9 German Restaurant Chains We Wish Were In The US

There is a long-held misconception that German food consists of little more than a choice of strudels, schnitzel, sausages, and pretzels. True, the diet is heavy on meat, and, as with much of northern Europe, there are a glut of potato dishes, dumpling-strewn stews, and creative ways of serving baked apples on offer. Scratch below the surface, however, and you'll find much to write home about.

Germany is a nation of about 83.5 million people spread out over 137,821 square miles. Politically, it is subdivided into 16 federal states — or Bundesländer. Some, such as Bavaria and Brandenburg, have familiar-sounding names. Others, as is the case with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, feature less prominently in the collective consciousness. Regardless, each offers fantastic regional specialties: There are the stuffed dumpling delights of Baden-Württemberg known as maultaschen. In Hamburg, the smell of sweet cinnamon pastries called Franzbrötchen fills the air on cold winter nights. Over in Lower Saxony, kale with sausage is a must-try item. Meanwhile, in the Rhineland, a stuffed pig's stomach dish called saumagen demands a bolder palate yet rewards those who partake.

Germany produces some truly excellent cheeses, a slew of fine wines, and the specificity of the German versus American beer differential is something well worth exploring. The nation's inherent diverse mix of people has also helped create a fusion of modern foods, aided and abetted by the fact that the landmass itself acts as a travel hub for all of Europe. Yes, you can find excellent pizza in Germany, and, yes, the country arguably produces the best doner kebabs outside of Turkey. Over the years, a number of restaurant chains have sprung up that celebrate this blend of traditional and imported fare. Here are some we wish were in the U.S.

Chinese, through sheer weight of numbers, is the most popular food in the world. Italy, hitting well above its weight, however, takes the No. 2 spot. The peninsula's focus on high-quality ingredients and simplicity of form helped spread its cuisine across the globe. The intense regionalism of the various dishes added to the appeal, creating memorable dishes recognized world over: Naples gave us pizza, and Sicily, arancini. Sure, there are things you should think twice before ordering at an Italian restaurant, but the bulk of the cuisine remains delightfully inoffensive. It may well be impossible to find a city that does not sport at least one Italian restaurant.

Germany certainly has its share, and Vapiano, the so-called home of fresh pasta, is up there with the best of them. The company began with a single store in Hamburg, home to one of the largest ports in all of Europe. From there, it expanded outwards across Germany, eventually reaching a current tally of 155 restaurants spread across 32 countries. America only has one in Miami, which is something of a pity, really.

It's not that the chain does anything out of the ordinary when it comes to its menu. It's simply that they do everything so well. Lunch specials include bowls of pasta all'arrabbiata, pesto-infused fusilli, and mixed Italian salads. The pizza menu ranges from top-end items smothered in shaved truffle to the easier-on-the-wallet margheritas. Familiar items such as chicken Parmesan, the three-ingredient aglio olio, and the simple pleasure of a chilled caprese salad round things off quite nicely. As an added bonus, the pasta is made fresh on site, and although the menu provides recommended combos, you can mix and match to your heart's content if you so wish.

Block House is one of those restaurant chains that is a quintessential part of its nation of origin. Established in 1968 in Hamburg, the steakhouse quickly spread across central Europe. With each new location came the promise of quality ingredients, fresh produce, and, naturally enough, a chance to enjoy the very best of steaks. To be fair, that last point is taken seriously.

The company takes pride in the when, where, and how it obtains the meat. The emphasis is laser-focused on the sustainability of the product itself. Sourcing is global, with the majority of the stock breeding taking place in South America or, in some cases, closer to home in Western Pomerania. Cattle are grass-reared on environmentally viable lands. In the latter stages of production, trimming is kept to a minimum, ensuring an optimal yield and better product overall.

Menu-wise, there are few surprises. When it comes to the main event, the cuts of steak you should always buy feature prominently. The ribeye is from Herford, the filet mignon is spiced with an in-house pepper blend, and the American tenderloin is cut thick and served with a herb butter. Vegetarians are also catered for — a rarity when it comes to steak houses. Starters range from the ever-popular prawn salad to chilled carpaccio and a beef tartare prepared with red onions and capers. Soups are seasonal, and there are several classic dishes on offer year-round, such as the Norwegian fjord salmon and New Zealand cuts of lamb. A section of the menu devoted to American bistro items takes care of all your burger needs, and sides are as predictable as they are fresh and delicious. Throw in a surprisingly comprehensive wine list and — unsurprisingly for a German chain — a selection of draft beers, and it's easy to see why the company has found so much success.

Seafood is something of an outlier when it comes to major restaurant chains. Sure, Red Lobster and Long John Silver are both well established with about 568 and 482 U.S. stores, respectively. But such numbers pale in comparison to the meat-focused likes of Burger King and McDonald's. Other franchises, such as Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., are popular with locals, but their reach is limited.

It's something of a shame, really. The health benefits of seafood are well understood. Meanwhile, knowing what seafood belongs on your grill and what does not is a niche skill in need of exercise. Shrimp on the barbecue is, after all, an Australian thing; Americans seem more comfortable with their beef on the grill. All of which leads to an inevitable conclusion: There's room for at least one more seafood chain.

