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The Neues Rathaus and Marienplatz seen from Peterskirche over the red roofs of Munich
Diliff, CC BY-SA

Munich

Munich for food lovers: Oktoberfest dates, the Viktualienmarkt and its beer garden, guided food tours and practical tips for the festival season.

At a glance

  • Home of Oktoberfest: 18 September to 3 October 2027 on the Theresienwiese
  • A second beer season in late winter: Starkbierzeit, 26 February to 21 March 2027
  • The Viktualienmarkt, the central food market, trades Monday to Saturday
  • Guided market food tours from 39 to 100 euros per adult
  • Free entry to the Oktoberfest grounds and beer tents
  • 3food festivals
  • 1culinary experience

Food festivals in Munich

Copper brewing kettles behind the round bar at Paulaner am Nockherberg in MunichUser:Mateus2019, CC BYBeerFeb 26 to Mar 21

Starkbierzeit at the Nockherberg

Munich’s strong beer festival at Paulaner am Nockherberg, 26 February to 21 March 2027: Salvator beer, tickets, tables for ten and practical tips.MunichView
Visitors strolling the Frühlingsfest grounds with St Paul's church under a blue sky, MunichUsien, CC BY-SABeerUsually Apr, May

Munich Frühlingsfest

Munich’s spring beer festival on the Theresienwiese: Augustiner and Spaten tents, a wheat beer garden, free entry. 2027 dates not yet published.MunichView
Inside the Hacker-Festzelt beer tent at the Oktoberfest, under its painted sky ceilingkallerna, CC BY-SABeerSep 18 to Oct 3

Oktoberfest

Munich’s beer festival on the Theresienwiese, 18 September to 3 October 2027 (announced): beer, tents, reservations, quiet times.MunichView

Culinary experiences in Munich

Fruit and vegetable stalls with striped awnings at the Viktualienmarkt in MunichHenning Schlottmann (User:H-stt), CC BY-SAFood tour1.5 to 3.5 hours

Viktualienmarkt food tour

Guided food tours of Munich’s Viktualienmarkt: five operators compared, 39 to 100 euros per adult, 1.5 to 3.5 hours, in German or in English depending on the tour.MunichView

Map of Munich

Food festivals in Munich, month by month

  1. Jan
  2. 1Feb
  3. 1Mar
  4. 1Apr
  5. 1May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. 1Sep
  10. 1Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

What to taste in Munich

  • Wiesn beer by the Maß

    Only six Munich breweries pour at Oktoberfest. In 2026 a one-litre Maß cost 14.80 to 15.90 euros depending on the tent.

  • Paulaner Salvator

    The brewery’s traditional strong beer, a dark, malty Doppelbock, poured at the Nockherberg during the Starkbierzeit.

  • Half a roast chicken

    The default meal in the Oktoberfest tents, and part of the usual minimum spend for a reserved table.

  • Kaiserschmarrn

    The Bavarian shredded pancake, with its own tent at Oktoberfest, Café Kaiserschmarrn.

  • Local cheeses

    The board that closes the English-language food tour of Secret Food Tours, after its stops in the market.

Munich is Bavaria’s capital and the city of Oktoberfest, held each year on the Theresienwiese, a large open field a short walk south-west of the main station. Its beer calendar has two big seasons, six months apart, a spring festival in between, and its food life has a fixed address in the old town, the Viktualienmarkt.

Two beer seasons and a spring festival

SeasonWhere2027 datesEntry
Starkbierzeit, the strong beer seasonPaulaner am Nockherberg, Au district26 February to 21 Marchticket for a given day, one drink token included
OktoberfestTheresienwiese18 September to 3 Octoberfree, 4 euros for the Oide Wiesn
Frühlingsfest, the spring festivalTheresienwiese, northern partto be announced (17 April to 10 May in 2026)free

The Starkbierzeit starts straight after Fasching, the Bavarian carnival. The custom goes back to the Paulaner friars of Munich, who brewed a rich beer to see them through Lent. It is far smaller than Oktoberfest and mostly indoors.

Tickets for the 2027 Starkbierfest went on sale on 19 September 2026, five months ahead, and each one is valid for a single day: choose the day first.

The Viktualienmarkt

The market moved to its present site in 1807 and trades from Monday to Saturday, according to the City of Munich. It now counts more than a hundred vendors.

  • Guided food tours of the market last 1.5 to 3.5 hours and cost 39 to 100 euros per adult.
  • Language: of the five tours compared in this guide, two run in English and two in German.
  • The beer garden lets you bring your own food, but drinks must be bought on site.

Before you go

  • Getting around: the Theresienwiese has its own U-Bahn station. Marienplatz, on the U-Bahn and S-Bahn, is a few minutes’ walk from the Viktualienmarkt.
  • Sundays: the Viktualienmarkt does not trade.
  • Starkbierfest tickets are sold for a given day. A table for ten costs 225 euros, entry and drink tokens included.
  • Strong beer: Salvator goes to the head faster than a normal Helles.
  • Food tours: pick the language first, then the day. Some tours run on set weekdays only.

Frequently asked questions

When is Oktoberfest 2027 in Munich?

From 18 September to 3 October 2027, on the Theresienwiese.

Is there a beer festival in Munich outside Oktoberfest?

Yes. The Starkbierzeit, the strong beer season, runs from 26 February to 21 March 2027 at the Paulaner am Nockherberg, with Salvator on tap.

Is the Viktualienmarkt open on Sundays?

No. It trades from Monday to Saturday.

How much is a food tour of the Viktualienmarkt?

From 39 to 100 euros per adult, for 1.5 to 3.5 hours, depending on the operator (prices checked on 6 October 2026).