A trend of the last six months toward more German and Eastern European flavors on the San Francisco dining scene appears to be more widespread, or at least Bon App thinks so. Andrew Knowlton writes, “German, Austrian, and Czech restaurants are growing like your belly after a plateful of spaetzle,” everywhere from Portland to New York. The list of examples includes Leopold’s and Bar Tartine in S.F., Frankford Hall in Philadelphia, and a trio of restaurants in NYC that actually aren’t new at all: Prime Meats, Café Katja, and Seasonal.
Knowlton neglects to mention the mini-boom in L.A., however, which includes the openings of Steingarten, Bru Haus, and specialty sausage shop Grindhaus, which all seem to have been spawned from the popularity of downtown beer garden Wurstkuche. And he also leaves off the Austro-Hungarian-Italian menu at Bar Bambino in S.F., and the upcoming opening of Biergarten here as well. So, it’s a bit of a faux national trend piece, but we’d argue the trend is in full force at least on the West Coast.
The Foodist’s Favorite Germanic Restaurants Across the Country [Bon Appetit]
Earlier: Bar Bambino’s Owner and Chef Want You to Taste the Wonders of the Hapsburg Empire
