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Food for the Christmas market: a hot business

There is hardly a better winter stage than Christmas markets - especially from a culinary point of view. Between the twinkling lights and music, visitors come to the Christmas market primarily for the food. With the right offer, restaurateurs create special moments - and open up new opportunities for winter business.

This translation was created from the original text using AI (DeepL).
Non-alcoholic mulled wine sour - A mocktail made from non-alcoholic mulled wine, lemon juice and sugar syrup.

"Mulled wine in July? Of course!" - Why restaurateurs should already be thinking about Christmas.

Food for the Christmas market: a hot business

What is it all about?

  • Why is it worth having your own stand at the Christmas market?
  • How do restaurateurs impress at the Christmas market?
  • Which dishes are Christmas market classics?
Content:

"Mulled wine in July? Of course!" - Why restaurateurs should start thinking about Christmas now

While others are still philosophizing about the next ice cream flavour or firing up the barbecue, resourceful restaurateurs are already thinking about the scent of cinnamon, twinkling lights - and Baumstriezel. Sounds crazy? But it's clever. Because if you want to shine with your own stand at the Christmas market in winter, you have to set the course in midsummer. The application deadlines for stands are already running in many places - and anyone who arrives too late will be looking through a snow globe.
Why restaurateurs should start thinking about Christmas now.
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Score points with creative offers

A large selection of culinary delicacies from all over the world at the Christmas market? This is exactly what the Rüdesheim Christmas Market of Nations stands for. In addition to traditional Christmas market dishes such as bratwurst and crêpes, there are also regional specialties, Asian dishes, Finnish delicacies and delicacies from the twin towns of Mersault in Burgundy, France, and Swanage on the south coast of England. However, the range of creative and vegan alternatives is not only growing in Rüdesheim, but at all Christmas markets. Oriental spiced wraps or vegan Baumstriezel are becoming increasingly popular.
Baumstrietzel

What are Baumstriezel?

The Baumstriezel, also known as Kürtőskalács, is a traditional yeast pastry originating in Transylvania, Romania. The dough is wrapped in long strips around a wooden or metal roller and then baked in rotation over open embers or in special ovens, giving it its characteristic tubular shape. The fact that the sugar caramelizes on the outer surface during baking creates a crispy, golden brown crust, while the inside remains soft and airy.
Baumstrietzel with all kinds of toppings

After baking, the Baumstriezel is traditionally rolled in cinnamon and sugar. There are also more and more variations refined with nuts, grated coconut, cocoa or toppings such as Oreo and brittle.

According to a Statista survey from 2024, 51% of respondents say they visit Christmas markets primarily for the food. If you want to stand out here, you have to offer something special - and that's where the opportunity lies. But if you want to get in on the action, you have to be out and about early. In most cities, stalls are allocated directly by the city council or contracted organizers, often as early as spring and as late as late summer. Interested parties can usually find the relevant information on the city's official website, from the local business development agency or directly on the website of the respective Christmas market.

Why is it worth having your own stand at the Christmas market?

There is hardly any better winter self-promotion than a stand at the Christmas market: in the festive hustle and bustle, your own stand attracts curious glances, gets people talking about your offer and name and creates points of contact beyond the classic restaurant visit. Even if the Christmas market is a different stage to your own restaurant, quality and taste are also decisive here. What changes is the setting: While sauerkraut with smoked pork is served on a plate in the restaurant, it is served in a bread roll at the stall - uncomplicated, on the go, but with the same culinary care. Restaurateurs who skillfully present themselves and their offerings reach people who would perhaps never reserve a table in a restaurant.
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Gastronomy

What equipment does a stall at the Christmas market need?

A successful market stall is more than just a place to sell, it is a stage, workshop and figurehead at the same time. To be convincing in culinary and logistical terms, restaurateurs should consider the following aspects:

Run 1st stand at the Christmas market

Whether rustic or modern: A professional stand for the Christmas market should be functional, weatherproof and inviting. If you don't want to build your own, you can rent a stand at the Christmas market.

2. prepare high-quality ingredients

Guests expect quality, not only in restaurants, but also at the Christmas market. Stall operators get high-quality ingredients from METRO - be it METRO Flammlachs or METRO Glühwein.

3. serve hot and prepare quickly

Hot drinks guarantee sales in winter temperatures. With a professional mulled wine dispenser, the mulled wine stays constantly warm and is served quickly. Contact grills and rice stoves, which METRO stocks in various designs, are ideal for hot food.

4. contactless payment with DISH POS

Digital payment solutions simplify the process, both for the team and for guests. With DISH POS, METRO's POS system, customers can pay conveniently by card or smartphone.

5. disposable tableware for your own stand

If you want to do without deposits and plastic, METRO has the right equipment. For example, with paper cups from Rioba with a capacity of 0.3 l as well as METRO Professional napkins and paper plates.

How do restaurateurs impress at the Christmas market?

A stand at the Christmas market is more than just a festive event - it is a kind of pop-up kitchen, a test laboratory for trying out new ideas and attracting attention with food at the Christmas market. For restaurateurs, this is an opportunity to test new food formats in a temporary setting, build awareness and get direct feedback from guests. Where else can you experience how the concept of "pulled duck in a pretzel roll" or "beet and sauerkraut to-go" is received by the general public?

If you are a restaurateur with a market stall, you bring your own cuisine out of the dining room and into the crowd. The effort is manageable, the stage is set up and the audience is already waiting. And by the way, every dish at the Christmas market is the best form of self-promotion.

What are the classic dishes at the Christmas market?

Christmas markets in Germany are not only known for their festive atmosphere, but also for a variety of culinary delights. Many of these dishes have regional roots and reflect the diversity of German cuisine.

  • Bratwurst in a roll
    Whether as Thuringian, Krakauer or Nuremberg Rostbratwurst - the undisputed Christmas market evergreen.
  • Potato pancakes (potato pancakes)
    Crispy and golden brown, served with apple sauce or savory with herb quark.
  • Schupfnudeln with sauerkraut
    Popular at Christmas markets in southern Germany and often refined with bacon or cheese.
  • Mushroom pan with garlic sauce
    A vegetarian crowd favorite from the giant pan.
  • Flamed salmon over an open fire
    Rustically skewered salmon slowly cooked over a wood fire.
  • Kale with Pinkel
    Smoked, coarse-grained grilled sausage served with kale - a hearty North German winter classic.
  • Dinnete
    Swabian flatbread with sour cream, bacon and onions.

How creative can food at the Christmas market be?

Whether it's potato pancakes, bratwurst or a mushroom pan - the classics are here to stay. But they could do with a breath of fresh air. Perhaps as a vegan version, perhaps in a new format. Because even if many visitors hope for their favorite dishes every year, they like to be surprised - with new flavors, unusual combinations or modern presentation.

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