This isn’t your typical sausage party.
Bratwurst — a sausage made of beef, pork or veal — is a popular meat item to toss on the grill at summer barbecues across America. But its roots are strictly European. It’s said that bratwurst dates back to the 1300s, and traces its origins to eastern Germany, where farmers gobbled it up for breakfast.
But in 1438, still centuries before we Yanks began firing it up, bratwurst made its way to eastern Switzerland. It quickly became a big hit in the city of St. Gallen, and made this charming locale the unofficial Swiss center of bratwurst.
St. Gallen’s variety, known as “St. Galler bratwurst,” is the most popular enjoyed across Switzerland today and comes stuffed with veal, hints of bacon and fresh milk.
It’s a favorite snack among locals, who eat it with a bürli roll, as well as a filling entrée when plated with rösti, aka hearty potato fritters.
Feeling hungry? Here’s a look at St. Gallen’s best “brat” spots, where all you need to bring is your appetite.
Dreilinden
Perched on a hilltop, Dreilinden is a spacious eatery that looks out to wide views of the St. Gallen skyline. Tuck into its gemischter Salat — a typical mixed salad dressed with the day’s freshest ingredients (think: carrots, beets and crisp lettuce) — before grabbing the bratwurst. It’s grilled to perfection and served alongside a large portion of crispy rösti. Equally as spectacular: the panoramic vistas that surround you (Dreilindenstrasse, 42).
Rietmann Traiteur Metzgerei und Imbiss
Bratwurst with bürli is the first item listed on the take-away menu at this butcher shop — and it’s no wonder why. Any local will tell you this is the city’s best place to get it. There’s no seating, but the order comes wrapped in paper and it’s simple to munch on the go (Marktgasse, 3). Take bites as you stroll through the Marktplatz — the plaza that the butcher fronts — where vendors sell colorful produce, dried meats and picture-perfect confections.
Wirtschaft zur Alten Post
This cozy eatery features traditional Swiss decor, such as wood-beamed ceilings and wide window shutters. It serves up traditional St. Gallen fare to match, and, yes, that includes a nice serving of bratwurst with onion sauce and potatoes (Gallusstrasse, 4). When you finish, take a zippy walk down Gallusstrasse to the heavenly Abbey of St. Gall — a light-filled baroque cathedral whose pastel-tone interiors and remarkable ceiling frescos will leave you in pure awe.
Restaurant Zeughaus
Also near the Abbey of St. Gall and its sprawling outdoor plaza stands Restaurant Zeughaus — a simply decorated eatery that serves up the classics. Bratwurst is a must-have here, of course, as is its weinerschnitzel. These items are paired with rotating seasonal specialties: asparagus in spring, fresh salads in summer and potatoes and cheese when winter comes (Zeughausgasse, 2).
Bierfalken
You recognize the word bier? It means beer in German and, boy, has this place got it — dark and white beers, plus Klosterbräu on tap (Spisergasse, 9A). Of course, you can wash down your bratwurst and rösti with any of them, but we also recommend nibbling on Bierfalken’s selection of cheeses from the nearby Appenzell region — a rural area known for producing some of the very best in Switzerland. Cheers, or rather, prost!
Where to stay
You’ll need a place to kick up your feet — and sleep off all those heavy meals. The three-star Hotel Dom, located on a sleepy cobblestone street, not only puts you within breezy distance of all these spots, but also offers comfy beds at reasonable prices (from $85).