Nordsee began life in Bremen, a thriving port town situated on the Weser River. There, in 1896, the German Steam Fishing Society came into existence with a stated aim of bringing fine seafood to the people of Germany. Successive mergers brought with them a change of name and, as the years passed, Nordsee continued to expand. In 1965, it opened the 100th restaurant. Today, there are over 2,501 stores across Germany alone.

Its success almost certainly comes down to the superb quality of fish found in the North Sea. This, combined with a novel fast-food-like method of serving customers, has made the chain a staple of German dining out culture. A selection of oversized baguettes filled with fishy treats are more common than actual burgers, although the salmon burger deluxe is a popular item. Meanwhile, sides such as shrimp and chips compete for attention with grilled fish plates, vegan offerings, and some rather tasty taco bowl salads.

The term moshi moshi is a part of Japanese telephone etiquette, familiar even to non-Japanese speakers. With a loose meaning of "I'm going to talk," the phrase is ancient, originating as it does from the nation's Edo period. During a time when position was everything, the phrase was used to announce oneself in the presence of someone of a higher status. It experienced something of a renaissance during the infancy of telephone technology when it was used simply as a way of checking that the line was clear. The tradition endured, and today, moshi moshi is considered the polite way to begin any informal telephone call, although it is usually used via the shorthand mosh mosh. It also just so happens to make an excellent name for a chain of Japanese restaurants.

Mosch Mosch describes itself as the land of noodles. Such a given-name might sound a tad hyperbolic, but it is hard to disagree that this is one of the best places to get a bowl of ramen in all of Germany. Restaurants are currently clustered in and around Frankfurt, and surrounding cities including Mainz, Heidelberg, and Wiesbaden. An expansion outwards seems likely.

The menu features a mix of grilled chicken starters, traditional beef and vegan bowls of ramen and fried Teppan delicacies. There are Japanese-style coconut curries to enjoy, sushi salad bowls, and green tea ice cream on offer. It's an excellent place to learn all about gyoza, Japan's favorite dumplings, but also a chance to experience something a little different in the heart of Germany's financial capital. The food is prepared fresh and is fully customizable via their toppings menu. Such options allow you to load up your meal with marinated beef, beyond meat patties, prawns, curry sauce, and even a controversial, extra portion of noodles.

Maredo hails from Kurfürstendamm, one of Berlin's most popular shopping and recreational districts. The restaurant's identity itself was derived from a portmanteau comprised of two letters from each of the founders' names. From the very outset, the soon-to-be chain of restaurants adopted a policy of quality, transparency, and sustainability. The steakhouse offered a pasture-to-plate philosophy, ensuring a quality dining experience like no other. Making full use of all the tactics steak restaurants use to trick tastebuds, the flagship stores' popularity led to an inevitable expansion. By 1989, it had 20 steakhouse restaurants in operation. By 2015, that number had doubled.

The menu itself differs from location to location, although there are staples common to all. Typical starters include a Wagyu beef carpaccio that clocks in at just shy of €20. An hefty price for a starter, it may be, but the quality on display softens the blow; sourced from Australia, it has a Grade 4+ marbling rating. For those looking for something easier on the wallet, a simple goulash soup or a side of garlic plate helps ease things along into the main course.

Said entrées are, of course, heavy on the steak. The usual suspects are lined up nicely. You can choose from fillet, rump, ribeye, and sirloin, all priced at a reasonable €23 to €35 range. Premium cuts start at €82 for a 21-ounce grass-fed T-bone, all the way up to the monster 35-ounce Irish Black Angus Tomahawk, which will set you back over €110. Side dishes are familiar fare with homemade coleslaws rubbing shoulders with mashed potatoes, rippled fries — which are as good as they sound — and a selection of vegetables. Burgers and other barbecue items also poke their head around the corner from time to time, and the dessert menu is way better than it has any right to be.

It might come as something of a surprise that so few traditional German menus have appeared in this list thus far. In truth, German food tends to be simple and unpretentious enough that it is the purview of street vendors, home cooks, and independent retailers alike. That is not to say that chains of hearty Germanic fare do not exist. Café Extrablatt stands as a refutation of any such claim.

The company operates dozens of restaurants across Germany and promotes a trifecta philosophy of tasty food, hard drinking, and a lively atmosphere. A family restaurant chain, Extrablatt is not. Set up as an all-day pub with high standards, the chain has been around since 1988 and was the brainchild of brothers Richard and Christoph Wefers. The food on offer is seasonal, and a voucher culture exists to encourage experimentation.

