German Food in Phoenix – Review of Edelweiss Biergarten

German cuisine is known for its hearty and flavorful dishes that often feature meats, potatoes, and bread. It’s known for its emphasis on using fresh, seasonal ingredients and the careful preparation of food. Beer is also an integral part of German culture, and the country is famous for its wide variety of beer styles.

When you think of restaurants in Phoenix, German food doesn’t right away come to mind, however there are more residents with German descent than you might think.

According to ac4gc.org, the State of Arizona has a large German speaking community. In the 1990 Census, it was learned that Arizona had over 3 million people living here, with 875,000 Americans of Germanic descent, or 24% of the population.

As a result we have many Germanic clubs, restaurants, deli’s, specialty stores, activities of all types for our residents and visitors to enjoy.

Image courtesy of https://edelweissbiergarten.com/

Edelweiss Biergarten, located on E Bell Rd in North Phoenix, serves a variety of German favorites, like schnitzels, large pretzel with sauerkraut and beer cheese, bratwurst, curry wurst, and spätzle.

Edelweiss Biergarten has a large indoor restaurant and outdoor beer garden, hence the name. The interior is reminiscent of a beer hall, decorated with intricate steins and German art. The outdoor beer garden will transport you to Germany with plenty of large table seating, two bars, and nicely manicured trees.

I’ve been to this location twice and my honest opinion is that every Arizonan and traveler who likes cheese, meat, noodles, gravy and hearty food should eat here. The food is that good and served in big portions. The extensive beer menu does not hurt either. The review of this restaurant is not sponsored content, so this entire article is 100% honest.

Listed below is what I ate along with my review of each dish. I will include a Hungarian dish, stuffed cabbage rolls, as it is lighter fare compared to the other items on the menu.

Jäger Schnitzel

Schnitzel is one of those quintessential German dishes and is reminiscent of chicken fried steak in the U.S. Jäger schnitzel is lightly breaded, tenderized pork loin served with bacon mushroom gravy. The schnitzel by itself was delicious; tender on the inside, crunchy on the outside and with great flavor. I ate it with both the gravy and their house-made cranberry sauce, which might be my favorite condiment for schnitzel.

The gravy was not too rich or heavy and the mushroom flavor wasn’t overpowering. The dish came with German fried potatoes and cucumber salad with paprika. I’m not a schnitzel expert, but I loved this dish and would definitely order it again.

Fried Gouda Cheese Appetizer

I couldn’t pass up on ordering fried cheese, and gouda is one of my favorites. Served with house-made cranberry sauce, this dish is comfort food perfection.

Lightly battered and not greasy, this appetizer is perfect for warming up on chilly Phoenix nights (yes, it gets cold here) or any time of the year. While the cheese is not too salty, the cranberry sauce cuts through the richness and balances the flavors.

I shared this with my friend who was with me. She only had a small helping, so if you don’t have a big appetite, this dish might fill you up before you make a dent on the main course. This dish was pretty filling for me but so worth it. If you’re a cheese lover, get this dish.

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Knackwurst

Knackwurst is smoked veal and pork sausage originating from Northern Germany. It’s served with slightly sweet red cabbage, sauerkraut and fried potatoes. While my friend ordered this dish, I snagged a couple bites and was blown away. First of all, the portion is huge and the sausage itself is packed with tons of flavor, best eaten with mustard.

The knackwurst has a snappy casing and juicy meat on the inside. Grilled & smoked sausage is also quintessentially German, great food for the fall/winter months and anytime you’re in need of comfort food while in Arizona.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

This Hungarian dish is another must-try at Edelweiss Biergarten. Here is the dish’s description from the restaurant: “Little bundles of cabbage leaves that have been stuffed and cooked with a mixture of ground meat (beef /pork), onions, paprika, rice and spices. Cooked with sauerkraut and served with sour cream.” – @edelweissbiergarten on Instagram.

This dish was part of their lunch special and since I love a good deal, I ordered it. If you want comforting fare that isn’t as heavy as the other options on the menu, definitely try the cabbage rolls.

The sour cream and chives add a cool, creamy element to this dish. The cabbage rolls are stuffed with juicy, savory ground meat. The broth is also light and soothing. This dish is served with two pieces of grilled sausage along with sauerkraut. Although not a German dish, the stuffed cabbage rolls are also a must-try item at this restaurant.

If you’ve tried this restaurant before, what was your experience? What’s your favorite German-style restaurant in your town? Comment below! We’d love to hear from you.

Credits & Disclaimer:

Featured image, beer garden image and menu descriptions courtesy of https://edelweissbiergarten.com/. All other photos by Jan Crystal

The owner of this blog is eligible for commission when a viewer opens a new business checking account with Chase Bank. The blog owner is a customer of Chase, herself. This is not a sponsored article.