous speciality is the "Leipziger Allerlei" − a vegetable dish, which is also served as a side dish. It became very well known in the 19th and 20th centuries. Around 1900, the dish was simply called “Allerlei” (all kinds of things), and the name of origin “Leipziger” (Leipziger) was only added when it was included in various cookbooks. Legend has it that the dish was intended to protect the wealthy citizens of Leipzig from tax collectors after the Napoleonic Wars. By serving them “only” a vegetable dish, they were made to believe that there was no money to be made in the household.
Today you can find "Leipziger Allerlei" as frozen food in supermarkets throughout Germany. According to the traditional recipe, however, in addition to young vegetables such as carrots, kohlrabi, asparagus and cauliflower, it also contains morels, crayfish tails and bread dumplings. The "Leipziger Allerlei" original is seasonal served in June, during the asparagus season, when the closed season for crayfish is over and the vegetables have been freshly harvested.
Leipziger Gose
"What the rose is among flowers, Gose is among beers." This beer specialty is a top-fermented, slightly sour wheat beer and is brewed with the addition of table salt and coriander as well as a high proportion of organic lactic acid. The name is derived from its place of origin, the old imperial city of Goslar. Emperor Otto is said to have praised it here as early as the year 1000. In the Middle Ages, "Goslar beer" spread as far as Anhalt. Thanks to the recommendation of the "Old Dessauer", Gose has found its new home in Leipzig since 1738.
Around 1900, Gose was the most drunk beer in the trade fair cityThe main supplier since 1824 was the Ritterguts-Gose brewery in Döllnitz. However, from 1966 onwards, Gose disappeared. Fortunately, this changed 20 years later, when Lothar Goldhahn the old one Gosenschenke "Without Concern" newly opened. Today you will receive the Original Ritterguts-Gose in over 100 locations.
You can mix the Gose with Allasch, syrup and cherry liqueur. With that in mind: Goseanna!
Here you can get the Leipziger Gose
Welcome to Leipzig - The Podcast for your Leipzig Trip
Culinary City Tour through Leipzig
Leipziger Allasch
Allasch is a caraway liqueur made using caraway distillate, which is characterized by a high alcohol content (about 38% vol.), a strong caraway aroma and a large amount of added sugar. The Allasch its place of origin, a Livonian estate near Riga in Latvia. In 1830, traders probably brought the Allasch recipe from there via Mecklenburg to Saxony. Here, Allasch enjoys great popularity and is served in the oldest Leipziger Brandy and Liqueur Factory, the company founded in 1923 Wilhelm Horn, produced since 1926. It is called “Echter Leipziger Allasch".
The liqueur is usually served ice cold and is often drunk after a meal to aid digestion. Many also consume it together with the Leipzig beer speciality Gose, known as "Gose umbrella".
Leipzig Linden-Taler
The people of Salzburg have their Mozartkugel, the people of Pulsnitz have their gingerbread and the people of Leipzig have the Linden-TalerThis represents the origin of the name Leipzig and was derived from the Slavic word Lipsk, which means linden tree.
This treat is an absolutely fair productThis is how the cocoa beans for the chocolate coins directly from the farmer in Colombia and the cane sugar from fair trade cultivation in Paraguay. The linden blossom honey cream truffle filling makes the 25 g delicacy probably the largest praline in the world and definitely the tastiest.
But the Leipzig Linden-Taler is more than just a piece of chocolate. 20-page brochure in German and English, which shines with attractive Leipzig pictures and surprising facts about the city's history, makes the Taler a popular Souvenir.
