German - Ordering Food

Lesson 101 of 158

A learner practicing German phrases for ordering food at a café — ordering food in German for beginners.

Goal: Polite phrases for the café and restaurant

Free German lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Ready to order? This short lesson helps you speak politely and clearly when ordering food in German. We'll practice asking for recommendations, adding extras, and saying you're ready (or not quite yet).

Level A1: In this CEFR-aligned mini-lesson you will learn and use nine useful ordering phrases in German. You’ll hear short chunks like Ich nehme ___, bitte. and Bitte separat dazu., try quizzes and matching, and practice saying each phrase aloud. Lesson 101 keeps it friendly and focused — ordering made simple.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Learn 9 polite German phrases for ordering food and drinks.
  • Practice asking for recommendations and what comes with a dish.
  • Be able to request extras, separate sides, or ask for more time.
A friendly café scene for German learners focused on ordering food and asking questions about dishes.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Mit ___, bitte.

With ___, please.

Meaning: With ___, please.

When to use: Use when you want something added to your order, e.g., an extra ingredient or sauce.

Tip: Don’t use nominative after mit; use the correct dative form (e.g., mit Käse).

Mit Käse, bitte.
With cheese, please.
Mit extra Zwiebeln, bitte.
With extra onions, please.

Bitte separat dazu.

On the side, please.

Meaning: On the side, please.

When to use: Ask this when you want a sauce, dressing, or side served separately from the main dish.

Die Sauce bitte separat dazu.
The sauce, on the side please.
Pommes bitte separat dazu.
Fries on the side, please.

Ich nehme ___, bitte.

I'll have ___, please.

Meaning: I'll have ___, please.

When to use: Use this polite formula to state your choice of food or drink when ordering.

Tip: Beginners sometimes say "Ich will..." which is more direct; "Ich nehme... bitte" is politer.

Ich nehme den Salat, bitte.
I'll have the salad, please.
Ich nehme eine Cola, bitte.
I'll have a Coke, please.

Was empfehlen Sie?

What do you recommend?

Meaning: What do you recommend?

When to use: Ask the server for a recommendation; use the formal Sie with staff.

Tip: Don’t use the informal form with staff; say "Was empfehlen Sie?" in restaurants.

Was empfehlen Sie heute?
What do you recommend today?
Was empfehlen Sie zum Mittagessen?
What do you recommend for lunch?

Ich möchte bestellen.

I'm ready to order.

Meaning: I'm ready to order.

When to use: Tell the server you are ready to place your order.

Entschuldigung, ich möchte bestellen.
Excuse me, I'm ready to order.
Wir sind bereit. Ich möchte bestellen.
We are ready. I'd like to order.

Noch nicht, danke.

Not yet, thanks.

Meaning: Not yet, thanks.

When to use: Use this when you need more time and the server asks if you are ready.

Noch nicht, danke. Wir schauen noch.
Not yet, thanks. We're still looking.
Noch nicht, danke. Ich brauche zwei Minuten.
Not yet, thanks. I need two minutes.

Das Gleiche, bitte.

The same, please.

Meaning: The same, please.

When to use: Say this when you want the same dish as someone else at your table.

Das Gleiche, bitte.
The same, please.
Für mich auch das Gleiche, bitte.
I'll have the same, please.

Was ist dabei?

What comes with it?

Meaning: What comes with it?

When to use: Ask this to find out what side dishes or components are included with a menu item.

Was ist dabei? Kommt Brot dazu?
What comes with it? Does bread come with it?
Was ist dabei, wenn ich das Menü nehme?
What is included if I take the menu?

Ist das vegetarisch?

Is this vegetarian?

Meaning: Is this vegetarian?

When to use: Use to ask whether a dish or menu item is suitable for vegetarians.

Ist das vegetarisch oder enthält es Fleisch?
Is this vegetarian or does it contain meat?
Ist die Suppe vegetarisch?
Is the soup vegetarian?

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Ordering at a small café

Two people ordering at a restaurant in German: asking recommendations, ordering, and requesting extras.

Who asks for a recommendation?

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Entschuldigung, ich möchte bestellen.

Excuse me, I'm ready to order.

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Ich nehme den Sandwich, bitte. Mit extra Käse, bitte.

I'll have the sandwich, please. With extra cheese, please.

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Was empfehlen Sie?

What do you recommend?

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Ich nehme das Gleiche, bitte.

I'll have the same, please.

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Und die Soße bitte separat dazu.

And the sauce on the side, please.

Server

Alles klar. Möchten Sie sonst noch etwas?

All right. Would you like anything else?

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

How do you ask a server for a recommendation?

Which phrase asks for a side or extra to be served separately?

You want the exact same dish as your friend. Which do you say?

Which phrase politely tells the server you're ready to place your order?

When the server asks if you're ready and you want two more minutes, you say: Not yet, thanks.

When the server asks if you're ready and you want two more minutes, you say: ___.

You want the salad without dressing—ask the waiter: On the side, please.

You want the salad without dressing—ask the waiter: ___.

You see a dish on the menu and want to know its sides, so you ask: What comes with it?

You see a dish on the menu and want to know its sides, so you ask: ___.

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Mit ___, bitte.

With ___, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

Bitte separat dazu.

On the side, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

Ich nehme ___, bitte.

I'll have ___, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

Was empfehlen Sie?

What do you recommend?

Say this phrase out loud:

Ich möchte bestellen.

I'm ready to order.

Say this phrase out loud:

Noch nicht, danke.

Not yet, thanks.

Say this phrase out loud:

Das Gleiche, bitte.

The same, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

Was ist dabei?

What comes with it?

Say this phrase out loud:

Ist das vegetarisch?

Is this vegetarian?