10 foods to try at Oktoberfest

Bavaria, home to Oktoberfest, its not only world famous for its beer, but also for its soft pretzels. These are known as "Brez'n" in the local dialect and are served with sausage, a variety of mustards - and, of course, a huge mug of beer. XXL Brez'n can be found every few meters at Oktoberfest. After all, no one should drink on an empty stomach.

What would a German festival be without some hearty sausage? In Bavaria, the local specialty is Weisswurst (literally, "white sausage"). In this case, you can't eat the skin. You either have to be very skilled with your knife and fork to get to the meat - or just do as the locals do: Suck the sausage out of the skin. The best part? They're usually eaten for breakfast with a large wheat beer.

Not all sausages come with so many rules. There are plenty of others available at Oktoberfest that are a bit more relaxed. Bratwurst (pictured) and Currywurst are most commonly found on the so-called Wies'n - the field where the festival is held. They can be eaten at any time of day and are usually served with a bread roll.

Sausages aren't your thing? Not to worry, there's plenty of seafood to be found as well. Crab, fish and shrimp are served with mayonnaise sauce in a bread roll and you can wash down that fishy taste with another liter of Bavarian beer.

The slowly roasted ox has been a tradition at Oktoberfest for 133 years - nearly as long as the 181-year-old festival has been around. Bound to still every hunger pang, portions of the large animal can be enjoyed on a platter with vegetables, red wine sauce and potatoes.

Needless to stay, there is no shortage of meat at Oktoberfest - and practically every variety of it. There are more than a few places to enjoy whole rotisserie chickens. Last year, over 480,000 chickens were consumed during the two-week event.

You can't go to Bavaria without trying the local specialty: Schweinshaxe. This mouthful of a word is nothing more than a humongous, pickled chunk of ham. It's usually served with a heap of traditional sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. If you finish your plate, you probably won't be hungry for the rest of the day.

"Dampfnudle" literally means steamed noodle, but it's not as boring as it sounds. The bread dumpling can be eaten as a vegetarian main dish with herbs, vegetables and cheese. And you can order another one for dessert, covered in vanilla sauce, hot cherries and melted butter. Yum!

Speaking of dessert, the options are many. You could choose a warm crepe covered in Nutella or applesauce, or sink your teeth into a waffle with whipped cream, sugar or chocolate sauce. You'll also find an abundance of caramelized nuts on the Wies'n if your sweet tooth needs a boost between beers.

They look delicious, and technically you can eat them, but we wouldn't recommend it. The gingerbread hearts you'll find all over the festival are hard as rocks. But they're a creative way to say "ich liebe dich" (I love you) and make for a fun souvenir. Don't worry, the dried oversized cookies will survive any journey in a suitcase.