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The Leipzig Linden-Taler is hand-scooped chocolate
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Lipsk means “the place near the linden trees”, because Leipzig is the Linden City
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The idea of the Leipzig Linden-Taler comes from the managing director of Pfeffi plus e. K., Wilfried Opitz
Leipziger Lerche
A special treat is the Leipziger Lerche, which made the leap onto international menus in the 18th and 19th centuries. As the name suggests, skylarks were originally cooked in pans. An estimated 1,5 million of these songbirds were caught in the Leipzig meadows every year, baked with herbs and eggs and served by the "lark women" in the Salzgässchen with sauerkraut or wrapped in bacon. In August 1860, thousands of songbirds died in a terrible hailstorm. As a result of protests by citizens, the King of Saxony banned lark hunting in 1876. Resourceful master bakers immediately found a replacement by creating a delicacy made from oven-fresh shortcrust pastry, almonds and nuts, as well as strawberry jam and marzipan.
The shortcrust pastry tarts is reminiscent of a bird's skin. The two cross-shaped strips of shortcrust pastry symbolize the original thread that held the stuffed animal together. To this day, the Leipziger Lerchen by hand made in seven different steps and are more popular than ever before.
Explore Leipzig App
City Center Tour - Leipzig on Foot
Discover the most important attractions of Leipzig in no time!
The Leipzig Highlights Tour in the Explore Leipzig app is ideal for anyone who wants to experience the highlights of the city center quickly and comprehensively. The interactive tour includes seven exciting stations and offers you a compact overview of the historic center of Leipzig. During the tour you have the opportunity to take a break at any time to take a look at the numerous cafes and restaurants the city center - and enjoy plenty of Leipzig specialties To taste!
Tour details:
- Flexible starting points: Start the tour at any station
- Overview: Comprehensive insight into Leipzig's history and culture
Start your exploration tour through Leipzig and be inspired by the highlights of the city center!
Saxon fruit
The mild climate, balanced rainfall and fertile soils have always favoured fruit growing in the region between the cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz. fruit-growing tradition in this country back to the 12th century. At that time, nuns and monks of the Cistercian order created monastery gardens for their own needs and cultivated the first fruit trees and bushes as well as vegetables and medicinal plants.
Since 1991, Obstland Dürrweitzschen AG has continued the more than 800-year-old fruit-growing tradition on more than 1.500 hectares of cultivated land. The brand "Sachsenobst" stands for the best fruit products, juices and fruit wines from local cultivation. As part of the Obstland Group, Sachsenobst is one of the most progressive fruit producers in Germany and is committed to a sustainable fruit cultivation in Central Saxony.
GeoGenuss products
In the Porphyrland Geopark, culinary delights are created that go far beyond mere gastronomy: The GeoGenuss products combine regional craftsmanship with the region's dynamic geological history, making it a tangible experience in every bite. The foundation for these specialties lies in soils shaped by supervolcanism, ice ages, and sedimentation processes – a geological heritage that contributes to the flavor.
The GeoGenuss products are not only perfect for enjoyable breaks during explorations of the landscape, but also make wonderful souvenirs and gifts that embody the unique character of the Porphyrland region. These can be purchased at the RegioOutlet in Grimma or in the online shop. A selection of GeoGenuss products is also available at the tourist information offices in [location missing]. Bad Lausick, Naunhof, Rochlitz and Spice up, the monastery shop in Buch Monastery, the Kräuterhof Falkenhain in Lossatal and the Arkazien Adventure World on offer.
Wermsdorf nut cream
Wermsdorf hazelnut spread is an exceptionally creamy spread made from regional hazelnuts from the Saxon fruit-growing region. The harvest is processed by chocolatier Olav Praetsch, who meticulously transforms the nuts into a fine specialty. The spread owes its characteristic flavor in no small part to the nutrient-rich alluvial soils of the Mulde river meadows, where the hazelnuts thrive.
Delicate Apple Dream
Olav Praetsch's melt-in-your-mouth chocolate creation combines fine chocolate with delicately tart apple pieces from Saxony's fruit-growing region. The apples lend it a fruity freshness and a balanced blend of sweetness and pleasant acidity. This results in a special treat whose aromatic depth is further influenced by the fertile, glacial soils of the region.
