Food tours are becoming increasingly more common in cities around the world. Therefore, I will be increasingly going on them! I always try to do a bicycle tour, so to counteract the calories I burn on that, I should do a food tour, right? Or is it the other way around?
I think culture is tightly linked to food and I like eating food, so you will always find me touring a city ‘through’ it’s food – darting from café to café, testing the foods at the local market, and even browsing the supermarket aisles to see what daily foods consist of in a particular locale.
I was thrilled to find out that German food tour company, Eat-the-World has landed in Leipzig. I hopped on a tram and met my guide on the steps of the courthouse. Dorothea was a cute, Keira Knightly look-a-like. She had moved to Leipzig from Bulgaria to study.
We were a small group half of which was a really friendly family — Stefan Dürnay and his wife and two cute kids. They were from Friedrichhafen in southern Germany, right near Switzerland. When I asked him his first impressions of Leipzig, he said, “I like how friendly the people are.” This was nice to hear, since it’s perhaps not often you hear that about a German town, often thought to have austere, more keep-to-themselves types.
We walked over to the gentrified neighborhood of Südvorstadt. I read that this was one of the first areas of the city to gentrify after the reunification of Germany and like many areas like it, it started with artists and a bohemian vibe which has given way to the young and trendy and many expats. Here we began our eating spree — trying samples from many different restaurants, cafes, and shops.
Fleischerei Scheinpflug
This was a traditional German deli and meat shop. The family owned store sells homemade sausages, ham, salami, and cheeses. I asked about where it came from — how were the animals raised. I was told that they had “very high quality and standards.” I pressed on about where the meat was from, but the counter ladies didn’t speak English. I am told that German standards are quite high as far as raising animals, but then still found out later than Switzerland has some of the strictest rules around. I’m eating less meat these days, but when I travel, I do feel animal and food standards are typically higher outside of the USA rather than inside it.
Mio
This was a tasty little neighborhood Italian place, that it turns out is quite famous because it’s also the location for a local soap opera which has scenes here called In aller Freundschaft (In All Friendship). The white-washed stucco, interior was airy and loft-like with a balcony above and also a beautiful garden out back.
We sampled some tasty gnocchi.
Con Würze
The name of this shop loosely translates to “with Spice!” And that’s just what they sell, spices of all kinds including some of their own mixes. Along with the familiar – paprika, curry, and more than 10 varieties of salt, Frau Schol also carries some harder-to-find seasonings.
Seidels Klosterbäckerei
Old baking traditions still hang on here at this charming neighborhood bakery. We were able to try their roggenmischbrot (a rye-wheat mix) and the dinkel-mehrkornbrot (a mix of spelt, flax, and sunflower seed). Don’t think for a second that I remembered these names, I had my guide write them down for me. But it’s pretty cool, when you look at them closely, you can see the English in them: “roggenmischbrot “ = rye-mixed-bread. Or rather, the German in our English. Or maybe I just see these similarities from hearing my grandparents speak Yiddish (a fusion of mostly German dialects and some Hebrew thrown in for food measure) at times growing up.
Mangiare
Mmm..this was likely my favorite stop – a Mediterranean shop where you can some tasty Italian delights like olives, cheeses, and eggplant spread. All the goodies for a great picnic.
Röskant Die Manufaktur
Set in a former factory, this hidden gem is a coffee shop which roasts its own.
Patisserie des Café Maitre
Our final stop, was a traditional pastry shop and café.
The 100-year-old café recently opened again after being closed for 12 years. I finally got to taste one of Leipzig’s traditional treats: the Leipziger Lerche (Leipzig Lark). It’s a small, crusty pastry stuffed with marzipan (almond paste) and a small bit of jam. Sweet ending to a great day walking and tasting.
For more info:
3- hour Tours: 30 Euro per ticket, 15 Euro for children under 12 years
Fridays & Saturdays at 11:00am year round
Disclosure: During my few days in Leipzig, I was a guest of Leipzig Tourism and Marketing GmbH, as always, all opinions here are my own.
Lauren Meshkin @BonVoyageLauren
It’s true, I’ve definitely been reading more about food tours lately! This one sounds great and I’m drooling over that gnocchi. I think it’s time for lunch now! Great post, thanks for sharing.
Happy travels 🙂
Lisa
I can never write enough about food and love food photography! Glad you enjoyed.
Victoria
Well now I’d like to go to Leipzig on a food tour! I totally agree with you, food is integral to so many cultures and it’s a brilliant way to learn more about a place and it’s people. From the markets to independent shops and even supermarkets, I could spend days exploring these before I set foot in a museum!
Lisa
Thanks Victoria! I’ve found the more I travel, the more I ‘tour’ a city through its food. 🙂
Kristy
The picture of the hams and salami looks delicious that my mouth is watering right now. This post is making me hungry. Heh.
Dorothea
Hi Lisa,
I’m glad to see what a nice article you’ve posted about our food tour! If I wasn’t living in Leipzig already I would really feel like visiting it after reading about your trip 🙂
I hope one day I can enjoy eating the world as intensely as you do!
Take care,
Doro
Sarah Lee
Yuuummmmy! Getting more into food and food tours as a way of seeing a destination and Leipzig is looking good. Should be close to the city in January, might try to get over there to check out some food.
Katrina
I have to say that I love your photos. They are so crisp and bright! Even without the food, I’d probably go on the tour just because you’ve made it so visually appealing. 🙂
Marlys
Food tours are growing on me. I’m into trying local cuisine anywhere I go and I think they’re a good way to do that during a short stay in a place.
Mary @ Green Global travel
Yum! While I would not define myself as a foodie, I am more and more drawn to pursuing similar tours to explore a culture in greater depth! It never ceases to amaze me how much you see that you might not otherwise explore and how much you get to know locals through a few hours of food-based conversation with a guide and by visiting a variety of local businesses. Great post!
Laura @Travelocafe
Just watch out not to gain weight. LOL. At least that worried me during this summers culinary trip.
Majida
Food tours? Never heard of them and certainly woild like to try them out!! 😉 are there any informations, of people sharing theirs?
Lisa
Food tours are becoming very popular! Just search food tours and the city you are traveling to!
William Yao
Never been east part of Germany. Too many places I hope to visit in Germany! Leipzig is of course in my list.