From Snoek to Seelachs: A Taste of Home Beneath German Waters
Craving that perfect piece of hake? Looking for prawns that remind you of home? We’ve put together a list of the best places across Germany to buy fresh seafood — from speciality shops to supermarket counters that stock the good stuff.
You’ll also find a handy vocabulary guide so you can confidently tell your Seelachs from your Heilbutt — no more guessing games at the fish counter.
Supermarkets with Fresh or Frozen Fish
You can find a decent selection of fish and seafood at many mainstream supermarkets — both fresh at the counter (Fischtheke) and frozen:
Online Seafood Shops in Germany
If you prefer your fish delivered to your door – fresh, frozen or smoked – these online shops are popular and trusted:
Here is a list of translations and some additional information about fish in Germany.
| Product | Substitute & Translation |
|---|---|
| Pilchards | Sardine (also “Sardinen”) – Both pilchards and sardines belong to the herring family (Clupeidae). Herring is widely eaten in Germany as Heringsfilet. |
| Sardines | Sardellen is smaller than Sardinen (Pilchards). They are not longer than 20 cm. When they are found in salty or sweet-sour lakes they are called Anchovies in Europe |
| Anchovies | Anchovis or Sardellen that are found in salty or sweet-sour lakes are called Anchovies in Europe |
| Salmon | Der Lachs |
| Mackerel | Die Makrele |
| Dorado | Der Schwertfisch |
| Sole | Die Seezunge – A delicacy, often expensive and served in high-end restaurants. |
| Hake | Der Seehecht or Der Hechdorsch |
| Cape horse mackerel | Die Bastard- oder Holzmakrele (Trachurus trachurus), auch Stöcker oder Suri genannt |
| Cod/Kabeljou | Dorsch (young cod, often from the Baltic) / Kabeljau (older, larger fish, often from the North Sea). Both used interchangeably. |
| Fish Fingers | Die Fishstäbchen |
| Seafood | Die Meeresfrüchte |
| Mussels | Die Miesmuschel |
| Scallops | Die Jakobsmuschel |
| Clams | Venusmuscheln or Vongole |
| Crayfish | Die Flusskrebse or Die Langusten |
| Langoustines | Die Langusten |
| King prawns | Die Hummerkrabben or Die Riesengarnelen |
| Prawns | Die Garnalen. |
| Shrimps | Tiefseegarnalen or Grönlandshrimps or just shrimps or Nordseekrabbe |
| Lobster | Das Hummer |
| Calamari/Squid | Der Tintenfish or Die Calamares. Fried Calamari is Frittierter Tintenfish |
| Oysters | Die Austern |
| Crab | Die Krabben |
Attention all meat lovers! We have a comprehensive page that is dedicated to providing you with all the information you need about the different cuts of meat in Germany.
🇿🇦 Meat the Difference: A South African’s Guide to Buying Meat in Germany 🇩🇪 Looking for proper boerewors? Wondering why German Rindfleisch doesn’t taste quite like home? Or scratching your head at all the unfamiliar beef cuts? Get to know the difference between German and South African beef cuts, learn the right words at the butcher, and discover where to find quality meat that feels like home. German beef cuts German Cut English Equivalent Notes
Substitutes and Food Info Finding familiar South African flavours in Germany can sometimes feel like a culinary treasure hunt. Luckily, many of our favourite products are now just a click away.And when that one special ingredient seems impossible to find—don’t fret. Germany offers plenty of excellent substitutes that work beautifully in our beloved recipes.We’ve gathered a list of tried-and-true alternatives for you, complete with helpful German translations to make your shopping easier. Below you’ll find separate pages covering different food categories — from meats and fish to baking ingredients, dairy, drinks, frozen products, and sugars. Each page includes South African favourites and their best German substitutes to help you cook and shop with ease. Buying South African Products Related content Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email
South African Recipes We’d love to taste the flavours of home through your kitchen! If you have a family-favourite milk tart, a secret twist on chakalaka, or your own take on rooibos iced tea, we want to hear from you. Share your best South African recipes with us and help build a collection that brings a little bit of lekker to all of us living abroad — one delicious dish at a time. 🍽️🇿🇦 Click here to submit your recipe Seasonal recipes Resources on the web Ina Paarman Pinterest – on the Braai Jan Braai Watertand resepte vir oud en jonk Cape Malay Cooking with Fatima Sydow Boerekos From our community Add to Taste blog Related pages Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email