Porphyrland ice cream sundae
The Porphyrland ice cream sundae at Chocolaterie Praetsch combines hazelnut and vanilla ice cream with nougat, caramelized hazelnuts, cream, and hazelnut brittle. As it melts, it creates a delicious "mass" with embedded treats – a delightful reflection of the mineral structures in the volcanic porphyry rock.
Johannis Porphyrtuff
"Johannis Porphyrzucker" combines dried organic blackcurrants with organic granulated sugar to create a unique sweet specialty. Bottled in decorative jars, it adds a fruity note to dishes and summer drinks. The product deliciously reflects the vibrant colors and texture of the Rochlitz porphyry tuff and makes a special souvenir from the Porphyrland Geopark.
Stella, Jolanda and Carla Caldera
The three chutneys from the Buschmühle berry farm combine gooseberries, red currants, and blackcurrants into flavorful specialties. Inspired by the calderas in the Porphyrland Geopark, they impress with their vibrant colors and fine ingredients, available in mild or spicy varieties. Whether enjoyed on their own, with cheese, or with game, they transform every bite into an intense taste experience that brings the region's geological history to life through food.
Fragrant sun worshipper
This fruit spread combines apple jelly with aromatic sweet clover from the Porphyrland Geopark. The sweet clover brings intense notes of summer meadow, woodruff, and hay, while the apples come from regional orchards. The result is a spread with a distinctive, natural flavor.
Wild Porphyry Country Menu
A culinary experience that brings the treasures of the Porphyrland Geopark to the plate: The starter “From the forests in the Porphyrland Geopark”, followed by the hearty wild game goulash as the main course, rounded off by the dessert “Sweet Wachtelberger”.
Porphyrland Blossom Honey
Nestled between Wermsdorf and Mügeln lies the idyllic village of Gröppendorf on the Döllnitz River, with its kaolin open-cast mine. Here, beekeeper Britta Wölkner passionately dedicates herself to beekeeping. Her hives are located at various sites within the Porphyrland Geopark, including near the Döllnitzsee lake. Depending on the season, the diversity of blossoms and soil composition shape the characteristic flavor of her honey.
Robust journeyman
Peter Wentzlaff bakery's whole-grain oat bread is a true powerhouse: vegan, lactose- and gluten-free, rich in oilseeds and therefore particularly energy-dense – ideal for hiking. Packaged in a tin, this hearty bread has a shelf life of up to ten years unopened. Its high-quality ingredients grow on nutrient-rich loess soils from the Weichselian glaciation over weathered volcanic rock – a mineral-rich foundation for exceptional flavor.
Primal power duo
The "Ur-Kraft-Duo" combines organic sprouting seeds from green lentils and fenugreek into a nutrient-rich sprout mix. Once sprouted, they develop a spicy-fresh flavor and enhance salads, warm dishes, or simply fresh bread.
Salto Vitale
On the farm of Feldversuch Leben, various varieties of savory thrive among the vegetables – including summer and mountain savory. Once brought to Central Europe by the Benedictines, this aromatic herb is now an integral part of the cuisine and also a valued medicinal herb. The creative salt series "Salto Vitale" from the spa town of Bad Lausick begins with savory salt – inspired by a region where health and healing traditions are paramount.
GeoGenuss menu
At the Zur alten Bäckerei restaurant, Jörg Heinzmann serves an exclusive GeoGenuss menu. With meticulous craftsmanship and seasonal, regional ingredients, he creates innovative dishes that celebrate the region's fruit-growing heritage: each course is enhanced by a local apple variety. Brief insights into the geological features of the surrounding area complete the experience.
enjoyment and arts and crafts
Tradition and innovation, creativity and craftsmanship, sustainability and high quality - these are the characteristics of the culinary and handicraft products from the Leipzig district. Behind them are people who produce new things every day with commitment and great attention to detail: from unusual earrings or pottery to home-roasted coffee and sausage and cheese specialties.
