Breakfast is the best in Germany. I heard about the delicious culture of this foreign country from someone who visits Munich every year for work.

Germany is known for its beer, so the first things that come to mind when thinking of German food are the wide variety of sausages that go perfectly with beer, the impressive meat dishes that are perfect for stamina, and pretzels that go perfectly with alcohol. Of course, those are delicious, but Germany is the country with the best breakfasts.

In Munich and Hamburg, where I stayed in March, I stayed at the Ruby Hotel, a popular urban hotel chain with eight locations in Germany and Vienna. Both the Munich (Ruby Lilly Hotel) and the Hamburg (Ruby Lotti Hotel) are located near the city center. In Munich, they are located in the Maxvorstadt district, which is home to many popular art museums, and are within walking distance of the Pinakothek der Moderne, a contemporary art museum. In Hamburg, I could see the canals flowing right next to me from the large windows. The first floor has a cafe and bar that doubles as a workspace, where I had breakfast every morning.



The buffet breakfast, which starts at 6:30 on weekdays, is all organic (compliant with the DE-KO-006 standard of an organic inspection agency approved in Germany). German breakfasts mainly consist of cold meals that are not cooked. Ham, salami, fresh milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, eggs, tomatoes, green vegetables, pickles, hummus, fruit and fruit juice, whole grain cereal, superfoods, dried fruit, whole grain bread made at a local bakery, Hausbrandt coffee, and organic tea. Organic ingredients are apparently the standard at not only the Ruby Hotel, but at any other hotel buffet-style breakfast, and in Germany, a country that is a leader in organic, bio and eco-friendly practices.

Early in the morning, when there are still few people around, I look forward to slowly admiring each dish and arranging them on my plate, so I get up from my room at 7am and head to the cafe. Within 30 minutes, the seats fill up quickly, and everyone is reading the newspaper, chatting about the night before and their plans for the day, and enjoying their morning at their own leisure. Mornings start early in Germany.



There is a huge variety of bread, including sliced bread, croissants, pretzels, and Franzbrötchen made with cinnamon sugar. Of these, the staple food for many people is Brötchen (small bread) made with hard seeds or nuts or topped with them, and Brot (large bread) which you slice as much as you like. Brötchen are made by turning a knife around and cutting it in half horizontally, then spreading butter or jam on the other side. It is also common to eat sliced brot with ham, cheese, or vegetables on top. Ham options include chicken ham and prosciutto, and five or six types of cheese are available, including fresh cottage cheese, mozzarella, and cream cheese.





Eggs are also eaten for breakfast in Germany. However, rather than scrambled eggs or omelets, eggs are boiled to your preferred doneness (hotel breakfasts always have both soft-boiled and hard-boiled eggs available). The distinctive way to eat it is to crack the top with a knife while still in the shell, then sprinkle salt on it and eat it with a spoon.

Homegrown fruits such as kiwi, grapes, oranges, watermelon and pineapple are combined with yogurt to make a fruit salad. It is also good to pour yogurt over original muesli (a kind of granola) made with your favorite blend of walnuts, powdered almonds, hazelnuts, sultanas and the superfood flaxseed.





Enjoy the simple flavors of the ingredients and the joy of combining them. Be sure to try out these delicious German breakfast rules.