Viktualienmarkt – 2024 Food and Stall Guide for the Victuals Market in Munich
Viktualienmarkt – 2024 Food and Stall Guide for the Victuals Market in Munich

Viktualienmarkt – 2024 Food and Stall Guide for the Victuals Market in Munich

Germany
Germany

When Is the Best Time

The Viktualienmarkt or Victuals is my favourite place to shop for fresh delicatessen, cheese, ham, bread, seasonal veggies and fruits and excellent wine. Drink a glass of wine or a "Maß Bier" which is one litre of beer, and enjoy the vibrant market. The open-air market is located in the heart of Munich, a five-minute walk from Marienplatz and the tram/subway station. Google Maps Location

Veggie and Fruit Stall at Viktualienmarkt

There is plenty of food to buy, smell, and try and take tons of pictures. Due to the location, some prices are higher; however, you get the best quality, excellent “Leberkäs’ Semmeln” and this vibrant and energetic atmosphere. It is really worth coming here for a couple of hours and experiencing this all by yourself.

A Spanish ham and cheese stall.
This is my favourite Spanish shop offering excellent ham. Try the spicy or Mediterranean ham spread. Photo of the entire shop and its name.

Munich has been my "hometown" for three years already, and I continuously update what is new and what has changed in the past months. Not all stalls have survived the tough time during Corona, some have disappeared, but there are now new ones in 2023—one of these stands I present to you here below.

What is "Leberkäse"

Leberkäs Semmel mit Mustard
Sweet or spicy mustard on top of the Leberkäse - another photo below.

The "Leberkäse" is made of minced pork or beef mixed with bacon, potato starch, water, onions, and lots of spices baked in the oven in a pie tin similar to meatloaf. It was prepared out of pork or veal liver in former times, where the name originates from.

When to Visit Viktualienmarkt?

Not one space is left in the beer garden at Viktualienmarkt
The Victuals is bustling at midday in spring and summer.

To experience the typical flair and mixture of people, I recommend visiting the market not before midday from Thursday to Saturday. Lots of stalls are closed on Mondays. If you just wish to buy groceries, it is the opposite; come in the morning before the tourists arrive.

Opening Hours

  • Officially open from 8 am until 8 pm from Monday to Saturday 
  • Closed on Sundays
  • Many shops already open at 7 am
  • Some stalls stay closed or open later on Mondays
A fountain on Viktualienmarkt
The Karl-Valentin Fountain - is one of four in memory of famous Munich artists.

Four fountains are spread on the Viktualienmarkt, great for washing your hands, filling up your bottle, or letting your dog drink. 

Traditional Bavarian Food

Typical Bavarian food in the beer garden
"Bretzel" "Schweinshaxe" "Weißwürstel" - pretzel, pork knuckle, and Bavarian veal sausage with sweet mustard.

If you visit Bavaria, you almost can't "escape" the delicious food. It is heaven for meat-eaters, and vegetarians can find a wide variety, but vegan is a bit tricky here. However, I added one vegetarian and vegan shop offering a small but delicious menu.

Beer Mug
Maß Bier - one litre

Another good reason to come to Munich is the beer which is part of the Bavarian culture.

A typical Bavarian lunch plate with Meerrettich grated
This is "Kren" - grated and spicy horseradish, the root of the plant is used as a vegetable or spice. Be careful when trying it for the first time - we love it.

The most famous bread is "Brezel" pretzel; you get them everywhere. To the right is a Pizza Leberkäse, and the other one is Weißwurst Leberkäse, made like the typical white sausage.

Another speciality with "Kren" is Tafelspitz with Meerrettichcreme: this is thinly sliced beef meat and a sauce made with cream and horseradish.

Powered by GetYourGuide

 

These are my recommended tours via GetYourGuide, which has an excellent cancellation policy. Thx for booking via my website! With your support, I am able to provide all the information first-hand. Tour prices are at no extra cost!

Don’t Miss Out on My Munich by Bike Guide
Munich City - Frauenkirche
17 Must Visit Sights in One Day.

Best Months to Visit

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Related Topics

Location and Tips

Bavaria, Munich
Germany
Germany

The open-air farmers market has a more than 200 years old tradition; initially a farmer’s and herb market and now a meeting place for people from around the world. You can hear so many different languages, and if you order a “Mass Beer” which is one litre of beer in one of the beer gardens in the shade of chestnut trees, you easily mix up with other tourists and locals.

Viktualienmarkt atmosphere busy at midday
Although a tremendous beer garden, a seat is rare to get.

Except for early morning, it is crowded here, but that makes the difference watching people and having a chat. It is truly a tourist magnet and a Must-Visit place in the heart of Munich.

People line up to get a Leberkäs Semmeln
People line up for one of the best "Leberkäs" and meatball sandwiches. 