Those who buy regional products not only benefit from freshness and short transport routes, but also from personal contact with the producers. Some of them are happy to pass on their skills in courses or at show days. And the unique handcrafted items are always a good idea as gifts too.
specialties from Wermsdorf
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Wermsdorfer Fisch
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Wermsdorfer roast goose
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Wermsdorfer chocolate creations
Wermsdorfer Fisch
In September, the carp season officially begins in the municipality of Wermsdorf. Until the end of November, there is a lot of activity on the 27 ponds of the Teichwirtschaft Wermsdorf can be observed. Its history goes back 500 years. At the beginning of the 16th century, influential feudal lords had dams built and artificial bodies of water created. Compared to natural lakes, these are shallower and can also be drained. Since then, fish farming has been inextricably linked with Wermsdorf.
The approximately 350 hectares of pond area have been managed by Wermsdorfer Fisch GmbH since 1992. A good 200 tons of freshwater fish are caught here every year. In addition to mirror carp, scale carp, grass carp and silver carp, sturgeons, pike, catfish and zander are also native here. They are used as fresh fish or smoked sold in the region or delivered frozen to retailers and supermarkets throughout Germany. In addition to the fish specialties The sturgeon egg extract obtained since 2012 is also enjoying Caviar nationwide popularity. If you would like to try the delicacies yourself or watch the traditional fishing, then the annual “Horstsee fishing“ just the right thing for you.
Wermsdorfer roast goose
The Wermsdorf goose farm Eskildsen is one of the most respected companies of its kind internationally and even exports breeding geese to Canada and Australia.
Up to 19.000 fattening geese and 6.000 breeding geese live on the open-air grounds in Wermsdorf. In addition, around 200.000 chicks, known as goslings, hatch every year. According to tradition, it is very busy here around Christmas time. Around 15.000 geese are Wermsdorfer Gänsemarkt sold in the run-up to Christmas from November 1st to December 22nd. Thanks to being kept outdoors, the animals, which weigh several kilos, have little fat, a firm meat structure and a full flavour.
Wermsdorfer chocolate creations
Founded in 2004 and based in Wermsdorf since 2012, Chocolaterie Olav Praetsch offers everything that chocolate lovers desire. Whether whole milk, nougat, pistachio, marzipan or pralines with exotic fruit hearts and poppy seed topping - the variety is endless. The chocolatier even refines liver pate with chocolate and turns it into a delicacy.
The raw chocolate For his unusual variations, Olav Praetsch sources from one of the world's best manufacturers in the French Rhône Valley. It not only contains no preservatives or freshness agents, but also no foreign fats.
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RegioBrunchA culinary journey to the Leipzig region
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The Saxon Fruit CountryOn the Obstland Route
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Market enthusiastFresh products from regional producers
regional and farmers' markets
Fresh produce from direct marketers
Regionality is playing an increasingly important role in shopping. Therefore, a trip to the numerous regional and farmers' markets in the Leipzig region in particular. Real favorite markets are the Farmers' Markets at Kloster Buch near Leisnig, the fresh food markets in the monastery church of Grimma, the "Delicious" evening markets in Delitzsch and the regional markets in Rochlitz and GeithainHere, numerous direct marketers offer you fresh produce from our own cultivation, rearing and production as well as handicraft and arts and crafts products
In Leipzig you can find fresh produce on the weekly markets and in Plagwitz at Saturday market.
(organic) farm and farm shops
You fancy regional specialties and good, fresh produce directly from the producer around the corner? Then you should (organic) farm and farm shops in the Leipzig region. Here you will find a wide range of offerings fresh eggs, meat, fish, cheese, seasonal fruit and vegetables and many other delicacies.
Regional products from Leipzig and the region
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sweets and baked goods
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fashion and jewelry
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Musical instruments
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Cosmetic products
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… and much more!
