Between mugs of mulled wine

I can’t be the only one who gets excited for the Innsbruck Christmas market the instant that the air turns cold! The lights, the little shops with odd knick-knacks, and of course the glühwein (mulled wine)! Every year it’s mostly the same old, same old, with a few things here or there which have changed, but in the last few years it is the food which has made me most excited for the reappearance of the Christmas market in Innsbruck! I’m not talking about the run of the mill food like the sausages, sauerkraut, or roasted chestnuts, I’m talking about the unique creations that have popped up recently. So, just to name a few, here is what I have dubbed the best food of the Innsbruck Christmas market.

Flammkuchen  :   Tiedemann Eventgastronomie 

Outdoor wooden ovens used to make each flammkuchen fresh.

This is hands down, my favorite food at the Christmas market, and like clock-work every year I eat at this booth way too much, thank god they have a punch card for frequent consumers! The stand is located on the Marktplatz by the carousel. This tasty treat is made in wood ovens built into their outdoor stand, its base is crunchy crispy thin bread topped with bacon and cheese with your choice of either onion, potato or bell pepper, or for the vegetarians there is a tomato mozzarella option. All four are delicious! They also double as hand warmers as they are always hot, fresh out of the oven. At 4,50€ per flammkuchen it’s worth it to try all four.

A perfect snack : Potato Flammkuchen with cheese and bacon

Raclette   :    Feuerzangen Bowle (Kröll Strudel-Cafe)

Let me break this down for you, not that it is difficult, but… giant block of melted cheese… giant block of delicious melted cheese! There are three stands serving this snack located in the Altstadt, Marktplatz and on Maria-Theresien Straße. Served with a base of either dark bread or potatoes, with bacon or without, then smothered in melted cheese to warm you from the inside out. Each portion costs 4,50€ which is a bit expensive considering that it is not particularly filling, but it is delicious and quick!

Delicious, amazing melted cheese over bacon and dark bread

Quesadilla   :    Kaos Crew Street Food 

Come for the mulled wine, stay for the Mexican food. I came across this stand by chance and found out there were actually two locations, one on the Marktplatz and one on Maria-Theresien Straße, although I prefer the one on Maria-Theresien-Straße… I have my reasons. They are relatively small stands, and don’t particularly stand out in any way. They are not particularly flashy and if you’re not paying attention you probably won’t notice them. They have three food options, a fully loaded quesadilla packed with chicken, jalapenos, cheese, corn, beans and spices, or you could go with the chicken (or falafel) wrap, or you could go with chili cheese fries. My favourite of the three is the quesadilla. It’s just the right amount of spicy and tasty. It is a bit pricey at 6€, but it is deceptively filling and ready in minutes.

Nothing flashy but an absolute hidden gem

There are so many stands to choose from, so many tasty treats both sweet and salty, traditional or modern. It was definitely hard to narrow it down to these three. It’s a tough job, but someone has got to do it!

You can find futher information about the Christmas Markets in Innsbruck here.

All photos: © Laura Wunsch