You won't find much in the way of experimental food here. There are the typical German combinations of fruit, cream, and pastry that cater to the Germanic propensity for all things sweet. The vegetarian menu is heavy on the plant-based schnitzel, while carnivores are treated to no fewer than 19 different burger options. Highlights include the ever-popular Schwyzer Burger, a Double Cheese Bacon Burger, and the somewhat self-explanatory Avocado Burger. Specialty items such as the pulled pork sandwich mingle with more unusual creations such as the potato burger, which substitutes bread for two potato rösti. Anyone concerned about how many toppings are too many when it comes to burgers can take comfort in the fact that each menu item at Extrablatt is as customizable as an old-school Lego set. Meanwhile, the cocktail menu is a robust affair, and breakfast buffets are also very much a thing. Eggs, cheese, dark breads, and charcuterie form the bulk of options, although continental-style breakfast pastries are also available.

If Bavaria is the home of Germanic cuisine, then Munich is the province's beating heart. Famed for its beer culture, the straightforwardness of food on offer is closely linked to the concept of gemütlichkeit, a Germanic term for friendliness. Food is served hot, arrives quickly, and tends towards the more affordable end of the budget. Dishes of steaming pork knuckles known as Schweinshaxe are served in a beer gravy. Weisswurst and Leberkäse — white sausage and meatloaf — are weekday staples. Dumplings come in multiple varieties, each one more delicious than the one that preceded it. And for those who tire of Oktoberfest's never-ending meat and beer procession, a slice of bee sting cake is the perfect way to add a little sweetness to the proceedings.

There was a time when such experiences were limited to the city of Munch itself. But with establishments spread across Germany and several more making their way through Asia, Paulaner set out to change that. Fostering a deliberate old-time inn experience and a fusing of Bavarian and modern cuisine, the company helped define what a German beer garden should be. The menu is chock-full of snacking items, such as the Brotzeit sharing platter, laden as it is with cheese, sliced meats, horseradish cream cheese pretzel, and salad. You can order portions of nuts, Pringles, or spicy corn snacks called Nic Naks to go with your beer. For those feeling a little more peckish, plates of sausage sourced from across the country are a popular choice. So too are some other traditional favorites: the Schweinshaxe, chicken, veal or pork schnitzel, and meatballs doused in a dark Bavarian beer sauce.

To Europeans, the name mövenpick is synonymous with one or two things. For those possessing a self-confessed sweet tooth, it's a top-end brand of ice cream infused with Alpine yumminess. For those blessed with something of a travel bug, it's a chain of luxury hotels with few peers. For the people of Germany and central Europe, however, there is a third option. Operating under the title Marche, Mövenpick is also directly associated with a chain of fine eateries.

Marche portrays its approach to dining in a market kitchen setting, and the various establishments doing business certainly do seem to fit that description. The company's very first restaurant opened in Stuttgart — another bastion of Bavarian cuisine — in 1983. Regional and seasonal variations do exist, but the chain's Bavarian origin is well represented in the menus — and they are award-winning menus at that.

Guests are treated to slices of mushroom bruschetta dripping with umami top notes. Salads are robust affairs and come replete with seasonal dressings made from strawberries and basil or whatever else happens to be plate-ready at the time of dining. Further south in Nuremberg, you might find yourself ordering chayote curry, an inevitable schweinshaxe, or perhaps even a classic schnitzel combo.

The company's Swiss roots are also on full display: Rosti filled with cheese, garlic sausage, or smoked salmon are popular items, as are platters of cheese and meat. Still, the menu is not entirely of a Swiss/Bavarian nature. Pizza and pasta are heavily featured, and seafood is a definite option. Desserts range from slices of luscious German chocolate cakes to three-piece brownie boxes and a selection of sweet crepes and waffles. The drinks menu is light and includes a selection of fine teas, coffee, wines, and sodas.

The Augustiner is something of a local hero in Berlin, and while it is not a chain, it nevertheless deserves mention. To begin with, it's situated slap bang in the middle of Gendarmenmarkt square, one of Berlin's finest pieces of real estate. Recently renovated, the plaza positively drips with old world charm with buildings of historical significance, a magnificent cathedral, and charming statues. At Christmas, it lights up as one of the capital's very best Christmas markets. During the summer, it is a gathering spot for all that is cool and hip about Berlin. Where better to open an establishment celebrating the nation's fine cuisine?

The experience begins and ends with the beers on tap. Served fresh from wooden barrels, there is an authenticity on display here that is hard to fake. The signature Augustiner Bräu Munich dates back to the 13th century, the former provenance of an ancient monastery of Augustinian persuasion. Still, food is of equal importance, and here Augustiner also never disappoints.

Salads and starters are seasonal and often include items such as slices of salmon layered between fried potatoes and beetroot horseradish. Other highlights include a predictable — if not unwelcome — selection of sausages ranging from Bavarian classics with served with sweet mustard to the near-ubiquitous Berlin-inspired currywurst. House specialties include schnitzel prepared Vienna style and a darkly imposing beer goulash. Ox makes an appearance on the menu, boiled and served with a horseradish crème sauce and dumplings made from pretzels. Throw in some Germanic staples such as apple strudel and a scrambled pancake dessert known as kaiserschmarrn, and you'll soon find yourself enjoying something as traditional as it comes. The food is well-priced, the atmosphere is lively, and one cannot help but wish it'd open a place or two somewhere across the pond.