Summer is finally here and it is time to invite friends to kuier around the braai. But before you light your charcoal, check out the rules and regulations that might apply to you. The following rules are relevant if you live in a rental property: Am I allowed to grill on the Balcony? As a tenant you are generally allowed to grill on the balcony, terrace or in the garden.There is no law prohibiting it. However, landlords can explicitly allow, restrict or prohibit grilling in your rental agreement.They can also specify if you are allowed to use charcoal. When am I not allowed to grill? When it is stipulated in your rental agreement that you are not allowed to grill on your balcony or in the garden. When the smoke from your fire or grill goes into the apartment or home of your neighbours. When this happens you are committing an administrative offence, and you can be fined for it. These rules are governed by the German Tenants’ Association (DMB). Anyone who disregards these rules risks being warned or even given notice.It can also result in the termination of your rental contract. What can I do? First of all, read your rental contract and make sure you know what the stipulations are. You should always be considerate towards your neighbours, Electric grills makes less smoke than a charcoal grill If possible, work with aluminium trays. Adhere to the applicable quiet periods (Ruhezeiten) A case that went to court was in 2002 in the district of Essen. The tenant disregarded the rules and ignored warnings and had to move out as a result. (LG Essen, judgment of 07.02.2002, Az .: 10 S 438/01).Another in Düsseldorf – “A barbecue party with a total of seven guests was organized in the garden of an apartment building. As a result, smoke penetrated through the windows of the neighbouring apartment. Their residents saw themselves on the one hand disturbed by the smoke, on the other hand by the additional noise level. The tenant, who was responsible for the grilling, was consequently fined (OLG Düsseldorf, judgment of 26.05.1995, ref .: 5 Ss (OWi) 149/95 – (OWi) 79/95 I).” What else do I need to know? If you are allowed to grill at your home, the smells and noise from a grill party should be tolerated by your neighbours to some extent. Take notice of the quiet periods and make sure to keep noise levels acceptable. These rules are governed by the local municipality Wood and charcoal Hardwood that produces a lot of embers with little smoke is the best to grill with. This includes: Beech (Buche) and Birch(Birke) wood are suitable for meat and fish dishes. It gives food a smoky flavour. Oakwood (Eiche) can also be used; it burns hotter and does not flavour the meat Maple wood (Ahornholz ) is suitable for vegetables and fish Wild Cherry wood (Wildkirsche) is particularly suitable for pork, veal, poultry and fish Notice!! Do not use soft wood like Spruce(Fichte), Fir (Tanne), yew (Eibe), larch (Lärchen) or pine(Kiefer) as these have a high resin content and can make the food bitter. Also, avoid using oily wood such as Cedar (Zeder), Eucalyptus, and Thuja (Arborvitae as they can cause health problems. These release compounds that can cause respiratory or digestive issues and are not safe for cooking Never use wood that has been treated, for example, telephone poles or railway sleepers. These may contain creosote, heavy metals, or other toxic substances. Vuur en Rook in the Netherlands is an online shop that sells Sekelbos and other wood Ons gaan braai, also in the Netherlands, sells Sekelbos and more Charcoal in Germany is made mostly from Beechwood (Buche). During the summer season, most grocery and hardware shops sell charcoal. Boeries, Biltong and Braai spices Looking for some tasty South African treats and drinks for your next braai? Check out these businesses selling Boerewors, Biltong, and braai spices. Some even have your favourite SA beverages available! Where to buy meat German and South African meat cuts are not similar. On our Meat and Fish page we explain the German cuts, and listed some shops that sell meat online. Where to shop for a grill and accessories Some of the most popular brands are Campingaz, Weber, Burnhard and Grill Fürst You can buy equipment and accessories at shops like OBI, Hornbach Vuur en rook in the Netherlands Ons gaan Braai in the Netherlands Potjie The following online shops sell Potjies: Die Spens Ons gaan Braai and Vuur en rook in the Netherlands Amazon.de Recipes Jan Braai References Mieterbund Rechtstipps Bussgeldkatalog Related content Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email
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