More than a hundred merchants offer their goods, some shops sell snacks and meals also for vegetarians and vegans, take a vitamin power and drink a fresh juice. Most of the vendors speak English, and credit cards are widely accepted.

The Traditional Maypole

The Maypole at Viktualienmarkt in 2022
Every year a new maypole is erected.

A 35 m high maypole made from spruce is in the middle of the market. It is quite an effort to create this traditional tree for the first of May. It gets logged many months before. The bark and branches have to be removed, and afterwards, the trunk has to dry for three months before it is painted white in April. The first of May is always a big festivity when the maypole has been put up since 1962 also in Munich.

What Can You Buy at Viktualienmarkt?

Stalls and tourists at the Victuals Market

Two hundred years ago, the market covered the daily needs of food today, you can find here not only local products but also delicacies from all over the world, exotic fruits, fish, beautiful flowers etc.

Fruits and Veggies

Exotic Fruits on the Victuals Market

Seasonal fresh and exotic fruits and vegetables are available at several stalls. May and June are my favourite months for strawberries and asparagus.

Local and European Cheese

One of the cheese shops at Viktualienmarkt
Tölzer Käseladen is our favourite cheese shop of all, but of course, all are excellent.

There are ten stalls offering dairy goods, mainly from the nearby Alps but Europe as well. This mentioned small stall provides some of the most delicious cheeses! The staff is always extremely polite and happy to explain exactly where the cheese comes from! I love the old Emmentaler from Switzerland and "Wiesenblumenkäse" a cheese with meadow flowers at the rind.

Butcher Shops

The butcher shops at the beginning of Viktualienmarkt
Most of the butcher shops are next to each other.

Meat and ham are already offered for 700 years here in Munich. In former times the stalls were situated on the outskirts due to the terrible smells and scraps without any cooling.

A butcher shop specialized for game
This is a new shop called "Wilde Zeiten" a wordplay for this kind of butcher which offers game specialities. Do you wish to know what they exactly offer? Check out this photo.

One of the butchers disappeared. This new shop was long overdue on the market as game meat is increasingly popular in Germany.

Munich Soup Kitchen

The Munich Soup Kitchen offering lots of soups
They offer a huge variety of soups - soup menu in detail

They offer a large selection of delicious soups served in a bowl for vegetarians and also with meat for reasonable prices. Therefore, you usually have to wait a couple of minutes. It is ideal for a quick lunch; the only issue it is hard to decide what to choose.

Mushrooms

The mushroom stall
The porcinis smell great in autumn.

You get all kinds of mushrooms fresh, mainly in autumn, but they also sell dried porcini mushrooms, truffles, herbs, spices, oil, etc.

Greek Style Spreads and Olives

Greek Style spreads at Viktualienmarkt
Try these spreads and take some to the English Garden with bread. Yummy!

They offer a wide selection of antipasti, olives, fresh pasta, olive oils, etc. of excellent quality in addition buy pita bread and enjoy the tasty spreads.

Juice Bar

The Juice Shop at Viktualienmarkt
I highly recommend their delicious juices.

Do you need some energy and vitamins? The freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices are healthy, tasty, and despite the location, reasonable priced. Of course, several stalls offer fresh juices; this is the one I know best.

Seafood From Around the World

Fish grilled in one of the fish restaurants at Victuals Market
My grilled sole was delicious.

There are four seafood shops and restaurants where you get the freshest fish and clams. All shops are close together, offering indoor and outdoor seating, but I highly recommend making a reservation. It is a bit overpriced, but the quality was excellent when I ate here. 

Typical Bavarian Bakeries

Hofpfisterei bakery on Viktualienmarkt
Hofpfisterei offers the biggest and most tasty pretzels, IMO.

There are ten different bakeries more than I had known to sell giant pretzels, bread, cakes, and cookies. The mentioned Hofpfisterei was once the emperor's bakery; under the Wittelsbach Duke Ludwig IV from 1328-1346, Emperor Ludwig called the Bavarian. What makes the difference here is the traditional maintained way of baking in the stone oven and the pure natural sourdough, which makes the bread so digestible. This is just my opinion, also Fritz bakery and many more provide excellent quality.

Organic Food

An organic food stall with veggies and Pestos
This stall offers veggies, bread, pestos, and more.

You get an excellent grocery quality on the entire Viktualienmarkt. For those who prefer organic products, "Lebe Gesund" "Live Healthy" has a vast variety of veggies, fruits, and lots of homemade products. 

Fresh Flowers

One of the many flower stalls at Viktualienmarkt

Several flower and plant shops offer seasonal and exotic fresh flowers providing green and colourful spots between the other stalls at Victuals Market. Flowers bought here last definitely longer.

Honey

The honey stall at Viktualienmarkt
The honey wine is deliciously sweet and treacherous.

If you love honey, this is the right place. In addition to the different types of honey, you can also get care products as well as honey wine, sweets and much more.

Souveniers

Souveniers like baskets at Victuals Market
Two of many souvenirs and art craft stalls.

Are you looking for some presents to bring back home? There are plenty of crafts and souvenir stalls spread on the Victuals Market.

Why Is It Called Viktualienmarkt?

The entrance to the Victuals coming from Marienplatz
View of the market from the terrace of the opposite cafe.

The name originates from the Latin word Viktualien for groceries or victuals.

History of the Viktualienmarkt

View from higher elevations to the entire Viktualienmarkt
View from St. Peters Church to the Victuals in winter.

Originally the farmer’s and herb market was situated at Marienplatz in former times called Schrannenplatz until the beginning of the 19th century. What once was a small farmer's market is now a huge market and meeting point with almost 19.000 sqm. The Victual Market already had this size at the end of the 19th century; the market had to move to the present square of 200 meters distance.

Another fountain with a famous comedian
She was a famous comedian from the 1920s to the late 50s.

Schrannenhalle, a huge market hall, was built next to the city wall in 1852, which is the "Großmarkthalle" today. During WW 2, Viktualienmarkt got severely damaged, and there were considerations to demolish and relocate the market to build large apartment buildings and company buildings instead. 

One more fountain on Viktualienmarkt
These guys use the Liesl Karlstadt fountain to cool their beer.

A big thanks to the city council for rebuilding the infrastructure and market. In the end, it was more expensive than expected, but a piece of Munich's history has been preserved, as it is so often the case in this city. This makes Munich unique to me.

This article gives an overview of the existing stalls on the Viktualienmarkt, but I can't list all 140 shops here. Of course, the quality of most of the shops at the market is top-notch. The listed stalls above are my favourite ones; these are not paid ads.

Me by bike in the English Garden
I always take my bike in Munich, and plenty of rental bikes exist. All sights are excellently marked in the Munich city centre—more in my Munich by Bike Guide.

Is there anything else you would like to know about the Victuals? Send me a message, and I will add the information to my Viktualienmarkt article: micha at besttime2travel.com.

Do you want to obtain the usage right for my images? Contact me, but I will take action against picture theft.

 

Nearby Places
Explore Munich by Bike – 17 Must Visit Sights – Tour from English Garden to Isartor
1 km
Explore Munich by Bike – 17 Must Visit Sights – Tour from English Garden to Isartor
I have been living near Munich for more than four years already, and I like to…
Partnachklamm – Partnach Gorge in Garmisch – 5 Hikes and Tips by a Local
81 km
Partnachklamm – Partnach Gorge in Garmisch – 5 Hikes and Tips by a Local
The Partnachklamm is a 700-meter-long gorge cut by the mountain river Partnach…
9 Things to Do Around Neuschwanstein for Hikers, Families, and Kids
85 km
9 Things to Do Around Neuschwanstein for Hikers, Families, and Kids
We moved to the south of Bavaria in 2019 and we regularly visit this unique…
Neuschwanstein Castle Season Guide and 3 Best Viewpoints
89 km
Neuschwanstein Castle Season Guide and 3 Best Viewpoints
I have lived in the south of Bavaria since 2019, and I know everything about…
13 Most Asked Questions About Neuschwanstein Castle Answered by a Local
89 km
13 Most Asked Questions About Neuschwanstein Castle Answered by a Local
Neuschwanstein was built in the 19th century by Ludwig II, a visionary for…
Krampus Run – Krampuslauf in Munich, Bavaria and Austria in the Winter
93 km
Krampus Run – Krampuslauf in Munich, Bavaria and Austria in the Winter
The Krampus Run or Krampuslauf in German has different names depending on the…
Ultimate Guide for Highline 179 in Austria, Tyrol
98 km
Ultimate Guide for Highline 179 in Austria, Tyrol
Highline 179 was inaugurated in November 2014 and became the longest Tibet-…
Krimmler Wasserfälle - Krimml Waterfalls Hike to 11 Viewpoints
113 km
Krimmler Wasserfälle - Krimml Waterfalls Hike to 11 Viewpoints
The impressive Krimml waterfalls are the highest in Europe and the fifth…
Drachenwand am Mondsee - Via Ferrata Dragon Wall at Moon Lake
137 km
Drachenwand am Mondsee - Via Ferrata Dragon Wall at Moon Lake
The best Via Ferrata Guide you can get. It covers all important…
Eisriesenwelt – The Longest Ice Cave in the World Close to Salzburg
140 km
Eisriesenwelt – The Longest Ice Cave in the World Close to Salzburg
I will give you all the important details for an exceptional visit. I will let…
Created by
Micha Herber-Bleich
Micha Herber-Bleich
I am always open, curious about new…